Detroit Lions have an unlikely path to No. 2 seed in NFC: Here’s what needs to happen

The Detroit Lions had a slim hope for the top seed in the NFC playoffs entering Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys, but the controversial 20-19 loss that featured an illegal touching penalty that nullified Detroit’s go-ahead 2-point conversion wiped out any chance of securing a first-round bye.

The Lions enter Week 18 locked into a playoff spot after securing the NFC North. Detroit is currently the third seed in the NFC, behind the Cowboys at No. 2 and the San Francisco 49ers, who secured the No. 1 seed with a win and Detroit’s and the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss last week. The Lions have a small chance to secure the No. 2 seed with a win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 and some help from teams playing the contenders in the NFC East.

If the Lions were to move up to the No. 2 seed, they would be guaranteed a home playoff game in the wild card round and, with a win, in the divisional round. Here is a quick breakdown of what needs to happen:

INJURY REPORT: Jameson Williams ‘showing up’ late in season, won’t play vs. Vikings

Week 18

The formula for the Lions to move up is pretty simple as the team enters the final week in a three-way tie with the Cowboys and Eagles at 11-5, but trailing them in necessary tiebreakers to finish ahead. The Lions need to beat the Vikings at home, have Dallas lose on the road to the Washington Commanders, and the Eagles to lose on the road to the New York Giants.

It starts with a win against the Vikings in the final home game of the regular season, and the first with the new division banner hanging in the rafters. The Lions beat the Vikings, 30-24, in Week 16 to secure the division title for the first time in 30 years. The game came down to the wire, but four interceptions by the defense coupled with three rushing touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery was enough to leave Minneapolis with a win and playoff berth. The Lions are 3½-point favorites to get the season sweep over the Vikings.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Carlos and Shawn” your go-to Detroit sports podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]   

If the Lions win the early afternoon game, fans can sit back and root against the Cowboys and Eagles while they both play in the 4:25 window. The Cowboys have the inside track to the NFC East title with a win, while the Eagles need a win and Cowboys loss to avoid a wild card seed and first-round road playoff game.

The Cowboys are on the road against a Commanders team that has lost seven straight games and is currently No. 2 in the 2024 NFL draft order with a 4-12 record. During the first meeting of the season, the Cowboys won, 45-10, in a four-touchdown performance from Dak Prescott. The Cowboys are currently listed as a 13-point favorite and have -900 odds to win the game outright.

The Eagles, also hoping for a Dallas loss, are also favorites against the Giants. The Eagles lost control of the NFC East after unexpectedly falling to the 4-12 Arizona Cardinals last week, dropping them to the No. 5 seed. The Eagles beat the Giants ,33-25, in Week 16 thanks to a last-second defensive stop. Philadelphia is a 4½-point road favorite against New York in Week 18 with minus-250 odds to win.