Roundtable: Are Lions in Danger of Missing Playoffs This Season?

Lions could be in danger of missing playoffs for first time since 2022.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to center Trystan Colon (57) before a play against Green Bay Packers during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

1.) Are the Lions in serious danger of missing the playoffs this season?

Christian Booher: At this point, the Lions are absolutely in danger of missing the playoffs. They no longer control their own destiny, and need help just to get back into contention for the wild card.

While they’ve sputtered in recent weeks, credit to the teams around them for continuing to win. Most notably, the Chicago Bears just put together an impressive win over the Philadelphia Eagles to put two games between them and the Lions in the division race. With games against Dallas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Chicago still looming, the Lions’ path to the playoffs is a tough one.

Vito Chirco: Absolutely. They're now two games back of the Chicago Bears for the NFC North lead and a game-and-a-half back of the second-place Packers. Plus, they currently possess just a 32 percent chance to make the playoffs. So, even if they go 3-2 in their remaining five games and finish the season 10-7, there's no guarantee they'll clinch a postseason berth. Unfortunately, I believe it's becoming increasingly likely that the Lions miss out on the playoffs in 2025.

2.) What has gone wrong in November for Lions?

Booher: It’s been a perfect storm for the Lions in the month of November, with a little bit of everything going wrong. The offense has been inconsistent, the defense hasn’t been able to get enough stops and there have even been issues on special teams. 

The Lions need to start games better. They haven’t had a lead in regulation since their Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders. Additionally, their trademark aggression in key moments simply hasn’t worked out, and has left fans wondering what if the team settled for field goals more commonly. Consistency is everything, and right now the only constant for Detroit is that there is always something to fix.

Chirco: It's been a variety of things. It's been the porous offensive line, the lack of a security blanket at receiver for Jared Goff, the nonexistent pass-rush from the defensive line and the lackluster play-calling from John Morton and Dan Campbell. All of that collectively has contributed to the Lions’ recent woes. And if they don't clean up their act soon, they risk missing out on the postseason. 

3.) What is your reaction to the Frank Ragnow fiasco?

Booher: Surprise, first and foremost. One would think that when the team revealed that he was returning, any potential issues regarding his health would’ve been taken care of prior to the announcement. However, it’s understandable that the team revealed the news when it did given the deadline they were facing.

It’s a big disappointment, as well. Ragnow is an all-around good individual, and his presence both on and off the field is something the team would’ve benefitted from greatly. With the offensive line being banged up, a fresh version of Ragnow would’ve been ideal. However, it wasn’t in the cards, and ultimately it leaves questions about whether or not we’ll ever see the 29-year-old wear a Lions uniform again in the future.

Chirco: It wasn't meant to be. And as I said in my most recent column for this site, the Lions’ issues are multi-layered and exist on both sides of the ball. So, he wouldn't have been able to come in and fix all of Detroit's problems. He might've been able to stabilize the offensive line a bit, but that in itself would not have been enough to get the Lions back on track.

4.) Does Dan Campbell need to be less aggressive?

Booher: It’s hard to firmly state that Campbell needs to be less aggressive, because that mentality has helped him bring the team to where it’s been. He has firm belief in his offense to convert, and his defense to pick the team up when it comes up short. However, I think he could benefit from being a tad bit more situationally aware.

Obviously, these arguments stem from the decision-making in the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago. Any time you attempt to press the issue and come up short, the decision is going to be looked upon less favorably than if it was successful. Yet, I think Campbell would be wise to settle for points more often, especially early in games when the points are valuable and can set you up to be more aggressive later on in games.

Chirco: Yes. His aggressiveness on fourth down has increasingly become an Achilles’ heel for the Lions’ offense. It also certainly played a factor in Detroit's Thanksgiving Day loss to Green Bay.

This upcoming offseason, he needs to relinquish his play-calling duties and hire an offensive coordinator with a proven track record of calling plays. John Morton did not work out, and Campbell has not been a good enough play-caller, either. Campbell direly needs to realize that and focus strictly on being the head coach of the team next season.

5.) Will the Lions step up against the Cowboys?

Booher: If any have read my game predictions on a weekly basis, I rarely pick against the Lions coming off a loss. There’s history to back this up, as they haven’t lost back-to-back games since 2022. Campbell has compiled a resilient bunch, and they’re often at their best when backed against a wall.

However, they were fortunate to escape the Giants game with a win, and if they hadn’t gotten it together late, they’d be losers of three-straight games. The Cowboys are surging and won’t likely give the Lions the opportunities that New York did late in that game, and as a result, I could see Detroit being dealt a second-straight loss. I still believe in the Lions’ ability to bounce back, but the inconsistency as of late has caused some real concern, in my opinion.

Chirco: Over the course of the past two-and-a-half seasons, I don’t think I’ve doubted the Lions’ ability to bounce back more than I do now. The Cowboys have morphed into one of the NFC’s hottest teams over the course of the last month, and at this juncture, they might just be a better team than Dan Campbell’s squad. 

I think the Lions still have a chance to get back on the right track against Dallas. However, it’s going to take their “A-level” performance, and based on how they’re currently playing, that might be hard to come by.