Week 5 of the NFL season is upon us and though the Detroit Lions have a bye week, that does not mean this week’s slate of games should be overlooked as you enjoy a trip to Yates Cider Mill.
Assuming the goal for the Lions is to 1) Win the NFC North and 2) Make the NFL Playoffs, here are the teams Lions’ fans should be rooting for in Week 5.
Enjoy your day!
Ignore the AFC vs. AFC Matchups
Of course, when it comes to the Lions making the playoffs or not making the playoffs, AFC vs. AFC matchups play absolutely zero roles. So, feel free to ignore the following games this week.
Buffalo Bills (3-1) at Tennessee Titans (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Baltimore Ravens (2-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3) – 1:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Denver Broncos (0-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) – 4:05 p.m. ET – CBS
Indianapolis Colts (2-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) – 8:20 p.m. ET – NBC (SNF)
AFC over NFC, every time
If the Lions can find a way to win the NFC North, they will automatically clinch a home playoff game. That being said, if they come up just short in the North, they will earn a Wild Card spot in the NFC, which means having a better record than the other NFC teams that did not win their division. So, make sure to root for the AFC over the NFC today, including these matchups.
*Bolded teams are who Lions’ fans should be rooting for today!
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) at Carolina Panthers (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – CBS
New England Patriots (4-0) at Washington Redskins (0-4) – 1:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Arizona Cardinals (0-3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) – 1:00 p.m. ET – FOX
Atlanta Falcons (1-3) at Houston Texans (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – FOX
Chicago Bears (3-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – FOX
New York Jets (0-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Cleveland Browns (2-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-0) – 8:15 p.m. ET – ESPN (MNF)
NFC vs. NFC games are not so obvious
Like we said above, if the Lions fail to win the NFC North, they will rely on having a better record than the other NFC teams to get a Wild Card spot. So, here are the NFC vs. NFC games that you should pay close attention to, along with who you should be rooting for.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) at New Orleans Saints (3-1) – 1:00 p.m. ET – FOX
Minnesota Vikings (2-2) at New York Giants (2-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET – FOX
Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1) – 4:25 p.m. ET – FOX
BONUS CONTENT:
If you want to see which teams I am picking against the spread this week, please click on the link below.
