The Detroit Lions (3-4) have Sunday afternoon off this week as they make their final preparations for their Monday Night Football matchup against the hated Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. But, that does not mean you have to wait until tomorrow to care about what’s happening in the NFL today. If the Lions want to make a run at the NFL Playoffs, they will likely need some help from around the league.
So, in case you are not sure about which teams to root for this week, we have you covered.
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Ignore the AFC vs. AFC Matchups
Obviously, when it comes to the Detroit Lions making the playoffs or not making the playoffs, AFC vs. AFC matchups play absolutely zero role. So, feel free to ignore the following games this week.
Buffalo @ New York Jets (Already completed on Thursday night)
Indianapolis @ Houston
Cincinnati @ Jacksonville
Baltimore @ Tennessee
Oakland @ Miami
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.
Denver over Philadelphia
Kansas City over Dallas
Some 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 (2-5) over New Orleans (5-2) – New Orleans not only has a 5-2 record but they also hold the head to head tiebreaker over the Lions. Tampa Bay’s hopes of making a playoff run this season are all but over. Root for the Bucs.
New York Giants (1-6) over Los Angeles Rams (5-2) – Let’s face it, the Giants have zero chance of challenging the Lions for a playoff spot. Root for the G-MEN!
Carolina (5-3) over Atlanta (4-3) – Both of these teams hold the head to head tiebreaker over the Lions so we will root for the Panthers to win their division and for the Falcons to hover around .500 for the rest of the season.
San Francisco (0-8) over Arizona (3-4) – Similar to the Giants, we will be rooting for San Francisco every time they play another NFC team for the remainder of the season. At 3-4, the Cardinals are still in striking distance of a Wild Card place, like the Lions. Root for San Fran.
Seattle (5-2) over Washington (3-4) – This is another scenario where we will root for the Seahawks to keep on winning until their division is in hand. Washington, on the other hand, could be a team the Lions compete with right down until the final week. Root for the Seahawks.
