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Detroit Lions Week 14 rooting guide: Chances at 1 seed could skyrocket Sunday

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Detroit Lions Week 14 rooting guide: Chances at 1 seed could skyrocket Sunday


Oh man, how good does this mini-bye feel? After the Detroit Lions played three games in 11 days—winning all three—they’ve had the entire weekend off. That will continue on Sunday, as Lions fans, players, and coaches can just ride the couch all day and watch the rest of Week 14 unfold.

That said, the results of Sunday’s game will certainly have an impact on the Lions’ future. The Lions have failed to create any space atop the NFC and NFC North thanks to the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, who just seem to be incapable of losing right now.

Could this be the week that it finally happens, and the Lions inch closer to claiming the division and the NFC top seed?

Let’s take a look at our Week 14 rooting guide and what it could mean for the Lions’ postseason journey.

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The only two games that really matter:

Falcons (6-6) at Vikings (10-2) — 1 p.m. ET — FOX

Root for: Falcons

The good news here is the Falcons are a desperate team, barely holding a lead over the 6-6 Buccaneers for the NFC South’s top spot. They need this game, so hopefully they can finally knock the Vikings off their five-game winning streak and give Detroit a huge extra-game lead in the division.

Panthers (3-9) at Eagles (10-2) — 1 p.m. ET — FOX

Who to root for: Panthers

This one feels a little more unlikely. That said, the Panthers are playing much better football right now than they were earlier in the season. Bryce Young looks capable, and in back-to-back weeks, they nearly pulled off monster upsets over the Chiefs and Buccaneers. This week, they’re 13.5-point underdogs, though. So don’t get your hope too high.

There are only two other teams who can mathematically catch the Lions: The Packers and the Commanders. Green Bay already lost this week, and Washington is on a bye. So that’s really it for the rooting guide. I could theoretically dig deep into tiebreakers and pick outcomes that would favor Detroit’s strength of victories, record in common games, etc., but we’re a bit too far away from that mattering yet.

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You could make an argument to root for Bears over 49ers, because that could help knock San Francisco out of the playoff race prior to their Week 17 game against Detroit. Plus it also hurts Chicago’s draft spot.

But let’s just look at what the playoff situation would look like for Detroit with these two primary outcomes:

NFC North

  1. Lions: 12-1
  2. Vikings: 10-3
  3. Packers: 9-4
  4. Bears: Hopefully 5-8

In this scenario, the Lions would be on the verge of clinching the division. I don’t believe they’d have any Week 15 clinching scenarios, but they could certainly clinch before the Week 18 game between the Lions and Vikings. Per the New York Times playoff simulator, this outcome would give the Lions a 97 percent chance to win the division.

NFC Playoff picture:

  1. Lions: 12-1
  2. Eagles: 10-3

3-16: Everyone else

With an Eagles and Vikings loss, the Lions’ odds to win the No. 1 seed would go from 83% to 95%, per the NYT. That’s a massive jump and would give Detroit some breathing room—which could be necessary given their tough remaining schedule.

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Retired Detroit sergeant faces new sexual assault charge involving 14-year-old victim from 2002

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Retired Detroit sergeant faces new sexual assault charge involving 14-year-old victim from 2002



An additional case, this one involving a victim who was then 14 years old, has been added to the sexual assault investigation against a former Detroit Police Department sergeant. 

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the latest charges on Friday against Benjamin Martin Wagner, 68, who now lives in Greenville, N.C. He had retired from the Detroit Police Department in 2017. 

The victim in the additional charges was 14 years old when the assault happened in October 2002 in Detroit, Worthy said. The prosecutor alleges that Wagner approached the victim, pointed a handgun at her, ordered her away from the location and then sexually assaulted her. 

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In this case, he faces charges of kidnapping, two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. An arraignment hearing took place Friday in the 36th District Court in Detroit. A probable cause conference is scheduled for April 7.

The woman is now 37 years old. 

“She has lived with what happened to her for 23 years and has now bravely decided that she wants to be a part of holding him accountable,” Worthy said. 

Wagner participated in a court hearing Thursday and was remanded to jail, one week after he was charged with 15 counts of kidnapping and rape in five separate sexual assault cases. All of those incidents happened between 1999 and 2003 in the northwest side of Detroit, with the victims being young women between the ages of 15 and 23. 

The court dates for the earlier list of charges are April 7 for a probable cause hearing and April 14 for a preliminary exam. 

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Wagner joined the Detroit Police Department in 1989 as a police officer and was eventually promoted to sergeant. He retired in 2017 and moved to North Carolina. 



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Metro Detroit weather forecast, March 26, 2026 — 11 p.m. Update

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Metro Detroit weather forecast, March 26, 2026  — 11 p.m. Update


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Fangirl Culture is Front and Center as Detroit Mercy Theatre Company Presents a Zany Y2K Comedy

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Fangirl Culture is Front and Center as Detroit Mercy Theatre Company Presents a Zany Y2K Comedy


I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire closes Detroit Mercy’s 55th Season

DETROIT — Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) closes the inaugural season of the new Detroit

Mercy Black Box Theatre with I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire by Samantha Hurley, playing April 10-19 on University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus.

I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is set in 2004 and follows 14-year-old Shelby Hinkley, who is obsessed with Hollywood star Tobey Maguire and creates a play to kidnap and marry him in her basement.

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“This play is as hilarious as it is heartfelt,” said DMTC managing director Sarah Rusk. “Shelby truly believes Tobey Maguire is her destiny, and through her obsession we get a look into the complicated emotions of growing up during the Y2K era.”

“I absolutely love working with young actors,” said director Cassandra Svacha.

Student Actor, Rileyt McDevitt.  Detroit Mercy

Student actor Riley McDevitt, Photo by Alan Devlin

Watching them create and rise to the challenge is thrilling. I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire to college-aged kids is like a period piece; none of them were alive when this story takes place so it’s extra fun to have them dive into this world in an anthropologic way. They aren’t reminiscing or remembering 2004, they have to study that world and build it for themselves.”

I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire runs six performances April 10-19 at the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre on University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus. The DMTC Ticket Office is open Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., with tickets being available for purchase anytime online at www.DetroitMercyArts.com.

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Individual tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for seniors and Detroit Mercy faculty, staff and alumni, and $10 for veterans and students (ages 4-college). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To schedule your group, contact Sarah Rusk at 313-993-3273.

Those looking to buy tickets should note that the play is rated R and contains adult language and

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