It’s possible that one of the Lions’ upcoming games may not affect their playoff seeding.
The Detroit Lions are in great form.
Currently sitting at 13-2 atop the NFC, a win this week against the San Francisco 49ers, combined with a Green Bay Packers win over the Minnesota Vikings, would guarantee the Lions the top NFC seed and a first-round bye before Week 18 begins.
If the Vikings defeat the Packers, the NFC North title and conference bragging rights would be decided by next week’s game between the Lions and Vikings. In that case, this week’s game against the 49ers would have no bearing on playoff seeding.
Since the Lions play on Monday night, they will know the result of the Packers-Vikings game before their matchup. There’s a possibility that Detroit could find out their game in San Francisco doesn’t matter and could rest their starters. Any extra rest, whether in Week 17 or Week 18, would be beneficial for the Lions, who have been dealing with several injuries on defense.
However, Lions head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t seem to be planning to rest players, regardless of the outcome of the Vikings game. That’s not how the Lions approach things.
“I’ll make this easy for everybody, so the critics can jump out and start attacking, but at least you won’t have to debate it anymore,” Campbell said Wednesday. “We’re bringing everything we’ve got to this game, and we’re playing. I don’t care what it looks like, where it’s at, or who’s playing. We’re going out to play and win this game on the West Coast. So there you go.”
Since Week 15, the Lions have lost running back David Montgomery, defensive lineman Alim McNeill, cornerback Carlton Davis III, and cornerback Khalil Dorsey to injuries. Despite this, the Lions managed to dominate the Chicago Bears 34-17 last weekend.
The Lions are focused on making their first Super Bowl appearance and winning it, especially after reaching the NFC Championship game last season. Even with a banged-up roster, Campbell remains confident the Lions can make a deep playoff run.