Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions (13-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 12/30/2024 8:15pm EST on ABC & ESPN

Site: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA

Weather: 61° High / 44° Low, 7% chance of rain, 8mph wind

Opening Spread: Lions -3

All-Time Series Record: 49ers lead, 40-28-1

Last Meeting: 01/28/2024, 49ers won 34-31 (2024 NFC Championship)

 

San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan (8th Season: 70-60)

Projected Starting QB: Brock Purdy (3rd Season: 23-12)

Last Week: 29-17 L @ Miami Dolphins (7-8)

Looking Ahead to Week #18: TBD @ Arizona Cardinals (7-8)

Playoff Implications: Eliminated

 

Your Detroit Lions (13-2)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (4th Season: 37-28-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (9th Season: 79-52-1)

Last Week: 34-17 W @ Chicago Bears (4-11)

Looking Ahead to Week #18: TBD v. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

Playoff Implications: Playoffs Clinched; Clinch Division Championship and #1 Seed with W @ San Francisco and Minnesota Vikings L vs. Green Bay Packers

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Seahawks @ Bears (TNF), Falcons @ Commanders (SNF)

Christmas Day: Chiefs @ Steelers (1:00), Ravens @ Texans (4:30)

Saturday: Chargers @ Patriots (1:00), Broncos @ Bengals (4:30), Cardinals @ Rams (8:15pm)

1:00pm: Colts @ Giants, Jets @ Bills, Titans @ Jaguars, Packers @ Vikings, Raiders @ Saints, Panthers @ Buccaneers

4:25pm: Dolphins @ Browns, Cowboys @ Eagles

 

Edited December 23, 2024 by MichiganCardinal

[MichiganCardinal]

Green Bay was eliminated from contention for the NFC North title today with Detroit's win, but will still clinch a playoff berth this week so long as they beat New Orleans tomorrow.

Interestingly, if Green Bay wins out, and Detroit beats Minnesota in Week #18, Green Bay would hold the tiebreaker over Minnesota. At that point they would have split the season series and both be 3-3 in the division. In common games, Green Bay would be 11-3, while Minnesota would be 10-4. The Rams would make the difference. Kind of crazy that a 13-2 Vikings team could still very realistically end up the #6 seed.

This is all to say though, presuming that Green Bay would prefer to be the #5 seed over the #6 seed, they definitely still have something to play for, even if they beat New Orleans tomorrow night. I may make a special edition GDT for that game.

[Motown Bombers]

Washington is only one game behind the Packers and holds the tiebreaker over Green Bay. There is a difference between playing the Eagles on the road vs the NFC East or West leader. 

[MichiganCardinal]

5 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Washington is only one game behind the Packers and holds the tiebreaker over Green Bay. There is a difference between playing the Eagles on the road vs the NFC East or West leader. 

Last year's playoffs, it felt like there were two or three really good teams (SF, DAL, DET), two sneaky good teams (GB, LAR), one good team (TB), and one team that didn't really belong (PHI).

This year, it feels like there will be four really good teams (DET, MIN, GB, PHI), two sneaky good teams (LAR, WAS), and one good team (TB). If Seattle upends LA, I'd put them into the good category. If Atlanta upends Tampa, I'd put them in the do not belong category.

Likely a better field than last year though. Not that Detroit's path last year was easy, but having one less game to win sure would be nice.

[lordstanley]

The Lions are 3 home wins away from making the Super Bowl: Minnesota, divisional round, conference final. 

[RandyMarsh]

One of Detroit or Minnesota is likely going to finish with 14 wins and be rewarded with going on the road for the 1st round of the playoffs(and likely all rounds).  

[Sports_Freak]

49 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

One of Detroit or Minnesota is likely going to finish with 14 wins and be rewarded with going on the road for the 1st round of the playoffs(and likely all rounds).  

Yeah, a #5 seed. Play at the #4 seed?

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Green Bay was eliminated from contention for the NFC North title today with Detroit's win, but will still clinch a playoff berth this week so long as they beat New Orleans tomorrow.

Interestingly, if Green Bay wins out, and Detroit beats Minnesota in Week #18, Green Bay would hold the tiebreaker over Minnesota. At that point they would have split the season series and both be 3-3 in the division. In common games, Green Bay would be 11-3, while Minnesota would be 10-4. The Rams would make the difference. Kind of crazy that a 13-2 Vikings team could still very realistically end up the #6 seed.

This is all to say though, presuming that Green Bay would prefer to be the #5 seed over the #6 seed, they definitely still have something to play for, even if they beat New Orleans tomorrow night. I may make a special edition GDT for that game.

"Kind of crazy that a 13-2 Vikings team could still very realistically end up the #6 seed."

But in your scenario, Minnesota loses out. So they would be a 13-4 #6 seed.

[NYLion]

There's a very good chance that this is a meaningless game. The Packers are going to have nothing to play for and could very well rest starters so it's looking more than likely that it's coming down to the final game. I'd rest some starters against the Niners once the Vikings beat the Packers especially on defense where they can't afford any more injuries.

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, NYLion said:

There's a very good chance that this is a meaningless game. The Packers are going to have nothing to play for and could very well rest starters so it's looking more than likely that it's coming down to the final game. I'd rest some starters against the Niners once the Vikings beat the Packers especially on defense where they can't afford any more injuries.

If the Packers win today, they are only 1 game ahead of Washington. Washington has the tiebreaker currently over Green Bay. I don't think the Packers want to be the 7th seed and go on the road to Philadelphia. 

[RandyMarsh]

2 minutes ago, NYLion said:

There's a very good chance that this is a meaningless game. The Packers are going to have nothing to play for and could very well rest starters so it's looking more than likely that it's coming down to the final game. I'd rest some starters against the Niners once the Vikings beat the Packers especially on defense where they can't afford any more injuries.

Yep that's what I was saying yesterday, it's nice having the game being on Monday so we will know our situation beforehand. 

It does seem to go against Dan's philosophy by resting guys but given all the injuries we have and how hard we have been hit this year even Dan may errer on the side of caution and rest or take guys out early. 

 

[RandyMarsh]

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

If the Packers win today, they are only 1 game ahead of Washington. Washington has the tiebreaker currently over Green Bay. I don't think the Packers want to be the 7th seed and go on the road to Philadelphia. 

That is true, I'd much rather go and face the South or West winner than Philly.

[NYLion]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

If the Packers win today, they are only 1 game ahead of Washington. Washington has the tiebreaker currently over Green Bay. I don't think the Packers want to be the 7th seed and go on the road to Philadelphia. 

I forgot that they could still drop to 7th but, still, it's not the same motivation as locking up a playoff spot.

[lordstanley]

It would feel weird for the SF game to be meaningless, although I agree with those who say it could be. I think it’s one of those games that has been circled on the calendar, after the loss in the NFC championship game. So it would be a perfect setting to wrap up the #1 seed, just need GB to co-operate. 

[MichiganCardinal]

If I was Green Bay, I’d much prefer to be even the #5 seed than the #6 seed.

The Commanders just beat the Eagles. The Vikings just beat the Seahawks.

That’s very easily a 7 beating a 2 and 6 beating a 3. All of a sudden the 5-seed Packers would be hosting a Divisional Round game against the Vikings.

[Motown Bombers]

I also don't think the Packers would start resting players two weeks before the end of the season. Maybe the final week of the season against the Bears. The Packers are a combined 0-4 against the Lions, Vikings and Eagles. They haven't beaten one of the top NFC teams and I think they will want to erase that narrative. 

[RandyMarsh]

We had a similar situation last year against Dallas, while it wasn't officially meaningless for all intents and purposes it appeared that way going in cause we needed a lot of help to get the one seed even with a win. 

People speculated how DC was gonna play it and of course he played it as business as usual. 

[MichiganCardinal]

43 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I also don't think the Packers would start resting players two weeks before the end of the season. 

I agree, and for this reason I don’t think the Lions would rest many players against Minnesota, even if the one-seed was locked up. Guys like Montgomery wouldn’t play, but I think it would largely be business as usual.

You don’t want to go into a Divisional Round game against Minnesota or Green Bay having not played for three weeks.

[Nate7474]

I do agree that it would be business as usual however it’s the little things. Maybe half the snaps for Gibbs as normal to reduce chance of injury. Or if someone got a little bit banged up in game instead of forcing the issue you just rest them. Play calling becomes a little bit more vanilla and you work on some basics that you’ve been neglecting. Things like that would be a huge advantage when backed with an additional week off. Because of this I’m hoping Green Bay wins because that extra week to get people back healthy or closer to it would be huge. 

[RandyMarsh]

Vikings vs. Pack flexed to the 4:25 national game. I'm pretty sure we would've gotten it even if it stayed on at 1 but now we know for sure that it will be available. 

[MichiganCardinal]

6 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Vikings vs. Pack flexed to the 4:25 national game. I'm pretty sure we would've gotten it even if it stayed on at 1 but now we know for sure that it will be available. 

We are Monday Night this week, so already National. I expect if Minnesota beats the Packers then Week #18 will be flexed to Sunday Night. There are two Saturday Night games too, but that would be a four-day rest for us.

Edited December 23, 2024 by MichiganCardinal

[Motown Bombers]

It's possible if the Lions don't win the division, they play the Rams in Los Angeles. Goff would be making a return to LA in the playoffs. I would ask if the fans in LA would boo him, but I remembered they don't have any. 

[Motor City Sonics]

The Lions have no chance to win this game in SF on Monday.    

The Lions haven't beaten the 49ers at San Francisco since 1975.   The Lions are 3-18 vs. San Francisco in the last 40 years. 

Not only are the Lions going to lose next Monday night.  They're going to lose by at least 13 points.   

Just like.......

The Lions have never beaten Dak Prescott

The Lions haven't beaten Houston since Friends was still on TV

 

 

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

The Lions have no chance to win this game in SF on Monday.    

The Lions haven't beaten the 49ers at San Francisco since 1975.   The Lions are 3-18 vs. San Francisco in the last 40 years. 

Not only are the Lions going to lose next Monday night.  They're going to lose by at least 13 points.   

Just like.......

The Lions have never beaten Dak Prescott

The Lions haven't beaten Houston since Friends was still on TV

 

 

 

As Bob Dylan says

"The Times They Are a-Changin'" 😆