With their win over the Minnesota Vikings in week 18, the Lions have secured the number one seed in the NFC, home-field advantage and a first-round bye. Now, Detroit will look ahead to who they will play in the Divisional Round next week.
The Lions will play the lowest remaining seed after Wild Card Weekend, meaning that they will not be seeing the number two seed Philadelphia Eagles or the three-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional. There are four potential options for Detroit, and a deeper look into each is needed.
#4 seed Los Angeles Rams
If the Rams defeat the Vikings, they could be headed to Detroit if the Eagles and Buccaneers take care of business, leaving the top four seeds in the NFC alive.
Looking into Los Angeles, the Lions faced them in an overtime thriller in week one of the season, and after that, the Rams struggled, starting the season 1-4. That being said, throughout the remainder of the season, they went 9-4 and have drastically improved on offense. Led by former longtime Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Kyren Williams, and wide receiver duo Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles has been red hot. Against a depleted Lion’s defense, the matchup might be dangerous for Detroit.
#5 seed Minnesota Vikings
With two division rivals in the playoffs, there is a fifty percent chance the Lions meet one of them, and it could very well be the Vikings.
After a disastrous performance in week eighteen’s game for the one seed, Minnesota finds themselves hungry for revenge against a team they have now lost to twice throughout the season. In order for the Vikings to have an opportunity to move forward, quarterback Sam Darnold will need to work out the issues in his game and get the ball to star receiver Justin Jefferson. Along with that, their defense must tighten up against the red hot Detroit offense, or it will be another win against the Vikings for the Lions.
#6 seed Washington Commanders
One of the biggest shocks of the season was the turn around of the Commander’s franchise. The Cinderella story was all started by star rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels and his chemistry with wide receiver Terry Mclaurin. That being said, they tend to find themselves in extremely close games and have happened to win nearly all of them, despite a few. Unfortunately for Washington, they are a bottom three team in rush defense which can easily kill their Super Bowl chances with a running back like Jahmyr Gibbs on the sideline. Unless their defensive issues are cleaned up, there is a strong chance their season could end against Detroit.
#7 seed Green Bay Packers
Another possible division rematch and another rival looking to get their first win against the dominant Lions. The Packers have been on the wrong side of history many different times throughout the season, as in their six losses, five have been one-score games. The only team to have a two-possession loss over them are the Lions. That being said, out of the NFC North, Green Bay has the smallest point deficit against Detroit at 13 between two games. Lastly, the Packers are also the best-ranked overall offense and defense that the Lions may face in the Divisional. Meaning that if the teams meet in the next round, it is not a slam dunk for Detroit.