Every possible outcome for the Lions in Week 18

Here we are. The final week of the NFL's regular season and the 17th game of the year for the Detroit Lions. They'll play the Vikings at home on Sunday, but this won't be their last home game of the year. They'll be back for the playoffs next week. There's a lot of things that […]

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Here we are. The final week of the NFL's regular season and the 17th game of the year for the Detroit Lions. They'll play the Vikings at home on Sunday, but this won't be their last home game of the year. They'll be back for the playoffs next week.

There's a lot of things that can happen for the Lions in Week 18. We aren't just done yet. Today we'll talk about all the possible outcomes for the Lions in Week 18:

If the Lions win and get the 2nd seed

First, if the Lions win this game against the Vikings, they have a shot at gaining the second seed in the playoffs. That would mean they'd not only get this first playoff game at home next week, they'd get the next one too. Here's what needs to happen for that to happen:

  • Lions win
  • Commanders win
  • Giants win

If the Lions pull this off, here's who they could potentially play in the first round: 

  • The Packers: If they beat the Bears and the Rams beat the 49ers
  • The Rams: If the 49ers beat the Rams and Packers beat the Bears. 
  • The Saints: If the Bears beat the Packers, the Cardinals beat the Seahawks and the Saints beat the Falcons.
  • The Seahawks: If the Bears beat the Packers and the Seahawks beat the Cardinals. 
  • The Bucs: If the Bucs tie the Panthers and the Cardinals, Bears and Saints win, the Saints will then become NFC South champions and the Bucs, who hold that fourth spot, will head down to the seventh spot. It has to be a tie though. This is the most unlikely thing that can happen on Sunday. Credit to Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman for finding this one.

If the Lions stay in the third seed

The Lions are more than likely going to be in the third seed whether they win or lose because asking the Commanders, who are about to fire Ron Rivera and the Giants to to win their games against the Cowboys and Eagles is a tough ask. So if the Lions wind up in the third seed after Week 18. Here's who they could play in the first round depending on outcomes of Week 18 games: 

  • The Rams: If the Rams beat the 49ers on Sunday, they're coming to Detroit. If the rams were to lose this game, they can keep that trip to Detroit if the Bears beat the Packers. 
  • The Packers: If the Packers beat the Bears and the Rams lose, the Lions will have a Thanksgiving day rematch against the Packers in round one of the playoffs.

So there you go. There is a lot at stake in Week 18. This is going to be a very interesting evening of TV watching for Lions fans. The Lions vs Vikings and Saints vs Falcons games are both at 1:00. Then the Bears vs Packers, Eagles vs Giants. Cowboys vs Commanders and Rams vs 49ers are all in the 4:25 window. So we'll have all our answers at about 8:00 Sunday night. See you then.

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