Why Ravens vs. Packers game still has meaning for Detroit Lions

With its Christmas Day loss at the Minnesota Vikings (8-8), the Detroit Lions (8-8) have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.

That means it’s time to start looking toward the future and the 2026 NFL season. After getting swept by the Vikings, one potential silver lining is Detroit facing a fourth-place schedule during its 2026 campaign.

With just one game remaining on the Lions‘ 2025 slate, a loss at the Chicago Bears (11-4) would ensure that Detroit locks up a fourth-place schedule in 2026. But, thanks to its head-to head tiebreaker, a Vikings win over the Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) in Week 18 would also guarantee that Detroit finishes last in the NFC North.

With that in mind, Lions fans are definitely pulling for the Vikings to beat the Packers in Week 18 to set up what is conceivably the easier schedule in 2026 and to help Detroit get a better NFL draft pick.

So, how does the Packers’ Week 17 date against the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) factor in to all of this? If the Ravens beat the Packers on Saturday night, that clinches the NFC North title for the Chicago Bears.

That would incentivize Green Bay to prioritize rest in the season’s final week, giving the Vikings a better chance of winning in Week 18 and locking the Lions into a fourth-place schedule in 2026.

What’s the difference between a third- and fourth-place schedule for Detroit? The Lions are slated to play one team from the NFC East, from the NFC West and from the AFC South in 2026 based on where teams finish in their respective division standings.

So, what would a third-place schedule look like versus a fourth-place schedule right now for 2026 in terms of the three matchups based on division ranking from the previous season:

Current third-place opponents in 2026Current fourth-place opponents in 2026

However, there’s still three scenarios where the Lions would jump back in front of Minnesota in the NFC North standings and wind up with a third-place schedule in 2026.

Scenarios where Lions finish third in NFC North

Lions win at Bears, Vikings lose vs. Packers

Lions win at Bears, Vikings tie vs. Packers

Lions tie Bears, Vikings lose vs. Packers

Scenarios where Lions finish fourth in NFC North

Lions tie at Bears, Vikings tie vs. Packers

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Why Ravens vs. Packers game still has meaning for Detroit Lions

Why Ravens vs. Packers game still has meaning for Detroit Lions

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