On paper, the Detroit Lions look like a team that should be headed for the playoffs. Their on-field results in 2025, though, haven’t consistently matched that expectation.
After finishing 15–2 a season ago, Detroit has already suffered three times as many losses this year.

Even so, Dan Campbell’s group entered Week 16 still in contention at 8–6, despite playing in a tough NFC North and a crowded wild-card race.
That margin for error shrank significantly after Sunday’s 29–24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Detroit hasn’t been officially eliminated, the path forward is now extremely narrow.
Where Detroit Stands
The loss to Pittsburgh all but crushed Detroit’s postseason outlook.

The Lions no longer have any chance to claim the NFC North crown, as they sit three games behind the division-leading Bears with only two weeks left. Even with one remaining matchup against Chicago, the math no longer works in Detroit’s favor.

As a result, the wild card is the Lions’ only possible ticket to the playoffs. To stay alive, they must win their remaining games and rely heavily on favorable outcomes elsewhere.
At 8–7, Detroit’s odds are slim. According to playoff projection models from The Athletic, the Lions have just a 6% chance of reaching the postseason following the Week 16 loss, with all of those scenarios tied to earning a wild-card spot.
Detroit currently ranks eighth in the NFC standings, just outside the playoff cut line.

They trail the seventh-place Packers by a full win, plus Green Bay’s tie, which could end up being decisive. For the Lions to leapfrog the Packers, Detroit must win out and hope Green Bay drops its remaining games.

NFC North Snapshot
Detroit’s loss further widened the gap in the division and officially removed any hope of a first-place finish. The Lions are now dependent on the wild-card race and outside help to keep their season going.
Bears: 11–4
Packers: 9–5–1
Lions: 8–7
Vikings: 7–8 (eliminated)
Remaining Games

Detroit’s final two contests both come against division opponents. The Lions will first head to Minnesota to face the Vikings, then close the regular season on the road against the Bears in Chicago.

For Detroit, the formula is simple but unforgiving: win both games and hope the standings break their way.