Detroit Lions playoff scenarios: How they earn the top seed, NFC North banner
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(FOX 2) - The race for the top seed in the NFC got a lot more interesting at the end of Sunday this weekend, and while the Detroit Lions still control their own destiny in their hunt for the first-round bye, achieving that goal could require winning the last game of the season.
That's because the Lions' biggest competition in their pursuit is the same team gunning for the division title: the Minnesota Vikings.
With every win, both teams appear to be on a collision course with so much at stake. Both own a 13-2 record after winning their respective games on Sunday.
And while Detroit's victory over Chicago officially stamped this season as the team's best ever, the Vikings have put together a remarkable run of their own. If both teams win next week's game, then both the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed will be determined at Ford Field.
Here are the scenarios that could play out next week and what they would mean for the last game of the season.
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Scenario 1: Lions over 49ers, Vikings over Packers
Detroit plays at San Francisco while Minnesota hosts Green Bay next weekend. If both teams win, they will share the best record in the conference.
That would mean both teams would play for the top seed in the playoffs and the division title on Jan. 5 in Detroit. If Detroit wins, they would own the best record at 15-2, as well as an undefeated streak against divisional opponents.
But if Minnesota wins, they would maintain a one-game lead over Detroit, earning them both accolades. That scenario would mean both the Lions and Vikings would split the series this year, as well as tie in the division. But an extra loss makes any other tie breakers meaningless.
Scenario 2: Lions over 49ers, Vikings lose to Packers
Much of the drama building toward the end of the season would lose some of its luster if the Lions win and the Vikings lose next week.
That would ensure Detroit owning a one-game lead heading into the last game of the season, meaning the best Minnesota could do is tie the Lions, should they beat them at Ford Field.
But because Detroit has a better record over competition that both teams have played, they would own the tie breaker. To find the reason why, fans have to go all the way back to the first game of the season when the Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams in overtime.
Minnesota's only other loss this season - besides its two-point loss to Detroit - was to the Rams.
Scenario 3: Lions lose to 49ers, Vikings over Packers
If the opposite results play out where Detroit drops next week's game while Minnesota wins, then it would still come down to the last game of the season.
That's because a Detroit victory would give them the same record as Minnesota, but earn them the tie-breaker with two wins over the Vikings this season.
If Minnesota wins, the math is a little easier to visualize since the Vikings would have two-game lead over Detroit.
Scenario 4: Lions lose to 49ers, Vikings lose to Packers
Similar to the first scenario where both teams win, if both lose next week, then it would still come down to the final game of the season, but with a caveat.
The Philadelphia Eagles lost this weekend, dropping them one game behind both the Vikings and the Lions. If they win the final game of the season, and Detroit loses to Minnesota, the Eagles would earn the top seed in the playoffs while Minnesota would score the NFC North title and the second seed.
That's because of a better win percentage in common games - tracking back to their victory over the Rams.
If that happened, Detroit would end up as the fifth seed in the playoffs.
