It might not have been the prettiest game in the world, but these are the games you look back on and hang your hat on. The Detroit Lions were able to go on the road and grind it out against a tough New York Jets squad and walk away with a 20-17 victory and winning six of their last seven games.
With the win, the Lions continue to make noise in their NFC wild card hunt, as the Minnesota Vikings have already clinched the NFC North. Currently, the teams the Lions are chasing are the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and the Seattle Seahawks. Also, following right behind the Lions are the Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, and Atlanta Falcons.
The Lions received a boost as the Seattle Seahawks lost to the San Francisco 49ers and are now tied with one another. The Cowboys dropped a heartbreaker to the Jaguars as they lost in overtime, but the Cowboys are too far ahead for the Lions to catch. The Giants and Commanders are flexed to Sunday Night and will have to wait, but the Lions are hoping for another tie in that matchup.
For the teams behind the Lions, the Packers are playing on Monday Night against the Los Angles Rams. A matchup that has playoff and draft implications, but I’m sure Lions fans are hoping on the playoff wagon and rooting for the Rams. The Panthers and Falcons dropped their matchups, giving the Lions much-needed breathing room in their hunt.
In the end, Lions helped themselves with a win on the road while hopefully getting more help with the later games that could decide the fate of others.
