DETROIT – The Detroit Lions have officially clinched a playoff spot and locked up the NFC North Division, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing else to root for this weekend.
Detroit will host a playoff game at Ford Field for the first time ever as one of the top three seeds in the conference. But which of those top three seeds will the Lions earn?
When Sunday’s action began, the Lions were tied with the Cowboys and Eagles at 10-4 -- just one game behind the San Francisco 49ers atop the conference. So obviously, it would be best for the Lions if those teams lose.
Here are the teams Lions fans should root for the rest of the weekend:
- Dolphins (vs. Cowboys). ✅
- Bears (vs. Cardinals). ✅
- Broncos (vs Patriots). ❌
- Raiders (at Chiefs). ✅
- Giants (at Eagles). ❌
First up is Dallas, which traveled to Miami to face the 10-4 Dolphins. The Cowboys and Lions will square off next weekend, so this Cowboys-Dolphins game probably won’t matter to Detroit.
But you never know.
Theoretically, the Lions could still finish ahead of the Cowboys with a loss next week if the Cowboys lose to the Dolphins this week and the Commanders in Week 18. So you might as well root for the Dolphins.
The more important game involving an NFC East team is on Monday Night Football, when the Eagles host the Giants. Right now, the Lions control their own destiny for the No. 2 seed in the NFC, but if they were to lose one of their final two games, they would need the Eagles to lose once to force a tiebreaker.
If the Lions and Eagles both finish the season 12-5, they will tie for the No. 2 seed (unless Dallas is 13-4), and the tiebreaker would come down to strength of victory.
For the Lions to finish ahead of the Eagles in SOV, they need the teams on the top line below to win more games than the teams on the bottom line below:
- Falcons, Packers, Panthers, Raiders, Chargers, Bears, Saints, and Broncos.
- Patriots, Commanders, Rams, Dolphins, Bills, Giants, and Cardinals.
That’s why the Bears, Broncos, and Raiders are included in the rooting guide above.
To read a more in-depth breakdown of the Lions vs. Eagles tiebreaker scenario, click here and read the bottom section of the article.
Fortunately, the Lions took care of their own business in Minnesota, so these games are only for seeding. At the very worst, the Lions will be the No. 3 seed in the playoffs -- and that’s a great place to be.
