Detroit Lions Most Likely Path To An Unlikely Playoff Run

I thought the Green Bay game did a number on the Detroit Lions psyche for a playoff push, and I thought the Oakland game did a number on the Lions’ chances mathematically for a playoff push. But, it’s still not impossible, so we root on.

So, if for nothing else besides rooting interest in today’s games, I’ll try and cut through the clearest path the Detroit Lions would have to an unlikely playoff birth.

The rest of the NFC is winning some games this season, making it look like winning (10) games would give them a decent shot at the playoffs, and (9) games would give them a small chance at the playoffs. This means going 7-1 the rest the way for (10) wins, and 6-2 for (9) wins.

This is where the tie would help them as it’s likely they have a 1/2 games advantage on any team besides ARI with the same amount of wins.

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Though there is minimal this season that makes me think going 7-1 or 6-2 is possible, their schedule is much lighter until they close out with Green Bay at home. Most of the Lions struggles also are all coming on one side of the ball, the defense, so a turnaround in one group could have significant ripple effects…or maybe I need to convince myself this article was worth writing.

With a remaining schedule of CHI, DAL, WAS, CHI, MIN, TB, DEN & GB. Needing (7) wins and the final 6th spot occupant in Minnesota at 6-3. The easiest path I see for the Lions into the playoffs is Minnesota going 4-3 the rest the way ending up at 10-6, with the Lions going 7-1 finishing at 10-5-1 just edging the Vikings, and most likely others at 10-6.

For the Lions, assisting in MIN going 4-3 makes sense. So a win at MIN would be the biggest game going forward. It is the Lions, so I would expect their one loss to be an unexpected one, say Tampa Bay at home. Going 4-0 in the division the rest the way beating Green Bay as that might be a rest game for the Packers.

For the Vikings, they have a remaining schedule of at DAL, DEN, at SEA, DET, at LAC, GB & CHI. Not going to lie, before writing this, I knew the Lions part would be hard, but I didn’t know the team needing to lose would be reasonably possible. Knowing the Vikings have to go 4-3, and we already built in DET as a loss, I could easily see either at DAL, at SEA, at LAC or GB, giving MIN their other (2) losses.

You also have (3) other teams with 2 or 2.5 games leads on the Lions in between them and the final spot held by MIN. Los Angeles Rams, Carolina, and Philadelphia. Knowing the Lions finish at 10-5-1, all three of these teams can only win (5) more games.

For Los Angeles, that means no better than 5-3 the rest the way with a remaining schedule of at PIT, CHI, BAL, at ARI, SEA, at DAL, at SF and ARI.

For Carolina, that means no better than 5-3 the rest the way with a remaining schedule of at GB, ATL, at NO, WAS, at ATL, SEA, at IND and NO.

For Philadelphia, that means no better than 5-2 the rest the way with a remaining schedule of NE, SEA, at MIA, NYG, at WAS, DAL, and at NYG.

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I don’t see any of these (3) teams winning (6) games and making this almost entirely about the impossibility of the Lions going 7-1 and a little bit about the Vikings going 4-3 the rest the way.

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