Detroit Lions Can Clinch Playoffs On Monday at Dallas
Gameday Information
Fantasy Football Player To Watch: Matthew Stafford
We’re going to try this again.
Despite last week’s struggles, Stafford is a good bet for your fantasy championship week. The Cowboys should easily scuttle the Lions’ poor ground game, which means that Stafford will need to throw the ball a lot, especially if the Cowboys’ offense puts on the prolific performance they are capable of.
Detroit Lions
Series History
Dallas leads the all-time series 14-12 since the first meeting between the two teams in 1960. The teams have met three times in the playoffs, Dallas winning two of those matchups including their most recent encounter, 24-20 in the 2015 wildcard round. You all remember that game, right?
Betting Line
The Cowboys are currently seven-point favorites and the over/under is 44.5. ESPN gives the Cowboys a 71.2% chance of winning.
Weather
The walk to the dome at AT&T Stadium will be a pleasant one for those used to December in Michigan, with cloudy skies and a low temperature of 54 degrees.
Broadcast Information
Look sharp, everyone, it’s a national broadcast on Monday Night Football this week. Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will be on the call for ESPN while Dan Miller and Jim Brandstatter will be on the mic on the Lions Radio Network over the air throughout Michigan. The game can also be watched out-of-market on NFL GamePass with a subscription or WatchESPN, also with a subscription.
Elsewhere In The NFC Playoff Race
Four teams have clinched playoff spots in the NFC after Sunday’s games and the Lions enter Monday night as the three-seed, trying to keep the other three teams still in the hunt at bay in the race for the final two spots in the bracket—the NFC North championship and the final wildcard.
The Green Bay Packers (9-6) defeated the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) at home, 38-25 on Sunday, moving into the number-two wildcard position and setting up their week 17 clash with Detroit as a de facto NFC North championship game. The Vikings were eliminated from the playoff race with the loss.
The Atlanta Falcons (10-5) are in second place in the NFC after defeating the Carolina Panthers (6-9), 33-16 and clinching the NFC South. The Seattle Seahawks (9-5-1) had already clinched the NFC West before Sunday but slipped to fourth in the NFC after a 34-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals (6-8-1)
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The New York Giants (10-5) clinched a wildcard spot on Sunday, three days after picking up a 24-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles (6-9) on Thursday Night Football. Washington (8-6-1) remains a half-game out of a wildcard spot after its 41-21 win over the Chicago Bears (3-12) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) are a full game back after losing to the New Orleans Saints (7-8), 31-24.