Detroit Lions Week 13 rooting guide: Top playoff odds results, draft position

The Detroit Lions they’re in a weird position right now where they can make a playoff run while tanking unfairly Los Angeles Rams. Detroit’s playoff odds are long, but with a favorable schedule, a healthy roster and a team that is starting to play well together, it doesn’t feel impossible.

Meanwhile, the Lions own the Rams’ first-round pick in 2023, and everything is going in the opposite direction to Los Angeles. Their roster has been depleted due to injuries, With Matthew Stafford, Allen Robinson and Cooper Kupp have just been placed on IR — along with All-Pro Aaron Donald with a sprained ankle — who were expected to miss the next few weeks, if not the rest of the season. They’re already ranked as the third-worst team (3-9), and they’re likely to get worse down the stretch.

To make sure the Lions optimize their playoff odds and draft capital, we’ll put together weekly rooting guides. Since there will be games that conflict with both goals, I’ll break down the guide based on which results will help playoff odds and draft position.

Let’s get started…

A guide to rooting for the playoffs

Packers (4-8) Bears (3-9) – 1:00 PM ET – FOX

Who to root for: The Bears

I don’t need to convince you to root against the Packers, do I? Bury the playoff chances forever (and help Detroit’s draft position, too).

Steelers (4-7) Falcons (5-7) – 1:00 PM ET – CBS

Who to root for: Steelers

Always AFC over NFC. Right now, the Falcons are above Detroit in the standings, but they don’t appear to be a real threat if the Lions make a run. Let’s be sure by losing to the sad Steelers.

Commanders (7-5) at Giants (7-4) – 1:00 PM ET – FOX

Who to root for: The Giants

Aaron Schatz took a little dive into the playoff odds with the remaining Commanders vs. Here’s what he found: Detroit’s best outcome is a split between the two. The next best result is a sweep of the Giants. The worst outcome is a sweep of Washington. But … the overall difference between the best and worst outcome in this scenario is a two percent difference in playoff odds. Check it out:

In my opinion, root for the Giants here because Detroit should probably jump both teams. New York looks more likely to take a dive on its own (lost three of its last four), while Washington is trending up (won six of its last seven).

Seahawks (6-5) Rams vs. (3-8) — 4:05 p.m. ET — FOX

Who to root for: Rams

I know you’re programmed to root against the Rams because of their first-round pick status. And maybe that should be a priority, especially since the Seahawks will be hard-pressed to leapfrog them as they hold a head-to-head tie over Detroit. But if your current focus is maximizing the Lions’ playoff chances, the more losses the Seahawks have the better.

the dolphins (8-3) vs. the 49 (7-4) — 4:05 p.m. ET — FOX

Who to root for: The Dolphins

It looks like the Lions are catching the 49ers, but there’s no harm in rooting for them. As always when it comes to rooting for playoff odds: AFC over NFC every time.

Colts (4-7-1) vs. Cowboys (8-3) – 8:20 PM ET – NBC

Who to root for: Colts

It looks like the Lions are catching the Cowboys, but there’s no harm in rooting for them. As always when it comes to rooting for playoff odds: AFC over NFC every time.

Saints (4-8) vs. the buccaneers (5-6) – 8:15 PM ET Monday – ESPN

Who to root for: Saints

This game will not matter much. The NFC South isn’t very good, so it seems very unlikely that a team in that division will compete for a Wild Card spot. But the Bucs are probably the best team and the Saints don’t seem like a serious threat.

Mostly irrelevant:

• Jets (7-4) at Vikings (9-2) — Root against the Vikings, but the Lions aren’t catching them in the NFC North battle. In fact, if Minnesota wins and Detroit loses, the Vikings clinch the title.

Here’s what the NFC Playoff standings would look like if all of these games played out as planned, and of course, if the Lions beat the Jaguars.

Heads of Division

1. Eagles: 11-1
2. Vikings: 9-3
3. 49ers: 7-5
4. Buccaneers: 5-7

Wild card (top three advance)

1. Cowboys: 8-4
2. Giants: 8-4
3. Commanders: 7-6
4. Seahawks: 6-6
5. Lions: 5-7
6. Saints: 5-8
7. Falcons: 5-8

Suddenly, a path to the postseason would become much more realistic. Detroit would be just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot with two teams (Seahawks, Commanders) between them and a postseason berth.

A rooting guide for draft picks

• Bears (3-9) over Packers (4-8)
• Jaguars (4-7) over Lions (4-7)
• Broncos (3-8) vs. Ravens (7-4)
• Texans more than (1-9-1). the brown ones (4-7)
• Seahawks (6-5) vs. Rams (3-8)
• beat the Raiders (4-7). chargers (6-5)
• Colts (4-7-1) vs. Cowboys (8-3)
• Saints (4-8) over Buccaneers (5-6)

If all of these results end up in Detroit’s favor, here’s what the 10-draft pick situation would look like (assuming the strength of schedule doesn’t change enough to change the current tie-ups):

1. Texans: 2-9-1
2. Rams (Lions): 3-9
3. Bears: 4-9
4. Packers: 4-9
5. Broncos (at Seahawks): 4-8
6. Lions: 4-8
7. Saints: 5-8
8. Raiders: 5-7
9. Jaguars: 5-7
10. Colts: 5-7-1

So at the end of Week 13, the Lions could be a game and a half out of a playoff spot, or they could have two chances at a top-six spot in 2023. The NFL Draft. They really seem to be in a win-win situation.