On December 18, the Detroit Lions were unable to formally secure a postseason berth due to a last-minute victory by the Seattle Seahawks. It is still possible for the Lions to go to the postseason prior to their next game if the Los Angeles Rams are defeated on Thursday Night Football in Week 16.
However, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that his group has higher goals in mind.
“We entered this [year] with the mindset that we must win this division,” Campbell stated to the press on December 18. That’s the objective, and that’s the situation. That is our main emphasis, but if something happens in between now and then, that’s great too.
As a team, we discussed that this morning. When we first arrived, and even now, that remains the main focus.
Lions and Dan Campbell want to win the NFC North for the first time.
The Green Bay Packers have won the NFC North twelve times since the division’s formation in 2002. The division titles won by the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears are five and four, respectively.
But the NFC North hasn’t been won by the Lions yet. Detroit last won its division in 1993, when it was known as the NFC Central.
On December 24, the Lions can snap their 30-year losing streak if they defeat the Vikings on the road.
“We intend to exert every effort to emerge victorious in this division, and it won’t be a simple task,” Campbell said the press. “We need to defeat the extremely dangerous Vikings team in Minneapolis and figure out a way to win in order to take this division.”
Right now, the Lions are the NFC’s third seed. In Week 17, following their game against Minnesota, they take on the No. 2 seed, the Dallas Cowboys.
Detroit will guarantee the second spot in the NFC playoffs if it wins its remaining three games.
As of Week 16, the Lions are also one game behind the San Francisco 49ers, who are ranked as the top seed, meaning Detroit still has a chance to have home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Three Lions-Vikings games in four weeks?
With three weeks left, the Lions lead the NFC North by three games. However, Minnesota may still win the division if they win their remaining games and the Lions lose theirs because the Vikings and Lions play twice in the next three weeks.
The Vikings may still make it to the postseason as a wild card in either the sixth or seventh slot even if they don’t win the NFC North.
The Vikings would then face the second- or third-seeded team in the postseason’s opening round. The two division rivals may play three times in four weeks if that turns out to be the Lions.
Although it poses a special difficulty, Campbell claims he isn’t considering it going into the Week 16 battle.
Since this is the first, that is our main focus, so let’s get started. “Let us implement our most effective strategy,” Campbell remarked. “After Dallas, we can’t worry about the second game. When we arrive to that bridge, we’ll cross it. Therefore, we are unable to keep back.
