The Detroit Lions picked up a nice 34-17 divisional victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 16, as Dan Campbell’s squad bounced back after a Week 15 defeat to the Buffalo Bills and improved their road record to 7-0.
Though the Lions got back in the win column on Sunday, the team has yet to secure the NFC North title or the No.1 seed in the conference. That’s because the Minnesota Vikings continue to win games, as the Vikings notched a 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16.
Entering Week 17, the Lions and Vikings boast the same record at 13-2, and there’s a chance Detroit and Minnesota’s Week 18 matchup will be for the division crown and the No.1 seed in the NFC.
The Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday in Week 17, and if Kevin O’Connell’s squad wins that game, the Lions won’t be able to clinch the division or the No.1 seed and will have to wait until they play Minnesota in Week 18. The Lions don’t play until Monday Night in Week 17, as the team will travel to Levi’s Stadium to face off against the San Francisco 49ers.
Campbell and his group will know the results of the Packers vs. Vikings game before their Monday Night contest versus the 49ers, but Dan Campbell had an emphatic answer about the possibility of the Lions resting starters versus San Francisco if Minnesota defeats Green Bay on Sunday.
“I’ll make this easy for everybody that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don’t have to debate them anymore,” Campbell said. “We’re bringing everything we got to this game and we are playing, I don’t care what it looks like and where it’s at and who’s this, who’s that. We’re going out to play and win this game, out on the West Coast. So there you go.”
If the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 17 — before Detroit’s MNF game vs. the 49ers — the Lions can’t clinch the division or the No. 1 seed until they play Minnesota in Week 18.
Don’t expect Dan Campbell to rest his starters.
“We’re bringing everything we’ve got to this game.” pic.twitter.com/VgJo9otoDz
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) December 23, 2024
Though some will urge the Lions to rest their starters if they can’t clinch the division and the No.1 seed versus the 49ers in Week 17 due to a potential Vikings win over the Packers, Dan Campbell has made up his mind. The former NFL tight end has built a culture centered around grit and perseverance in Detroit, and resting starters, even if the game doesn’t mean much, isn’t in his DNA.
The Lions and Vikings are the top two contenders to land the NFC’s No.1 seed, but the Philadelphia Eagles are also still mathematically in the race despite losing to the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Below is a tweet from Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports that shows Philadelphia’s path to the No.1 seed in the NFC.
The #Eagles are still in race for the No. 1 seed even with #Vikings and #Lions winning.
Here’s how:
— Eagles win out
— Lions lose to 49ers, Vikings lose to Packers
— Vikings beat LionsEagles get No. 1 seed via common opponents tiebreaker over Vikings.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) December 23, 2024
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