Detroit Lions lock up NFL playoff spot with win over Green Bay Packers

On By Littum

They are in!

The Detroit Lions clinched a spot in the NFC playoffs after beating the Green Bay Packers, 34-31, on “Thursday Night Football” at Ford Field to move to 12-1 in 2024. Lions are in the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1994-95 seasons and strengthened their grip on first place in both the NFC and NFC North.

The Lions now hold a 1½-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings, own the tiebreaker over the Packers in the division and have pushed their lead over Green Bay to three games with four weeks left in the regular season.

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The Lions also tied the franchise record for wins in a season (12), in nearly the shortest time possible, and set a new record for consecutive wins (11) to break a record that had stood since 1934. Detroit has back-to-back games against Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Vikings to try to break the record and win the top seed in the NFC for the first time since the NFL introduced its current playoff bracket system.

According to the New York Times’ NFL playoff simulator, the Lions now have an 84% chance of winning the NFC’s 1 seed. The Philadelphia Eagles and Vikings are the two teams on the lions’ tail with 10-2. The Eagles, who host the Carolina Panthers, and the Vikings, who host the Falcons, could also clinch playoff spots in the NFC this week.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for Detroit Free Press. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22and email him at [email protected].