Detroit Lions loss to Rams isn’t end: Breaking down NFL Week 15 loss
Free Press sports writers Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarrez break down the Detroit Lions’ NFL Week 15 loss to the LA Rams on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025.
The Detroit Lions need help to make the NFL playoffs.
The Lions are currently 8-6 and at No. 8 in the NFC playoff standings with a 41% chance to make the playoffs, following a 41-34 loss to the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams. The Lions no longer control their own playoff destiny, either, as going 3-0 in their final three regular-season games won’t be enough by itself to get them in the 2025-26 postseason.
But that doesn’t mean the Lions have no chance of making the playoffs. In fact, the Lions’ chances might actually look pretty good based on their schedule and the schedules of other playoff contenders.
The easiest path for the Lions to make the playoffs first requires them to win their final three regular-season games: home in Week 16 against the 7-6 Pittsburgh Steelers, on the road in Week 17 at the 6-8 Minnesota Vikings and a likely-critical Week 18 road matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Next, it would require the Bears to lose at least two of their final three games, which could happen with Chicago currently a home underdog against the Green Bay Packers in their Week 16 game and likely an underdog on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. That could set up a win-or-go-home matchup with the Lions in Week 18, with the winner rewarded with a wild-card berth.
There are other more difficult playoff paths for the Lions that include unlikely collapses from the 9-4-1 Packers, the 11-3 Seattle Seahawks or the 10-4 49ers.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at key NFC games in the final three weeks of the NFL regular season, with a prediction for each one and how it would shape up the NFC playoff seedings.
Lions playoff scenarios, bracket predictionsNFL Week 16 predictions for NFC key games
Predicted winners in bold.
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 18, 8:15 p.m ET.Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, Saturday, Dec. 20, 5 p.m. ET.Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Saturday, Dec. 20, 8:20 p.m. ET.Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 21, 1 p.m. ET.Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 21, 4:25 p.m. ET.San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Dec. 22, 8:15 p.m. ET.NFL Week 17 predictions for NFC key games
Predicted winners in bold.
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, Thursday, Dec. 25, 4:30 p.m. ET.Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ET.Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 28, 1 p.m. ET.Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 28, 1 p.m. ET.Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Dec. 28, 4:25 p.m. ET.Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 28, 8:20 p.m. ET.Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Dec. 29, 8:15 p.m. ET.NFL Week 18 predictions for NFC key games
Predicted winners in bold; times/dates yet to be announced.
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TBA.Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, TBA.Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers, TBA.Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, TBA.Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles, TBA.Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears, TBA.NFC playoff standings prediction
Here’s how we see the final NFC standings looking, with the top-7 teams making the playoffs.
Los Angeles Rams, 13-4 (NFC West champion)Green Bay Packers, 12-4-1 (NFC North champion)Philadelphia Eagles, 10-7 (NFC East champion)Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 9-8 (NFC South champion)Seattle Seahawks, 13-4Chicago Bears, 12-5San Francisco 49ers, 11-6Detroit Lions, 10-7 (first team out)Carolina Panthers, 7-10 (second team out)
This prediction has the Lions’ playoff dreams coming down to their Week 18 matchup against the Bears, with a win and they’re in. However, we have the Bears eliminating the Lions before the playoffs, ending the Lions’ postseason streak at two seasons.
This would set up a wild-card round in the NFC with these three games:
7-seed 49ers at 2-seed Packers.6-seed Bears at 3-seed Eagles.5-seed Seahawks at 4-seed Buccaneers.How Lions can make playoffsIf the Lions go 3-0 in their final three games and finish 11-6, they will still make the playoffs if the Bears or Packers go 1-2 in their final three games. The Bears would have to lose one of their next two games, then lose to the Lions in Week 18. … 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. … An 11-6 Lions team can also make the playoffs if the Seahawks go 0-3 to also finish 11-6. Detroit would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker in this scenario (7-5 conference record vs. 6-6).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 go 0-3 to finish 9-7-1. The Lions would lose any tiebreaker to San Francisco, which will have a better conference record.When do NFL playoffs start?
The wild-card round is Jan. 10-12, 2026.
NFL playoffs schedule 2025-26Wild-card round:Â Jan. 10-12.Divisional round:Â Jan. 17-18.Conference championships:Â Jan. 25.Super Bowl 60:Â Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.