The Detroit Lions got back to their winning ways with a nail-biting victory over the New York Giants. Unfortunately, Detroit didn’t get much help in the playoff race, as they maintain a spot out of the playoff picture.
However, their win over the Giants ensured they didn’t fall any further behind. And there’s a small chance Detroit slides into a spot at the end of “Monday Night Football.”
Let’s take a look at the entire NFC playoff picture through every Week 12 game but Monday night’s contest.
NFC North standings through Week 12
- Bears: 8-3
- Packers: 7-3-1
- Lions: 7-4
- Vikings: 4-7
The Bears continue to eke out wins, and now they’re just one win away from guaranteeing their first winning season since 2018. However, Chicago’s upcoming schedule will tell a lot about the team. Here are their final six games:
- at Eagles (8-3)
- at Packers (7-3-1)
- vs. Browns (3-8)
- vs. Packers (7-3-1)
- at 49ers (7-4)
- vs. Lions (7-4)
With the Bears and Packers still to face each other twice, the Lions will have an opportunity to gain ground or surpass both them. Of course, the Lions still have a game against both teams, too, including this Thursday’s game against the Packers.
The Vikings, now four games behind the Bears, need an absolute miracle to win the division, and they probably have to win out for even a small chance to make the playoffs.
NFC playoff standings through Week 12
Division leaders:
- Rams: 9-2
- Eagles: 8-3
- Bears: 8-3
- Buccaneers: 6-5
Wild Card teams (top three advance):
- Seahawks: 8-3
- Packers: 7-3-1
- 49ers: 7-4*
- Lions: 7-4
- Panthers: 6-5*
- Cowboys: 5-5-1
- Falcons: 4-7
- Vikings: 4-7
- Cardinals: 3-8
- Commanders: 3-8
- Saints: 2-9
- Giants: 2-10
*plays on Monday night
On Sunday, our Week 12 rooting guide went 1-6, with the only favorable outcome being a relatively meaningless Jaguars win over the now 3-8 Cardinals. The only teams above the Lions in the standing who lost were the Eagles—a team Detroit is unlikely to catch after last week’s head-to-head loss—and the Buccaneers. The NFC South is now suddenly wide open with the Bucs on a three-game losing streak and Baker Mayfield in a sling. But it doesn’t seem likely two teams from that division make the playoffs, so it may not matter.
Instead, Lions fans should really focus on four teams. It’s oversimplifying it, but the Lions, Bears, Packers, and 49ers appear to be fighting for three spots (assuming Rams, Eagles, Seahawks, and the NFC South winner take up the other three). Root like hell for the Bears, Packers, and 49ers to lose every game they possibly can, and that starts with Monday night’s tilt between the 49ers and Panthers. The Cowboys are also threatening to enter the conversation, but they have games against the Chiefs, Lions, and Chargers still on their docket.
If you’re wondering why the 49ers hold a spot over the Lions right now, it’s because they hold the conference record tiebreaker over Detroit. San Francisco is 7-2 in conference play to the Lions’ 4-3.
