What are Lions playoffs odds? Scenarios after Packers lose to Bears

Will the Detroit Lions make the playoffs? What are the Lions’ playoff odds? Those are good questions entering Sunday’s Week 16 NFL action.

The Lions were roughly two minutes from controlling their own destiny on Saturday, with the Chicago Bears trailing the Green Bay Packers by seven and performing an onside kick. The Bears, however, recovered the ball and tied the game with 22 seconds left, then won it in overtime, 22-16, on a deep bomb from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore.

That means the Lions can win out and would still need help to make the playoffs in the form of one more loss from the Packers, either against Baltimore or Minnesota, OR a Bears loss at San Francisco next week. The Lions can still win the NFC North if both things happen and the Lions win out.

A Lions win Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field in Detroit would push their odds up to 41%.

Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture, Lions playoff scenarios and odds.

Lions playoff scenarios

Here’s the latest Lions playoff odds and ways they can make it into the NFL playoffs in the 2025 season. They can still finish as the NFC’s 2-seed, 3-seed, 6-seed or 7-seed or miss the postseason.

Lions playoff odds

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions have a 29% chance of making the playoffs. If the Lions beat the Steelers on Sunday evening, their odds increase to 41%, per Next Gen Stats. A loss to the Steelers, though, would drop those odds down to a mere 6%.

NFC playoff standings

Here are the NFC standings entering Sunday’s games in Week 16, with playoff odds from NFL Next Gen Stats:

1. Seahawks, 12-3, clinched playoff berth

3. Eagles: 10-5, clinched NFC East

5. Rams: 11-4, clinched playoff berth

*Currently out of playoffs

How Lions can make playoffs

Here are the Lions’ playoff scenarios after Saturday night’s Packers-Bears result:

If the Lions go 3-0 in their final three games and finish 11-6, they will make the playoffs if the Bears lose both their final games, including a loss to the Lions in Week 18. The Lions would also make the playoffs at 11-6 if the Packers lose once. … An 11-6 Lions team could also theoretically overtake the San Francisco 49ers for a wild-card spot, but that would require the 49ers to lose their final three games. San Francisco would win the tiebreaker due to a better conference record than the Lions.

If the Lions go 2-1 in their final three games and finish 10-7, they will have a very difficult time making the playoffs. If that loss is to Chicago, they’re eliminated, unless the Packers lose their final two games to finish 9-7-1.

If the Lions go 1-2 or 0-3 in their final three games and finish 9-8 or 8-9, they will miss the playoffs.

Lions schedule next game

Week 16, Sunday, Dec. 21: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25 p.m., CBS.

Week 17, Thursday, Dec. 25: at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m., Netflix.

Week 18, Saturday/Sunday, Jan. 3-4: at Chicago Bears, TBD.

Bears schedule next game

Week 17, Sunday, Dec. 28: at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC.

Packers schedule next game

Week 18, Saturday/Sunday, Jan. 3-4: at Minnesota Vikings, TBD.

When do NFL playoffs start?

The wild-card round is Jan. 10-12, with two games Saturday, three Sunday and one on Monday night.

NFL playoffs schedule

Wild-card round: Jan. 10-12.

Divisional round: Jan. 17-18.

Conference championships: Jan. 25.

Super Bowl 60: Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions playoff odds after Packers lose to Bears in Week 16

What are Lions playoffs odds? Scenarios after Packers lose to Bears

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