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Week 14 TNF features two teams looking to keep their playoff hopes alive

USA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca and Prince Grimes break down the huge Thursday night matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions.

Last season, the Detroit Lions went 15-2 and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC. They haven’t quite found similar success in 2025.

The Lions have endured a tough stretch since wrapping up a four-game winning streak in Week 5. Detroit has gone just 3-4 over its last seven games, failing to win back-to-back contests and falling behind in the very competitive NFC North race.

The Lions (7-5) still have plenty of time over the final five games to work their way back into the playoff picture. They enter Week 14 sitting in eighth place in the NFC and will get a chance to draw closer to their fellow wild-card contenders if they can beat the Dallas Cowboys on “Thursday Night Football.”

That said, a loss could put the Lions further behind the eight-ball, making it difficult for them to secure a third consecutive playoff appearance.

Here’s what to know about the Lions’ playoff chances and how Detroit might be able to work its way back into the NFC North race over the last five weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

Lions playoff odds

The Lions enter their Week 14 “Thursday Night Football” matchup with the Cowboys sporting an estimated 43% chance to make the playoffs, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

Detroit’s odds rank best among teams not currently in the NFC playoff picture by a wide margin. The Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers are tied for second among non-playoff NFC teams, both with a 17% chance of qualifying for the postseason.

The Lions’ sub-50% chances come as they rank third in their division behind the surprising Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. Detroit has beaten Chicago head-to-head, which could come in handy in any future tiebreaker scenario, while the Packers swept the Lions 2-0 in their season series.

But the Lions being two games back in the NFC North race and a game-and-a-half back in the wild-card battle will further heighten the do-or-die nature of their Thursday matchup against the Cowboys.

Lions remaining schedule

The Lions are playing in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions, the NFC North. As such, it’s no surprise to see their remaining schedule ranking as the league’s seventh-hardest, per Tankathon.

Detroit has just one matchup remaining against a team with a losing record and it comes against a divisional opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, the Lions still have to play both the Bears and the Los Angeles Rams, who are currently tied for the NFC’s best record.

Below is a full look at Detroit’s remaining schedule for the 2025 NFL season:

Week 14: vs. Dallas CowboysWeek 15: at Los Angeles RamsWeek 16: vs. Pittsburgh SteelersWeek 17: at Minnesota VikingsWeek 18: at Chicago BearsNFC North standings

The Lions enter Week 14 in third place in the NFC North standings. Detroit will remain there regardless of what happens this week, as the Lions remain multiple games back of both the Bears and Packers in the divisional race.

Here’s how the NFC North standings look entering Week 14:

Chicago Bears (9-3)Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)Detroit Lions (7-5)Minnesota Vikings (4-8)

While the Lions are behind their two divisional counterparts, they will have a chance to catch up quickly if all goes well. Detroit is trailing Chicago by just two games and has a game remaining against the Bears in Week 18.

The Lions are closer to the Packers in the standings, but they have an additional obstacle in catching Green Bay, as the Packers swept their season series against Detroit. That said, the Packers and Lions are unlikely to end up tied in the standings by virtue of Green Bay’s tie against Dallas, so Detroit’s focus will be on finding a way to pass the Packers outright, who currently hold the No. 6 seed in the NFC.

Still, no matter how you slice it, the Lions have ground to make up in both the NFC North and NFC wild-card races down the stretch of the season.

NFC playoff pictureChicago Bears (9-3; NFC North leaders)Los Angeles Rams (9-3; NFC West leaders)Philadelphia Eagles (8-4; NFC East leaders)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5; NFC South leaders)Seattle Seahawks (9-3, wild card No. 1)Green Bay Packers (8-3-1, wild card No. 2)San Francisco 49ers (9-4, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Detroit Lions (7-5); Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1); Carolina Panthers (7-6); Atlanta Falcons (4-8); Minnesota Vikings (4-8); Washington Commanders (3-8)

Eliminated: Arizona Cardinals (3-9), New Orleans Saints (2-10), New York Giants (2-10)