DETROIT – The possible playoff landing spots for the Detroit Lions are drying up. They’re either going to get a first-round bye and home field advantage all the way to the Super Bowl or (likely) no home games at all.
Detroit got back on track Sunday with a win over the Bears to improve to 13-2. Minutes later, the Eagles finally dropped a game to the Commanders to fall to 12-3.
But the Vikings held on against the Seahawks to stay even with the Lions at 13-2, so it’s a three-team race for the top seed.
More playoff scenarios:
Here’s a look at all the playoff seedings and how (whether) the Lions can get them.
No. 1 seed
- Is it possible?: Yes.
The Lions can clinch the No. 1 seed by winning their final two games or simply by beating the Vikings in Week 18.
If they lose to the Vikings in Week 18, there’s still a path to the No. 1 seed. The Vikings would have to lose to the Packers in Week 17 and the Lions would have to beat the 49ers.
To put it simply: If the Packers beat the Vikings this weekend, the Lions can clinch the No. 1 seed by beating the 49ers on Monday night.
Otherwise, no matter how the Packers-Vikings matchup plays out, the Lions can lock up the top seed with a win against Minnesota in Week 18.
No. 2 seed
- Is it possible?: No.
To get the No. 2 seed, the Lions would have to win at least one more game, which means they would finish, at worst, 14-3.
If the Lions win one of their final two games -- regardless of which game it is -- they can’t finish below the Eagles or any other NFC division winner. So they would either be the No. 1 seed or lose the division to the Vikings and fall to a wildcard.
So it’s actually not bad news that the Lions can’t get the No. 2 seed. Basically, with the Eagles' loss to the Commanders on Sunday, all of the scenarios where the Lions would have ended up with the No. 2 seed turned into scenarios where they will get the No. 1 seed.
No. 3 seed
- Is it possible?: No.
The NFC West leaders are the Rams at 9-6. The NFC South leaders are the Falcons at 8-7.
Since the Lions are 13-2, the worst they can finish is 13-4. Mathematically, they can’t fall below those other two division winners to get the No. 3 or No. 4 seeds.
No. 4 seed
- Is it possible?: No.
As we established in the section above, the Lions can’t finish with a worse record than the NFC South or NFC West winners.
The No. 4 seed goes to the worst division winner. That certainly won’t come from the NFC North.
No. 5 seed
- Is it possible?: Yes.
If the Lions lose the division to the Vikings, they will earn the top wildcard spot and end up as the No. 5 seed.
No. 6 seed
- Is it possible?: No.
Right now, the top wildcard team is Minnesota, and if the Lions end up in the wildcard, the Vikings will have won the NFC North division (and earned either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed).
The next wildcard team is the Packers, who are currently 10-4. If the Packers win their last three games, they could technically tie the Lions at 13-4, but since the Lions won both head-to-head matchups, the Lions would get the better seed.
So there’s no way the Lions can fall to No. 6.
No. 7 seed
- Is it possible?: No.
The Commanders hold the seventh and final playoff seed right now, and they’re 10-5.
Detroit can’t mathematically lose five games, so this isn’t an option.
