The Detroit Lions’ chances of securing the NFC North title and the top seed in the NFC could greatly improve by Sunday, potentially reaching the high 90s. Here’s how the situation could unfold.

After an intense stretch of three games in 11 days—during which the Lions won every match—they are now enjoying a mini-bye.

This weekend off gives fans, players, and coaches the chance to relax and watch Week 14 unfold from the comfort of their homes. While Detroit rests, the results of Sunday’s games will have a significant impact on the team’s future.

So far, the Lions haven’t been able to create any separation at the top of the NFC standings or the NFC North division due to the continued strong play of the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles.

Both teams have been nearly unbeatable recently, preventing Detroit from pulling away.

However, Week 14 might present an opportunity for the Lions to inch closer to claiming both the division title and the coveted NFC top seed.

Here’s a look at the Week 14 rooting guide, along with what each outcome could mean for the Lions’ postseason aspirations.

First, the good news: the Atlanta Falcons are in a desperate situation, barely holding onto the NFC South’s top spot over the 6-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Atlanta will need a win to maintain its slim lead, and hopefully, that means the Falcons can end Minnesota’s five-game winning streak.

A loss for the Vikings would give Detroit a key game advantage in the division race.

Next up, we have the Carolina Panthers, who are playing better football than they did earlier in the season. Quarterback Bryce Young has shown signs of improvement, and the Panthers nearly pulled off back-to-back upsets against the Chiefs and Buccaneers.

Despite being 13.5-point underdogs this week, they could still present a challenge to the highly competitive San Francisco 49ers. While the Panthers’ chances may be slim, any upset could help the Lions’ standing.

There are only two other teams capable of mathematically catching the Lions: the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Commanders.

Green Bay has already lost this week, and Washington is on a bye, meaning those teams won’t pose an immediate threat.

Although there are other potential tiebreaker scenarios to consider, such as strength of victories and records in common games, it’s too early for those details to have much of an impact.

You could also consider rooting for the Bears over the 49ers, as a San Francisco loss could knock them out of the playoff race ahead of their Week 17 meeting with Detroit.

Additionally, a Bears win would negatively affect Chicago’s draft position, which could be beneficial for Detroit.

With these outcomes in mind, here’s what the Lions’ playoff situation could look like after Sunday:

NFC North Standings (Post-Week 14)

Lions: 12-1

Vikings: 10-3

Packers: 9-4

Bears: 5-8 (hopefully)

In this scenario, the Lions would be very close to clinching the division title.

Although they might not officially secure it by Week 15, the team could be in a position to lock it up before their final regular-season game against the Vikings.

According to the New York Times playoff simulator, this outcome would give the Lions a 97% chance to win the NFC North.

With such a strong position, the Lions could look forward to a favorable playoff path, with the possibility of clinching the top seed and securing a bye week, setting the stage for a deep postseason run.