Turf Show Times
For any Lions fans looking over the fence at L.A.’s success since trading Matthew Stafford to the Rams is the fact that Detroit has also been really successful. Between 2022 and 2024, the Lions posted three winning seasons, made the playoffs twice, and won 15 games last season. But if the Rams beat the Lions on Sunday in SoFi Stadium, L.A. can land a devastating blow on Detroit’s odds to make the postseason for the 3rd time in a row:
The Lions playoff odds are 62% if they win but only 33% if they lose.
The Rams can clinch a playoff berth if they win. Here’s what they need to do to keep the number one seed.
The Lions aren’t going to win 15 games like they did in 2024, and they’d need to win out to match the 12-5 record that they had in 2023, but first Dan Campbell needs to make sure that his team secures an over .500 record. That’s something he can do with a win over the Rams.
But if the Lions lose this game, then they have the Steelers, Vikings, and Bears to close out the season. They’d likely need to win all of those to have any chance of making the playoffs.
Former Rams quarterback Jared Goff has quietly put together another strong statistical season:
The problems for Goff arise in big games and big moments. Can Goff lead the Lions to a win over the number one team if Detroit is trailing by six points in the fourth quarter and the Lions need a deep pass? That’s the element that Matthew Stafford brought to L.A. and was so evident when he led the Rams to a Super Bowl win in 2021. The deep passing element that was missing with Goff.
So this is a huge moment for Goff, who is looking to make the playoffs for the sixth time in his career. If the Lions make the playoffs this year, he will have made the postseason three times with two different teams.
Consider the fact that Philip Rivers, who is in the news this week, only made the playoffs seven times in his career. (He’s shockingly going for an eighth this season.)
Rams fans may not be rooting for the Lions to miss the playoffs, but they have to root for L.A. to win this game and that’s going to be a major blow to Detroit’s postseason hopes if that happens.
Are you rooting for the Lions to make the playoffs by winning out after this week?
Do you like seeing Jared Goff have success in Detroit?
Would you mind a rematch with the Lions in the playoffs?
Let me know what you think in the comments.
