The Detroit Lions have a first-round bye due to having finished with the best record in the NFC. They will have a matchup next week in the Divisional Round as they begin their quest to bring the first Super Bowl title to the Motor City.
Do the Detroit Lions Play on Wild Card Weekend?
The Lions will either play on Jan. 18 or 19, and their opponent will be determined this weekend. The only thing that we know with absolute certainty is the Lions will play every playoff game, up to the Super Bowl, at home as they secured home-field advantage for as long as they are alive in the playoffs.
- Divisional Round Matchup: Lions vs. TBD
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 18/Sunday, Jan. 19
- Time: TBD
- TV Channel: TBD
- Live Stream: Fubo (U.S.)
Lions coach Dan Campbell explained after the Minnesota game in Week 18 what the team will be doing with its week off.
“Well, enjoy it. Just sit back for a minute, and it’s really one of those things where for the players, you just want to keep the engine idling. That’s probably the best way to say it,” Campbell said. “So, you don’t want to turn it off, but let’s just leave it in idle and really tomorrow, they’re going to have off.”
Campbell said the Lions would be back to work on Monday and it would be treated like a normal game week.
“My plan is to give them off three days this weekend, refresh, get your sleep, get your rest,” Campbell said. “We’re going to know hopefully by Sunday night, and then we come in and we’ll know the opponent. Then we are full force on that, full game plan, we’ll know who we face.”
Campbell said he was going to use the bye week to spend some time with his family before the playoffs start heating up again.
“I’m going to get a little bit of work over the next two days. Like I said, we’ll practice, and then I plan on getting out of here a little bit,” Campbell said.
“I’ll have stuff with me, and there will be some little things that I’m working on. Things I know that I can do better, get better at, things that I want to look at, do my own checklist as it pertains to us like over the last, call it five weeks, six weeks. But, other than that, I want to spend time with my family and just sit back for a minute and just charge back up and be ready to go.”
Who Could the Lions Play Next?
The Lions will play either the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders, or Green Bay Packers next weekend in Detroit. The date and time are TBD.
The NFL playoff bracket re-seeds on each side after each round. Essentially, that means the highest remaining seed will always face the lowest remaining seed. As the No. 1 seed, the Lions are guaranteed to be the highest-remaining seed in the NFC and, therefore, will always play the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round.
This is why the only teams they cannot face in the Divisional Round are the No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles and No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lions’ Offense+ and Defense+ Grades
The Lions were able to take over the top spot in PFN’s Offense+ rankings after a Week 16 win over the Chicago Bears, then held on with stellar showings over the last two weeks to clinch the NFC North and No. 1 seed.
What they’ve put on paper is close to impossible, as Detroit owns the top offense in pass success rate and third-best in rush success rate. Jared Goff has put on a masterclass in efficiency for most of the season, sans the five-interception game against the Houston Texans, and Jahmyr Gibbs’ four-touchdown finale in Week 18 was a decisive step into superstardom.
With a sorely needed bye in hand, this offense gives Detroit a chance to overcome a litany of injuries on the defensive side of the ball and challenge for a spot in New Orleans this February.
Sometimes, Week 18 results can lie, with teams posting disproportionately dominant or awful performances because of backups. The Sunday night showdown between the Lions and Vikings was not one of those cases, however.
Instead, Detroit surged up five spots in the final rendition of PFN’s Defense+ rankings with one of the most impressive defensive performances of the season. The Lions ended with their fourth-highest grade of the season (86.3, B) despite rolling out an injury-depleted M.A.S.H. unit that also lost their top remaining cornerback, Terrion Arnold, to a foot injury.
While the Lions likely aren’t a top-five defense entering the playoffs in their current state, it’s undeniable how well this team is coached. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn authored a masterpiece game plan, selling out to harass Sam Darnold. Detroit played Cover 0 on a season-high 17.7% of opponent dropbacks, more than triple their season average of 5.1%.
The result? A season-high 75.6% pass defense success rate, a remarkable feat given the Lions’ health and the quality of their opponent.
This unit is still a concern with all the injuries, particularly if Arnold is out. Linebacker Alex Anzalone was a difference-maker in his return to the lineup, though, and it’s still possible for the likes of Carlton Davis III and Aidan Hutchinson to return with a deep run.
With what the Lions accomplished in their 15-2 regular season, it would be foolish to totally discount the possibility of Detroit’s first Super Bowl appearance.