With two games left in the regular season, three NFC teams remain in play for the conference's top seed, and with it a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Lions (13-2), who handled the Chicago Bears on Sunday, are one of those organizations. They're joined by the Minnesota Vikings (13-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (12-3), who have a 21% chance and a 5% chance to win the NFC, respectively, according to the New York Times playoff simulator; Detroit currently holds a 74% chance.
It's simple for the Lions at this point. They own the tiebreaker over both Minnesota and Philadelphia, so even a tied record nets them the top spot. If the Vikings were to lose against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday, the Lions would have an opportunity to clinch against the San Francisco 49ers on "Monday Night Football" the next day.
If the Lions lose at San Francisco — or if the Vikings first beat the Packers — it would set up a crucial duel between Detroit and Minnesota in Week 18, as the the winner of that game (hosted by the Lions at Ford Field) would earn the No. 1 seed.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...85Ajq2aM3xX5sg