The 14 ways the Lions can get themselves into the playoffs

The Lions’ playoff hopes took a hit last week, but there are plenty of ways they can still make it.

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) cheers for teammates as they get ready to take the field for warm up at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) cheers for teammates as they get ready to take the field for warm up at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I know there’s a good amount of Detroit Lions fans who have already given up on this season, but I also know there’s a good amount of fans who just don’t have that gear in them.

In a way, this is for both of those groups. The Lions have five games left, and they have 14 scenarios in which they can still make the playoffs and even win the NFC North. Let’s go over them.

Win out and win the NFC North scenario 1

Lions12-5
Packers11-5-1
Bears11-6
Vikings7-10

If the Lions simply handle their business, they’re in. There is no way they can’t make the playoffs at 12-5. There just isn’t a scenario where that exists. The good news is that there is no way the Bears and Packers can win out, since they play each other twice. It’s the poison pill of this whole thing for the rest of the NFC North. They all still have to play each other.

Assuming the Packers and Bears split their series, there’s a scenario in which the Lions could eliminate the Bears in Week 18 and win the NFC North, since they’d have the tiebreaker. Could you imagine? The Bears are the one seed in the NFC right now.

If they lose to the Lions and Packers and then drop a game to the 49ers and finish 11-6, they’ll miss the playoffs. Who knows if that happens? What I do know is if the Lions win out, they’re in no matter what.

Win the NFC North scenario 2

Lions11-6
Bears11-6
Packers10-6-1
Vikings7-10

This scenario features the Lions finishing at 11-6. They would need the Bears to lose two more games and then beat them in Week 18. Then, they need the Packers to lose three games as well. So that’s a possible split with the Bears, and then losses to a tough Broncos team and a Ravens team that’s still fighting for a playoff spot and can win a not very good AFC North.

With a win over the Bears in Week 18, the Lions win the division. These are really the only two realistic scenarios in which the Lions win the NFC North, unless the Bears lose out, and the Packers’ only other two wins are against the Bears.

Every way in at 11-6

  • The Lions win the division, as noted in scenario two
  • The Bears lose three games, including Week 18, to the Lions. Detroit gets the seventh seed
  • 49ers finish 10-7, and the Lions get the seventh seed
  • Lions get sixth seed if the 49ers finish 10-7 and the Bears finish 11-6
  • Lions get the fifth seed if the Bears and Seahawks finish 11-6, and the Lions beat the Bears in Week 18

Every way in at 10-7

  • The Lions can get in at 10-7 if the Bears lose out.
  • They can get in at 10-7 in the seventh seed over the 49ers lose out
  • They can get in at 10-7 in the seventh seed if the Seahawks lose out
  • They can get in at 10-7 in the seventh seed if the Buccaneers or Panthers finish at 9-8
  • They can get in at 10-7 in the seventh seed if the Cowboys finish 9-8-1

Every way in at 9-8

  • They can get in at 9-8 in the seventh seed if the Cowboys finish 8-8-1
  • They can get in at 9-8 in he seventh seed if the Seahawks finish 9-8 and the Cowboys finish at 8-8-1

So, there you go. I may be missing some scenarios. If you come up with something, please let me know, and I’ll add it. You can see that as the record gets worse, the chances do too.

So it would be in the Lions’ best interest not to have a season worse than 11-6. That means they’re best chance to make it is only to lose one more game. There’s a lot of football left, and anything can happen.

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