No matter what happened during the NFL games on Sunday, December 7, it was a good week for the Detroit Lions. The team played the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, December 4, on Thursday Night Football, and they silenced the doubters with a 44-30 final score.
Now, the Lions have a record of 8-5, and their playoff hopes are very alive. While this game was crucial for both the Lions and Cowboys, it was a tad more important to Detroit, because they, in general, had a better shot of making the postseason before Thursday.
Well, on Sunday, a very important game in the chemistry of the NFC North took place, and that was the Chicago Bears up against the Green Bay Packers. These two teams are on top of the NFC North, and the Lions are behind them at No. 3. On Sunday, the Packers beat the Bears, 28-21, and that changed things for not only the Bears and Packers but also for the Lions.
NFL Research on the Detroit Lions’ Playoff Picture
Following the win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions have a 54% chance of making the playoffs. That’s hasn’t changed, but the NFC North picture has altered after the Bears and Packers game.
Since Green Bay won, the Lions are just a game back of Chicago, and that adds to the drama of the two teams having their Week 18 game against each other. Right now, the Packers have a 94% chance of making the playoffs, and the Bears are at 64%.
What’s interesting is that these teams play each other again in two weeks, and that’s when the real magic happens for the Lions. If the biggest goal is for the Lions to make the playoffs, the Lions want one of those franchises to lose both games. So, after the Packers win, those who root for the Lions should also cheer for them in two weeks, albeit painful.
Of course, the Lions will take on one of the top teams in the NFC on Sunday, December 14, in Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams. That’s going to be a difficult game to win, but if the Lions do it, that will greatly improve their postseason hopes.
Playoff Hopes Around the NFL
So, looking at the rest of the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings had a lopsided win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, December 7, ending in a 31-0 final score. It a big win for the Vikings, and it gives them a 5-8 record for the season. But, they still have less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
As for teams that are on target to make the postseason no matter what, the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars have the highest chances of making the playoffs coming out of Week 14. Both the Patriots and Broncos have more than a 99% chance of making the postseason, and the Seahawks are at 97%.
The Patriots, Broncos, Seahawks and Jags are all having strong seasons, and it’s looking like it won’t be a repeat of the same championship game that viewers always see. The teams who are already out of playoff contention are the Jets, Raiders, Saints, Browns, Falcons, Titans, Cardinals, Giants and Commanders. So, while it may seem easy to talk playoffs, it’s really not, and teams are already locked in, either way.
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