The Detroit Lions can clinch the NFC North Division title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs this week.
With their win over the Bears on Sunday, the Lions improved their record to 13-2 and took a step toward that important top seed. The Eagles losing to the Commanders was just icing on the cake.
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Now there’s a scenario where the Lions can lock up the No. 1 seed by the end of Week 17. That would give them a chance to rest their players in Week 18 in addition to a first-round bye the following week.
Two weeks off before the playoffs? That’s exactly what the doctor ordered for this team.
The best part is the Lions don’t need some complex series of results for it to happen. Nope, they only need two things:
- Packers beat Vikings on Sunday afternoon.
- Lions beat 49ers on Monday night.
That’s it: Two measly wins. The Packers will be underdogs going into Minnesota, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they pulled off a win. And the Lions will be favored in San Francisco, especially now that the 49ers have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
It’s a good week for the Lions to play on Monday, because they’ll know a day before kickoff whether their game in San Francisco actually matters. If the Vikings lose, they’ll be playing for a chance to clinch the top seed in the conference.
But if the Vikings win, the Lions will know that the division title and the No. 1 seed comes down to Week 18 at Ford Field. So the 49ers game would only be for pride (and perhaps a bit of revenge).