The Detroit Lions are 10-1, lead the division, and have a share of the best record in football. If that isn’t surreal enough for you, how about this?
The Detroit Lions could clinch a playoff spot this week... in Week 13... Thanksgiving week.
It’s true. With the Lions holding a 10-1 record and the current holder of the final Wild Card spot (Washington Commanders) at 7-5, it’s possible the Lions can create enough distance between NFC competitors that they’ve punched their ticket to the postseason with five weeks still remaining.
Here are the six different scenarios for the Lions to clinch a spot:
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals loss/tie + Seahawks loss + Buccaneers loss/tie
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals loss + Seahawks tie + Buccaneers loss/tie
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals loss/tie + Seahawks loss + Commanders loss/tie + Falcons loss
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals loss/tie + Seahawks loss + Commanders loss + Falcons tie
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals loss + Seahawks tie + Commanders loss/tie + Falcons loss
- Lions win + 49ers loss/tie + Cardinals losss + Seahawks tie + Commanders loss + Falcons tie
Four of those scenarios involve at least one tie, so you really only need to focus on scenarios 1 and 3.