Chicago Bears provide significant support for Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions’ chances of winning the division were slightly impacted by a difficult Thanksgiving loss, and they are virtually eliminated from contention to challenge for the top conference seed. On Monday night, though, a lot of that changed. The Minnesota Vikings were defeated by the Chicago Bears in a dreadful NFC North game, 12-10, despite turning the ball over four times.
When Week 12 arrived, Detroit’s lead in the NFC North was still 2.5 games. Furthermore, the New York Times playoff simulator indicates that the Lions’ chances of winning the division are still a very strong 94% in light of the Vikings’ defeat.
That could quickly alter because the Lions and Vikings still have two games left against each other. However, the Lions now have a lot of breathing room, which is fortunate given Detroit’s current situation.
There are now three teams with a 5-6 record: the Packers, Rams, and Saints. The Lions still lead the top team out of the playoff picture by three games. These three teams are now all very much in the running for the playoffs.
The Seahawks, who have dropped three of their past four games, are the team most in danger of losing their spot. Since Los Angeles has already defeated them twice, their chances of making the playoffs have actually dropped relative to the Rams’. It’s not looking good for the Vikings either. According to the NYT, not only are their divisional odds in jeopardy, but their overall chances of qualifying for the postseason have dropped to 52%.
For the Lions, what does this mean? We’ll have to keep an eye on more teams now to make sure they don’t go on runs if the Lions don’t improve. You run a greater chance of losing your spot the more teams there are in the competition. Until the end of the season, you ought to be actively rooting against the Seahawks, Packers, Rams, and Saints.
Of course, you won’t really need to keep an eye on this situation at all if the Lions win even half of their remaining games. According to NYT, the Lions’ chances of making the playoffs are still 99%, and their 11-6 record makes them nearly unbeatable. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep an eye on this struggling team near the bottom of the Wild Card race because it will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the playoffs’ first-round matchups.
