When Do Lions Play Next Based on Wild Card Results?

With the NFC side of the playoff bracket set to kick off Sunday, the Detroit Lions will be watching and anticipating who their next opponent will be.

Winning the NFC North with a 15-2 record gave the Lions a first-round bye, allowing them to watch as the first round plays out. Two of the three playoff games on the NFC side will be played on Sunday, with the third set for Monday night.

With the NFL playoff matchups in the Divisional Round dependent on seeding, the Lions' first playoff opponent is uncertain. Detroit will host the lowest-remaining seed at the conclusion of the Wild Card round at Ford Field on either Saturday or Sunday.

The three NFC Wild Card matchups are as follows: No. 2 Philadelphia vs. No. 7 Green Bay, No. 3 Tampa Bay vs. No. 6 Washington and No. 4 Los Angeles vs. No. 5 Minnesota.

Because the Lions will play the lowest-remaining seed, there are two teams that they will not play for certain in the Divisional Round in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. If both of those teams win, they would play each other.

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Based on the schedule layout and previous precedent, the Lions could play either on Saturday or Sunday next week. If the three top seeds all emerge victorious, Detroit would host Los Angeles likely on Sunday. Because the Rams and Vikings play Monday, the winner of that game is likely to play on Sunday, Jan. 19 in the Divisional Round.

However, if one of the lower seeds playing on Sunday emerges victorious, the Lions could be set to play on Saturday, Jan. 18 with times to be determined. For example, if Green Bay defeats Philadelphia, the Lions will play them as they are the lowest seed in the NFC playoffs.

Should Philadelphia win and Washington upsets Tampa Bay, then it would be the Commanders traveling to Detroit. That game, like the Green Bay hypothetical, would likely be a Saturday matchup.

Since the NFL added a seventh playoff team in 2021, the winner of the Monday Night game has always played its Divisional Round game on the following Sunday. Due to the scheduling precedent, a game between the Lions and the winner of the Vikings-Rams showdown will likely be played on Sunday.

However, the NFC's No. 1 seed has not played the winner of that game since the new format was introduced. The NFC's top seed has played on the Saturday of the Divisional Round each of the last three seasons, but has never played the winner of the Monday Night game in that time span.

The Wild Card action begins Sunday at 4:30 p.m. with the Eagles hosting the Packers, followed by the Buccaneers against the Commanders at 8 p.m.. The Rams will take on the Vikings at 8 p.m. Monday in a game that was relocated to Arizona due to the wildfires in California.