Examining all potential NFL playoff outcomes for Week 18 and how they affect the Detroit Lions and their opponent in the first round.
The Detroit Lions are in the postseason and, for the first time in franchise history, they will host a Wild Card game at Ford Field.
Based on statistical analysis, they are most likely going to be the third seed in the NFC, which means they will play the Los Angeles Rams or the Green Bay Packers in the first round. However, the NFL is capricious, and strange things occur in Week 18.
The Lions can still play five different teams in the Wild Card round of the 2024 playoffs. So let’s look over every situation that could occur and every opponent the Detroit Lions could face in the playoffs.
Let’s begin with the less likely option first: the Lions winning the second seed in the NFC.
[Editor’s note: All but one tie scenario were left out because that’s the only way the Lions would play the Bucs.]
How the Lions can earn the NFC 2 seed
Detroit needs all three of these outcomes to happen.
- Lions beat Vikings AND
- Commanders beat Cowboys AND
- Giants beat Eagles
If this happens, the Lions can face FIVE different opponents. Here are all of those scenarios:
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- 49ers beat Rams
- Packers beat Bears
Opponent 2: Packers
1.
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- Rams beat 49ers
- Packers beat Bears
OR
2.
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- Cardinals beat Seahawks
- Panthers beat Buccaneers or Falcons beat Saints
- Rams beat 49ers or Bears beat Packers
Opponent 3: Seahawks:
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- Seahawks beat Cardinals
- Bears beat Packers
Opponent 4: Saints:
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- Saints beat Falcons
- Cardinals beat Seahawks
- Bears beat Packers
- Buccaneers beat Panthers
Opponent 5: Buccaneers:
- Lions earn NFC 2 seed
- Buccaneers tie Panthers
- Cardinals beat Seahawks
- Bears beat Packers
- Saints beat Falcons
There are three different ways the Lions will finish with the three seed, they are:
How the Lions can earn the NFC 3 seed
- Vikings beat Lions OR
- Cowboys beat Commanders OR
- Eagles beat Giants
In this scenario, the Lions can only face the Packers or Rams. Here are those scenarios:
Rams:
1.
- Lions earn NFC 3 seed
- Rams beat 49ers
OR
2.
- Lions earn NFC 3 seed
- Bears beat Packers
Packers if:
- Lions earn NFC 3 seed
- 49ers beat Rams
- Packers beat Bears