The Detroit Lions, sitting at 8-5, remain just outside the NFC playoff standings, and another loss could be the deciding factor in whether their season continues or comes to an abrupt end.
Their upcoming showdown with Matthew Stafford and the conference-leading Los Angeles Rams (10-3) carries major weight.
Following their Thursday win over the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit gained extra preparation time before heading west for Sunday’s marquee matchup in Inglewood, California. As of Monday, FanDuel lists the Lions as 5.5-point underdogs.
Should that spread remain, it would be Detroit’s largest underdog status since the 2023 NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, when the Lions were seven-point dogs. It would also be the biggest regular-season point spread against them since Week 12 of 2022, when they were 9.5-point underdogs versus the Buffalo Bills — a game Detroit covered despite losing.
This season, the Lions have alternated wins and losses for nine straight weeks. Facing a Rams squad that has claimed six of its last seven games makes this challenge even steeper, though Detroit’s urgent playoff situation gives them significant motivation every time they take the field.
The Rams currently sit atop the NFC, holding a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks. The division rivals will meet again in Week 16.
Sunday will mark the 90th all-time meeting between Detroit and Los Angeles. The Rams narrowly lead the series, 45–43–1. However, since Dan Campbell became head coach and the Lions traded Stafford to L.A. in 2021, Detroit has won two of the three matchups — including last season’s NFC Wild Card game.
