Detroit Lions Playoff Odds Greatly Improved After Cowboys Victory

The Detroit Lions significantly increased their odds of earning a spot in the postseason after defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14.

According to the New York Times, the Lions currently have a 45 percent chance of being one of the seven teams to earn a spot in the NFC playoffs this season.

If Dan Campbell's squad is able to continue their winning ways and reasonably finish the final four games with a 3-1 record, their odds of being a playoff team drastically increase.

With only a loss to the Rams, the odds are 95 percent. Only a loss to the Steelers increases the odds to 98 percent. Only a loss to the Vikings is at 97 percent and only a loss to the Bears gives the Lions an 82 percent chance.

If the Lions finish with a record of 2-2 the final four games, their odds of making the playoffs dip significantly.

Their odds are 43 percent, if they lose to the Steelers and Vikings, 41 percent with losses to the Rams and Vikings, 40 percent with losses to the Rams and Steelers, 19 percent with losses to the Steelers and Bears, 16 percent with losses to the Rams and Bears and only 14 percent with losses to the Vikings and Bears.

Cowboys coach Brrian Schottenheimer and quarterback Dak Prescott each publicly expressed praise for Campbell and how the Lions' play football.

“Yeah, they’re fast. We’ve got guys that can run, too. I felt like we didn’t tackle great," Schottenheimer said. "When they got in the perimeter a bit, I thought they hurt us. We have to look at that. It’s an explosive, explosive football team. I thought (Lions quarterback Jared) Goff played very, very well. We just gave up too many explosives. Explosive runs. (Lions running back David) Montgomery gets an explosive run. Big play for (Lions wide receier) Jameson Williams after he made it a one score game. Those are things we have been doing over the last three weeks and we didn’t do it tonight.”

Prescott indicated the NFC East squad had many self-inflicted wounds, including turnovers at inopportune points in the game.

“I respect Detroit. I respect Dan (Campbell), the way that his guys, I mean, this team, plays. It’s a great battle, honestly, it always is," said Prescott. "But absolutely. Absolutely. And it’s no knock to them, it’s no knock to anybody. But the majority of the games that we have lost in particular, had turnovers and haven’t done what we’ve done on offense, it’s been self-inflicted. You’ve got a kicker like that that you get across the 50 can put the ball in, and I mean, he gave us a chance tonight. Simple as that.

"He gave us a chance that we’re only down a touchdown in the second half or in the fourth quarter and trying to make it a game, before you know it, they got up a two-score lead," Prescott added further. "Yeah, they’re self-inflicted. And that’s my point, you can’t turnover the ball when you’ve got such a safe haven and a kicker like that. We’ve got everything that we need, and we’re stepping on our own feet.”

The Lions have four games left. Here are their playoff chances, if they go 3-1: pic.twitter.com/mPlaqLIjrP
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) December 5, 2025

2-2 with losses to PIT and MIN: 43 percent
2-2 with losses to LA and MIN: 41 percent
2-2 with losses to LA and PIT: 40 percent
2-2 with losses to PIT and CHI: 19 percent
2-2 with losses to LA and CHI: 16 percent
2-2 with losses to MIN and CHI: 14 percent
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) December 5, 2025

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