Leading up to the 2022 NFL regular season, there were some people, including myself, that predicted the Detroit Lions would make a run at the 2022 NFL Playoffs. Unfortunately, they got off to a 1-6 start, which was too much of a hole for them to climb out of by the end of the season. That being said, Detroit did win eight of their final ten games to finish the season with a 9-8 record, which was just one win less than they needed to earn a berth in the playoffs. But, what if the boys wearing the Honolulu blue and silver had found their way into the playoffs? How far would they have advanced?
Why it Matters
To be honest, it really does matter how far Detroit would have advanced had they earned a spot in the playoffs because they didn’t and it is time to move on. That being said, there has been quite a bit of debate about how far the Lions would have advanced had they made it.
- They were just one win short of making the playoffs
- Had Detroit made it, they would have been one of the hottest teams remaining
- Many believe they will make the playoffs in 2023
Who would the Lions have played in the Wild Card Round?
Had the Lions earned a spot in the playoffs, they would have faced the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round.
Heading into the playoffs, the 49ers were not only the hottest team in the NFL, but they also would have had the home-field advantage against Detroit.
- If Detroit had won 10 games, they would have faced the 49ers in the Wild Card Round
- The 49ers would have had home-field advantage and they were the hottest team in the NFL
How far the Lions would have advanced in the 2022 NFL Playoffs
Now, don’t get me wrong. When it comes to the Lions, I chug the Honolulu blue Kool-Aid on a daily basis, and I always have hope that they will pull off a huge victory.
But, in reality, despite my belief that Detroit currently has one of the top 3 teams in the NFC, I also believe that the 49ers are the No. 1 team in the NFC and they would be too much for the Lions to handle.
- If the Lions made the playoffs, they would have played the 49ers in the Wild Card Round
- The 49ers have been the hottest team in the NFL and they would have been too much for Detroit to handle.
- Final Score Prediction: San Francisco 27 Detroit 20.
