Inside the Article:
What if I would have told you prior to the start of the 2022 season that our Detroit Lions would be heading into Week 17 with a chance of controlling their own destiny by the time you go to bed on New Year’s Day? I can guarantee some of you would have called me a moron, telling me there was zero chance the Lions would be contending for a playoff spot when the calendar turned to 2023, while the others would have told me they would be extremely happy. Well, here we are, heading toward Week 17, and the Lions are still alive.
Detroit Lions waste golden opportunity in Week 16
Despite crapping away a golden opportunity on Christmas Eve against the Carolina Panthers, the Lions still have a shot to do what very few people believed they could do.
You see, heading into Week 16, the Lions had a chance to control their own destiny in terms of the NFL playoffs if three things happened. Those three things were as follows:
- Lions defeat Panthers
- Chiefs defeat Seahawks
- 49ers defeat Commanders
Though the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, both of who are directly in front of the Lions in the wild-card standings, did lose, the Lions did not hold up their end of the bargain, and now they are in the exact same situation as they were in heading into Week 17.
How can the Detroit Lions control their own destiny by New Year’s Day?
So, if you have not figured it out for yourself quite yet, the Lions can move into the No. 7 spot in the playoffs and control their own playoff destiny if the following three things happen in Week 17.
- Lions defeat Bears
- Browns defeat Commanders
- Jets defeat Seahawks
Heading into Week 16, the Lions, Chiefs, and 49ers were all favored to win. Because of that, there was a much better chance the Lions would move into the No. 7 seed compared to this week when the Lions are favored over the Bears and the Jets are favored over the Seahawks, but the Browns are slight underdogs against the Commanders.
Lions -5.5 over Bears
Jets -2.5 over Seahawks
Commanders -2.5 over Browns
That being said, the NFL is a crazy place and there is certainly a chance that the above scenario plays out perfectly, and the Lions move into the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff picture by the time you go to bed on New Year’s Day/
Nation, do you think the Lions will end up getting into the 2022 NFL Playoffs or will they end up coming up just short?
