It’s Week 6 and our Detroit Lions will be back in action this coming Monday night against the first-place Green Bay Packers. With a win, the Lions will move into control in the NFC North, while a loss would put them in a hole.
But before Monday night comes along, us Lions’ fans have some work to do because there are quite a few games that could/will impact the Lions chances of making the playoffs this season.
Here are the teams you should be rooting for in Week 6 if you are a Lions fan.
First of all, check out the schedule. H/T to Forbes
| Time (ET) | Matchup (TV) | Odds | Total |
| Thursday, Oct. 10 | |||
| 8:20 p.m. | New York Giants at New England Patriots (NFLN/FOX) | NE -17 | 41.5 |
| Sunday, Oct. 13 | |||
| 9:30 a.m. | Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (NFLN) | CAR -2 | 47.5 |
| 1 p.m. | Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (CBS) | BAL -11.5 | 48 |
| 1 p.m. | Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns (FOX) | SEA -1.5 | 47.5 |
| 1 p.m. | Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (CBS) | KC -5 | 55.5 |
| 1 p.m. | New Orleans Saints at Jacksonville Jaguars (CBS) | JAX -1 | 44 |
| 1 p.m. | Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings (FOX) | MIN -3 | 44 |
| 1 p.m. | Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins (FOX) | WAS -3.5 | 41.5 |
| 4:05 p.m. | San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (FOX) | LAR -3 | 50.5 |
| 4:05 p.m. | Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals (FOX) | ATL -2.5 | 52 |
| 4:25 p.m. | Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets (CBS) | DAL -7 | 43.5 |
| 4:25 p.m. | Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (CBS) | DEN -2 | 39 |
| 8:20 p.m. | Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers (NBC) | LAC -7 | 41 |
| Monday, Oct. 14 | |||
| 8:15 p.m. | Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (ESPN) | GB -4.5 | 47 |
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.
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers
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!
New York Giants at New England Patriots
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns
New Orleans Saints at Jacksonville Jaguars
Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins
Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets
NFC vs. NFC games are not always 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.
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (London)
-Carolina has won 3-straight to move to 3-2 on the season. It’s time for them to get knocked down a peg before they get too much confidence. Root for the Bucs.
Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings
-The Lions have already beaten the Eagles and it would be nice to knock the Vikings down further in the NFC North.
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
-This one is extremely tough. The 49ers are 4-0 and the Rams are 3-2. That being said, I am not a believer at all in the 49ers but if they move to 5-0, they could end up presenting a problem for the Lions in terms of a Wild Card berth. I will be rooting for the Rams to beat the 49ers.
Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals
-Honestly, neither of these teams will challenge the Lions for a Wild Card spot. But, I still believe the Falcons could put something together and make a little run. Rooting for the Cardinals here.
BONUS CONTENT
If you want to read Don Drysdale’s picks against the spread for Week 6, please click on the link below.
