Lions Fans Week 14 Rooting Guide

All Lions takes a look at how three key Week 14 NFC matchups impact Lions’ playoff chances.

The Detroit Lions remain alive in the playoff hunt heading into Week 14.

A 1-6 start hurt the team’s playoff chances, but the recent resurgence, led by head coach Dan Campbell, has kept the team afloat. With optimism building toward the team’s future, Campbell and his staff are hoping to continue the team’s upward trajectory.

Detroit is on the outside-looking-in for the time being, and it will be an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. It can start with a win at home against the Minnesota Vikings, and would be helped by a few dominoes falling in the right direction.

Here is a comprehensive guide to who Lions fans should be cheering for in games across the league Sunday. 

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

The Lions took the Eagles to the wire, and knocked off the Giants as part of a recent three-game win streak. While the Lions currently hold the tiebreaker because of the win, New York has a 2.5-game lead, thanks to its 7-4-1 record.

The Giants didn’t help the Lions any last week, tying the Washington Commanders, 20-20 at home. The tie makes it difficult for the tiebreaker to matter, as a loss would’ve been much more beneficial.

New York’s schedule to end the season isn’t easy, as Sunday is the first of two meetings with the Eagles and dates with the Commanders and Vikings still loom. The best-case scenario for Detroit is that the Giants drop this game Sunday and the Eagles continue to look like they belong among the league’s best.

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Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

This matchup is the most intriguing of Sunday’s slate for Detroit. Whichever way the ball drops will have consequences for the Lions.

A Seattle win would drop the Panthers to 4-9 and raise their draft pick ahead of the Los Angeles Rams’ pick that belongs to Detroit. Additionally, the Seahawks currently are two games above Detroit in the playoff standings, while holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Should the Panthers pull out a road victory, the Lions would be helped immensely. It would be Carolina’s fifth win, raising the Panthers past the Rams in the draft order while dealing Seattle a pivotal defeat.

Unlike the situation with both the Giants and Commanders, the Lions dropped a game against Seattle. This makes the Seahawks losing even more paramount. It should be noted that Pete Carroll’s team also has games looming against San Francisco, Kansas City and the New York Jets.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers

Two teams atop their respective divisions will square off Sunday, with both on opposite trajectories. The Buccaneers are looking to get back on track after a late comeback win against the Saints, while the 49ers are looking to keep momentum, after losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending injury.

The 49ers are only a game above the Seahawks in the NFC West, with their 8-4 record far from controlling the division. After Tampa Bay, the team will take on the Seahawks and Commanders in consecutive weeks.

Each of those opponents are ahead of the Lions in the standings, so a pair of San Francisco wins could expedite Detroit’s playoff chances. On the other side, three straight 49ers losses and the Lions matching that with wins would give the two teams the same record. 

It won’t be easy for the Lions to win three in a row, and the 49ers showed they’re more than capable of winning with Brock Purdy under center. Still, Lions fans should root for Tom Brady, as a 49ers loss would be helpful in the long run.