After a promising season in which they secured the NFC”s top playoff seed, the Detroit Lions find themselves on the brink of missing the postseason entirely. Following a disappointing 23-10 defeat against the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions have been eliminated from playoff contention, leaving them vulnerable to finishing at the bottom of the NFC North.
The Lions, who ended last season with 15 wins, have struggled significantly this year, holding an 8-8 record. Coach Dan Campbell faces challenges after losing both of his coordinators from last year”s successful team. The Lions have suffered three consecutive losses, marking their first such streak since 2022, and have struggled offensively and defensively.
“It sucks,” said quarterback Jared Goff regarding the playoff miss. “We”ll reflect on the whole season after next week, but yeah, it sucks.”
With their season concluding sooner than anticipated, Campbell hinted at the possibility of significant changes within the organization. “I”m going to be looking at a lot,” he stated. “I do not like being home for the playoffs, and I know our guys don”t, either. Whenever you lose, it takes a village. Everyone is involved, including myself. I”m always going to look at myself first.”
As the Lions prepare for their final game against the division-leading Chicago Bears, Campbell insists that the team must be fully focused. “We got one game to go,” he noted. “I expect everybody to be ready to go when we get back in a couple of days, be locked in and be ready when we get on a plane to go to Chicago.”
This season, the Lions have achieved 48 sacks, their highest total since 1999, and recorded seven sacks against the Vikings, their best performance since 2014. Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa continues to impress, catching his sixth touchdown pass, a franchise record for a rookie.
Goff, however, had a challenging game, committing five turnovers, including throwing two interceptions in the third quarter and losing three fumbles. The Lions had entered the game with only eight turnovers for the entire season.
Injuries also plagued the team, with linebacker Alex Anzalone and safety Thomas Harper leaving the game due to concussions, while defensive tackle Alim McNeil re-aggravated an abdominal injury. Pro Bowl offensive tackle Penei Sewell briefly left the game but returned to action.
In an unusual statistic, the Vikings managed only three net passing yards, marking the second-lowest for a winning team in over four decades.
To avoid a drastic fall from grace, the Lions must secure a victory against the Bears in their season finale.
