Lions Updated Playoff Picture Shows Team Must Thrive in December

Detroit Lions got literally no help from other NFL teams in Week 13.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to head coach Dan Campbell before a play against Green Bay Packers | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions received very little assistance from other NFL teams in their pursuit of a spot in the postseason.

Currently, the Lions have a 30 percent chance of earning their way into the postseason. The 49ers, Packers and Seahawks, teams currently occupying Wild Card spots, were all victorious over the weekend.

At this point in the season, the team is essentially playing as if they are already in the postseason. Any loss would be quite detrimental, but the opportunity is still there, if the team can come out victorious four of their final five games of the season.

Head coach Dan Campbell was asked at his Sunday afternoon media session about the importance of defeating the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

“Well, our margin for error is very small right now. So, of course we’ve got to find a way to win, and we want to win. And I think, I go back to this, we just lost one. We’ve got to find a way to win this next one in front of us. And yeah, I mean, time’s running out," said Campbell. It’s all about finding a way to win the game. But I’ve also been in these now before where we got counted out when I was a player.

"We lost two in a row, and we were almost mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. That was all the writing, and then we won out and got in," Campbell added. "So, you just, man, you find a way to win the one in front of you and don’t get caught up in the rest of this stuff. That’s the bottom line. We’re in this business to win, we’re trying to win, we’ve got to win.”

Detroit's chances of repeating again as division champs are quite slim and Campbell's squad does not have favorable tiebreakers compared to the 49ers and Packers.

Green Bay swept Detroit and San Francisco has a superior record against opponents in the conference.

Detroit next plays the Cowboys and then head out on the road to play a Rams team that were just defeated by the Carolina Panthers.

Here's a look at the latest NFC playoff picture, along with where the Lions stand entering Week 14.

Division leaders

1.) Chicago Bears (9-3)
2.) Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
3.) Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
4.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)

Wild card

5.) Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
6.) Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
7.) San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

In the hunt

8.) Detroit Lions (7-5)
9.) Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
10.) Carolina Panthers (7-6)