Can Detroit Lions Be Eliminated From 2025 Playoffs in Week 16?

Exploring Lions playoff scenarios, odds heading into Week 16.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions odds increase to make the NFC playoffs increase, if they are able to secure a Week 16 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Odds increase of Dan Campbell's squad making the playoffs to 55% with a win, and dip to only 19% with a loss.

Despite the importance of this week's game, the Lions are not automatically eliminated with a loss this week.

The only scenario in which the Lions would be officially eliminated would be the rare instance in which the Green Bay Packers tied the Chicago Bears and Detroit went on to lose to the Steelers.

As NFL writer Ali Bhanpuri explained, "You can probably gather by all the Detroit mentions in the scenarios above that Dan Campbell's crew could really use a win over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Another loss is projected to completely sink their playoff odds (19%)."

Would Lions coach have changed play-calls early in the second half against Rams?

Detroit's fifth-year head coach acknowledged after the disappointing Rams loss the play of the team in the third quarter was quite costly, on both sides of the football.

Offensively, the team was unable to move the football in the third-quarter and stood by as their halftime lead evaported quickly.

“It’s so tough because I wanted to get the run game going. And you run, you get a solid run and then we run it again and then we get the holding penalty," said Campbell. "And so, then you’re trying to overcome that. Try to run again, run it three plays in a row, probably should’ve thrown it. Then we come back, we go for a shot and we just barely miss on that with (Jared Goff) JG and (Jameson Williams) Jamo.

"That was about to be huge. Had it in his hands and it hits the ground, just couldn’t quite come up with it. We were so close. That would’ve been a significant play, but now we’re second-and-10. And then we get a sack and now you’re third-and-22, so it just was tough," Campbell added. "Come back in the third series, try to get the run game going, two yards. So, we just could not execute in that kind of nine-play stretch."

Campbell expressed the goal was to get the running game going and would not neccessarily admit he regretted his play calls.

"We were not able to overcome the negative plays really," said Campbell. "The penalty and then we don’t make that play on the first down and now you’re kind of behind the sticks. But that’s what we’re charged with, we’ve got to be able to overcome it.

"It’s hard to say. Hindsight, it’s always like, ‘Well, you should’ve done this instead, it didn’t work.’ But, I don’t necessarily regret it, I guess, because I did want to get the run game going.”