The Detroit Lions are preparing for a pivotal showdown this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings on “Sunday Night Football” in Detroit, with huge playoff and divisional implications on the line.
Both teams enter the game with identical 14-2 records, and with the final week of the regular season upon us, the winner will not only clinch the NFC North title but also secure the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC. This means a coveted first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
On the other hand, the loser of this game, despite finishing with 14 wins and the second-best record in the conference, will drop to the No. 5 seed and be forced to play on the road in the first round of the postseason.
With so much at stake, both teams have been fueled by stellar quarterback play. Vikings’ signal-caller Sam Darnold has emerged as a rising star, while Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff has put together an MVP-caliber season, leading one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses.
Both quarterbacks were officially named to the Pro Bowl on Thursday, but for Goff, there was an extra bit of history. The Lions’ PR team revealed that Goff is now only the second quarterback in franchise history, alongside Bobby Layne, to make multiple Pro Bowls.
For context on how historic this is for the Lions organization, Bobby Layne’s career spanned from 1948 to 1962. He played his final year in Detroit in 1957 before finishing his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This means the Lions went well over 60 years without another quarterback making multiple Pro Bowls-making Goff’s achievement all the more remarkable. It ends a lengthy streak for an organization that’s faced plenty of hardship over the years.
Now, Sunday night sets the stage for one of the biggest regular season games in franchise history. With the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The game takes on even more significance given the injuries the Lions have faced, particularly on defense. For Detroit, this is a major opportunity to secure a playoff bye, and Jared Goff has been the catalyst for it all.
