DETROIT – The Detroit Lions narrowly missed clinching a playoff berth on Monday night, but that might actually be for the best.
NEW BREAKDOWN: Why Detroit Lions now control their own destiny for No. 2 seed in NFC
If the Seattle Seahawks had lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, the Lions would have officially clinched their first playoff appearance in seven seasons. Philadelphia scored a touchdown on its first possession and never trailed for the first 59 minutes and 32 seconds of the game.
With under two minutes remaining and a 17-13 lead, the Eagles punted the ball down to the Seahawks’ 8-yard line. All Matt Patricia’s defense had to do was not allow a 92-yard touchdown drive to a backup quarterback in a minute and 52 seconds.
But that was too much to ask of the former Lions head coach.
Drew Lock led a 10-play, 92-yard drive, and the Seahawks put the game away with an interception on the ensuing Eagles possession.
So the Lions still need either one win or any loss by the Rams, Seahawks, or Vikings to officially clinch a postseason berth. The only way the Lions can miss the playoffs is if they lose their final three games, Minnesota beats Green Bay, and both the Rams and Seahawks finish 3-0.
The reason Monday night’s result might actually be the better outcome for the Lions: They now control their own destiny in the race for the NFC’s No. 2 overall seed.
San Francisco has a commanding lead atop the conference, but now that the Eagles have fallen to 10-4, the Lions are tied for the second-best record. If both the Lions and Eagles win their final three games, the Lions will earn the No. 2 seed thanks to the “common opponents” tiebreaker.
Detroit can clinch the NFC North Division with one more win or any Vikings loss. Two of their final three games are against the Vikings, so the division title is squarely in their own hands.
In between those two Vikings games is a trip to Dallas to face the 10-4 Cowboys. It’s a difficult final stretch, but the Lions control their own destiny.
