RedRamage Posted November 19 Posted November 19 The Lions are in complete control of their own destiny right now... just keep winning and the #1 seed is there for the taking. That said I certainly won't mind seeing some other NFC teams lose to give ourselves some cushion. Our biggest threat right now are the Eagles at 8-2. They're in a weak division with the 'Boys and the Giants. They are playing at the LA Rams for the Sunday Night game. This'll be easy to root for Stafford to win here. At 5-5 the Rams are not a real threat. Right behind the Eagles are of course the Vikings at 8-2. I consider the Vikings a lesser threat than the Eagles because we beat them once already and the next game is in our house. Plus is seems to me the Vikings are dropping down a bit. Yes they've won three straight but it was just an 8 pt win at home over the Colts. At Jacksonville won by just 5 and didn't score a TD. At Tennessee they got a solid 10 point win... but the Titans are bad so just 10 points doesn't seem like a convincing win. Vikings face the Bears in Chicago Sunday at 1. Threat #3 on the list is the Packers at 7-3. Packers host the 49ers Sunday at 4:25. Rounding out the rest of the "danger" list imho are: Commanders at 7-4: They host the 'Boy Sunday at 1:00. Falcons at 6-5: Bye this week. Cardinals at 6-4: Traveling to Seattle, 4:25 on Sunday. So, who to root for this week? Rams, Bears, 49ers, _____ , Seahawks (Sorry, I just can't root for the Cowboys right now... even knowing that it would help us.) Quote
Motown Bombers Posted November 19 Posted November 19 Philadelphia is 5-2 in conference and the Lions are 6-1, so the Lions hold the tiebreaker as of right now. Quote
RedRamage Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 4 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said: Philadelphia is 5-2 in conference and the Lions are 6-1, so the Lions hold the tiebreaker as of right now. True... again, as long as we keep winning there's no issue. But the other problem with the Eagles is that we can zero control over them. For example, let's say we lose of our games between before week 18 and the Vikings win out. We still face them in week 18 and a win gets us the division so obviously the Vikings couldn't leap frog us to the #1 seed. But if we lose a game in the division and the Eagles win out that we don't have the option of playing them to knock 'em down. Quote
NYLion Posted November 19 Posted November 19 The Lions are essentially two games up on the Vikings and Packers with both of them coming to Detroit later in the season, they're hugely in the drivers seat in division so the Eagles are really the only main competition unless the Lions unravel a bit. The one caveat is that the Vikings have a fairly soft schedule (lots of home games remaining) so they're likely to stay in the race for the remainder of the season. Quote
Motown Bombers Posted November 19 Posted November 19 The Vikings and Packers play each other so one of them will lose. Quote
Mr.TaterSalad Posted November 19 Posted November 19 16 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said: The Vikings and Packers play each other so one of them will lose. They could tie. Quote
MichiganCardinal Posted November 19 Posted November 19 Looking at the remaining schedules: Lions: @Colts, vBears, vPackers, vBills, @Bears, @49ers, vVikings [Expected Finish: 13-4 to 16-1] Packers: v49ers, vDolphins, @Lions, @Seahawks, vSaints, @Vikings, vBears [Expected Finish: 10-7 to 13-4] Vikings: @Bears, vCardinals, vFalcons, vBears, @Seahawks, vPackers, @Lions [Expected Finish: 10-7 to 13-4] Eagles: @Rams, @Ravens, vPanthers, vSteelers, @Commanders, vCowboys, vGiants [Expected Finish: 11-5 to to 14-3] There's probably a world where the Lions go 2-3 in the final stretch of Packers, Bills, Bears, 49ers, and Vikings. It feels unlikely the way they've been playing, but I think that's the only way they get caught, either for the one-seed or for the division. The Eagles don't have an easy finish either, playing the Rams, Ravens, Steelers, and Commanders across the next five weeks. They could easily go 2-3 themselves in that stretch. The Vikings probably have the easiest schedule of the bunch, but the way they're trending I don't think there is a single gimme in there. If I had to predict today, I would say: 1 - Lions (15-2) 2 - Eagles (13-4) 3 - Falcons (10-7) 4 - Cardinals (10-7) 5 - Packers (12-5) 6 - Vikings (11-6) 7 - 49ers (10-7) Eagles knock off the 49ers (possibly into a rebuild), Kirk Cousins knocks off the Vikings, and the Packers beat the Cardinals, setting up a Lions/Packers Divisional Round game at Ford Field. 1 Quote
NYLion Posted November 19 Posted November 19 I'd be really surprised if the Vikings go 3-4 down the stretch with that schedule even if Darnold turns into a pumpkin. I think they'll hang in the division race for a while. Quote
MichiganCardinal Posted November 19 Posted November 19 5 minutes ago, NYLion said: I'd be really surprised if the Vikings go 3-4 down the stretch with that schedule even if Darnold turns into a pumpkin. I think they'll hang in the division race for a while. I think they go 3-2 in their next five, and then lose to both the Packers and the Lions to end the season. In that scenario, they would enter Week 17 at 11-4, very much still in the race. They're a good team in a brutal division. Quote
Motown Bombers Posted November 19 Posted November 19 I don't think the Vikings schedule is easy. It's not a juggernaut but all of those teams minus the Bears are in the playoff race. Quote
Motown Bombers Posted November 19 Posted November 19 That 49ers game looks like a good revenge game. I'm not sure the 49ers can make the playoffs, and they may be hanging by a thread by the time the Lions roll around. Could be an opportunity to eliminate them. Quote
lordstanley Posted November 19 Posted November 19 (edited) 1 hour ago, NYLion said: The Lions are essentially two games up on the Vikings and Packers with both of them coming to Detroit later in the season, they're hugely in the drivers seat in division so the Eagles are really the only main competition unless the Lions unravel a bit. The one caveat is that the Vikings have a fairly soft schedule (lots of home games remaining) so they're likely to stay in the race for the remainder of the season. I don't consider the Lions two games up on the Vikings and Packers because if either team beats the Lions at Ford Field and otherwise matches the Lions the rest of the way (or in Green Bay's case, otherwise outperforms the Lions by one game, it goes to a tiebreak. I think the Lions are way ahead of Minnesota on conference record but I think too early to assume that's in the bag. So if the Lions and Vikings both go 4-2 or 5-1 and then Minnesota upsets Detroit in Detroit, then it goes to the tiebreak. I think the Lions will beat Minnesota handily in the final game of the season, so it would be a moot point, but I'd rather not have to go into Week 18 worried about it. So I'm most worried about Minnesota. I think Green Bay and Philly are better teams than Minnesota. But Minnesota is the biggest risk of snatching the division title from the Lions and knocking them down to a #5 seed. I think the Lions go to the Super Bowl as long as they're at least the #2 seed. #1 seed, a bye, and 2 home games is ideal. But I think that they're good enough to go #2 seed, 2 home games, and road win over Philly even in bad-weather January. But #5 seed needing 3 road wins to win the NFC? That's a tall ask. Edited November 19 by lordstanley Quote
Motown Bombers Posted November 19 Posted November 19 Keep in mind the tiebreaker between division teams after head-to-head is division record and then conference record. Quote
NYLion Posted November 19 Posted November 19 53 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said: I don't think the Vikings schedule is easy. It's not a juggernaut but all of those teams minus the Bears are in the playoff race. It's easier than the other division contenders. The Falcons and Cardinals are decent teams but they're really in that mediocre pile and they have both at home with the Bears as bookends until the tougher finishing kick. They won't be easy per se but easier than the Lions schedule, for instance, with the Packers and Bills in that 4 game stretch which is why I think they'll hang around for a while. Quote
NYLion Posted November 19 Posted November 19 24 minutes ago, lordstanley said: I don't consider the Lions two games up on the Vikings and Packers because if either team beats the Lions at Ford Field and otherwise matches the Lions the rest of the way (or in Green Bay's case, otherwise outperforms the Lions by one game, it goes to a tiebreak. I think the Lions are way ahead of Minnesota on conference record but I think too early to assume that's in the bag. So if the Lions and Vikings both go 4-2 or 5-1 and then Minnesota upsets Detroit in Detroit, then it goes to the tiebreak. I think the Lions will beat Minnesota handily in the final game of the season, so it would be a moot point, but I'd rather not have to go into Week 18 worried about it. So I'm most worried about Minnesota. I think Green Bay and Philly are better teams than Minnesota. But Minnesota is the biggest risk of snatching the division title from the Lions and knocking them down to a #5 seed. I think the Lions go to the Super Bowl as long as they're at least the #2 seed. #1 seed, a bye, and 2 home games is ideal. But I think that they're good enough to go #2 seed, 2 home games, and road win over Philly even in bad-weather January. But #5 seed needing 3 road wins to win the NFC? That's a tall ask. Up 2 games when looking at the current standings. The only reason why I think Minnesota is a threat is because they have a bit of an easier schedule and that defense with those offensive weapons at receiver are dangerous. The Lions are clearly the better team but the Vikings are still a threat to hang around the race. I think it'll be really tough for the Packers to catch the Lions. Quote
MichiganCardinal Posted November 19 Posted November 19 1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said: That 49ers game looks like a good revenge game. I'm not sure the 49ers can make the playoffs, and they may be hanging by a thread by the time the Lions roll around. Could be an opportunity to eliminate them. Given that it’s Monday Night, I expect the Lions may have an opportunity to clinch at least the Division that day too. Quote
lordstanley Posted November 19 Posted November 19 40 minutes ago, NYLion said: Up 2 games when looking at the current standings. The only reason why I think Minnesota is a threat is because they have a bit of an easier schedule and that defense with those offensive weapons at receiver are dangerous. The Lions are clearly the better team but the Vikings are still a threat to hang around the race. I think it'll be really tough for the Packers to catch the Lions. Agreed. The good news is that the only the way the Lions won’t finish ahead of Minnesota with a Lions win in the final game is if the Vikings outperform the Lions by 3 games or more the next 6 games. That won’t happen. I just don’t want to go into the final game needing a Lions win. Quote
Jimbo Posted November 20 Posted November 20 I wouldn't be surprised if Tampa made the playoffs. Their schedule is about as easy as it gets. Probably would be a wild card since Atlanta's schedule is also pretty easy, Quote
lordstanley Posted November 20 Posted November 20 As far as just making the playoffs, which used to be a big deal for us Lions fans, the Lions have a whopping 4-game lead and have already beaten two of the three 5-5 teams. Going 1-6 the rest would almost surely be enough to make the playoffs, at 10-7. Quote
lordstanley Posted December 1 Posted December 1 Go Cardinals! 1pm at Minnesota Go Ravens! 4:25pm hosting Philly Would be really nice to gain another game cushion for the division lead and/or #1 seed heading into the tough back to back vs GB and Buffalo. If the Lions maintain an outright lead over Minnesota and Philadelphia heading into the final 3 games of the season I like their chances. Sunday Night Football looks like a fun snow game in Buffalo. The Niners aren’t the Niners of 2022 or 2023 but let’s get them closer to killed off anyways. Quote
Hongbit Posted December 1 Posted December 1 11 minutes ago, lordstanley said: Go Cardinals! 1pm at Minnesota Go Ravens! 4:25pm hosting Philly Would be really nice to gain another game cushion for the division lead and/or #1 seed heading into the tough back to back vs GB and Buffalo. If the Lions maintain an outright lead over Minnesota and Philadelphia heading into the final 3 games of the season I like their chances. Sunday Night Football looks like a fun snow game in Buffalo. The Niners aren’t the Niners of 2022 or 2023 but let’s get them closer to killed off anyways. A Ravens win today would be huge for us. Quote
MichiganCardinal Posted December 1 Posted December 1 We are due these teams taking a step back. They have been holding serve for a while, the tiniest bit of breathing room would be very welcomed. 1 Quote
Motown Bombers Posted December 1 Posted December 1 We don't want the Lions to clinch a playoff spot this week. 1 Quote
Mr.TaterSalad Posted December 1 Posted December 1 44 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said: We don't want the Lions to clinch a playoff spot this week. Why wouldn't we want to clinch this week? Quote
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