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2. Philadelphia Eagles (9-2)
3. Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
5. Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
7. Washington Commanders (7-5)
8. Arizona Cardinals (6-5)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
10 Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
11. San Francisco 49ers (5-6)
12. New Orleans Saints (4-7)
15. Carolina Panthers (3-8)
16. New York Giants (2-9)
The Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers have one thing in common.
They all want the Detroit Lions to start losing.
Minnesota and Green Bay are still within striking distance in the NFC North, while Philadelphia is just one game back in the race for the conference’s No. 1 seed. The Eagles have won seven in a row but haven’t made up any ground during that stretch, as the Lions have won nine in a row.
Among those nine wins are road victories over the Packers and Vikings, so those divisional foes will likely have to figure out a way to beat the Lions in Detroit if they are going to make up ground in the NFC North.
It all makes for a fascinating stretch run in the NFC, as seeding even beyond the No. 1 spot will be critical with two dominant division leaders in Philadelphia and Detroit and two division leaders that are one game above .500 in the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks.
Wild-card teams will be significantly better positioned to advance in the playoffs if they can avoid a matchup with whichever team doesn’t win the No. 1 seed and settles for the No. 2 spot.
And the way the Lions are playing, it seems like everyone will have to settle for positions behind them in the standings.
Detroit has more wins of at least 38 points (three) than single-digit victories (two) in its last eight games, and things likely won’t change on Thanksgiving with a home matchup against the 4-7 Chicago Bears.
Perhaps somebody will figure out the Lions down the stretch, but they look the part of the eventual No. 1 seed in the NFC.
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