The Detroit Lions are a strong team with talented players, but it wasn’t enough to get past Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, December 14. In the NFL’s Week 15, the team fell to the Rams in a 41-34 loss, and it certainly didn’t do any favors for their chance to get to the playoffs.
Following the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions, according to NFL research, have just a 41% probability of getting to the playoffs. More importantly, they have to win out the remainder of their season. That means there’s zero room for error, and they have to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears over the next three weeks. Meanwhile, looking at the rest of the NFC North, it’s an easy in for both the Bears and Packers to get to the postseason, but the Vikings are already out.
So, the Detroit Lions’ next game is on Sunday, December 21, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Lions have an 8-6 record going into the game, and the Steelers are also 8-6. The Steelers have a notably better chance of getting to the postseason, though, at 61%, according to NFL research. But, this game sets up a nightmare scenario for the Detroit Lions and one that’s all too familiar.
Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers Game Brings a Familiar Face
So, when the Lions come up against the Steelers on Sunday, they’ll see a familiar face in Aaron Rodgers. Yes, Rodgers, the quarterback who made life difficult for the Lions during his Green Bay Packers era.
How appropriate would it be for Rodgers to be the player who knocks the Detroit Lions out of playoff contention? If the Steelers win on Sunday, the Lions will officially be out of the postseason.
It’s not a fun thing to think about. But, it’s a possibility. Plus, the Lions have that game on January 4 against Ben Johnson and the Bears on the way. If they make it to that final game of the regular season without losing, Johnson could also be the person who knocks the team out of the playoffs. How ironic.
Some Good News for the Detroit Lions
But, it’s not all doom and gloom. The Lions are in a tough spot, but they can rebound. Speaking to reporters after the loss to the Rams, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was encouraging and expressed that he knows he has to improve to get to the postseason.
“It can’t be OK. It should burn at you,” Campbell said of the loss. “It should eat you up. Do not go numb to the losing.”
“We have a resilient group, man,” Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff said after the team’s loss. “We’ve bounced back after things like this and got a home game in front of our fans and expect them to bring it for us and find a way to win that one and go on to the next.”
So, the Detroit Lions know that the future of the season is hanging on every remaining game, and it starts on Sunday, December 21, against an old foe.
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