The Detroit Lions have increased their playoff odds immensely in recent weeks, to the point that they're favorites to win their first division title in 23 years.
But Lions coach Jim Caldwell said this week that the possibility of an extended postseason run won't factor into his team's decision about which player to return from injured reserve.
"I learned a lesson a long time ago in coaching," Caldwell said. "Oftentimes, people get way ahead of themselves. They start projecting. They start saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got to make certain we keep this guy only so many plays because, down the road, this is going to happen.