Lions Playoff Hopes Potentially Hang On Shootout Prowess

The Detroit Lions are on top of the NFC as the No. 1 seed in the NFL Playoffs. But even being in such a position isn't enough to ensure the Lions will reach their ultimate goal of playing in and winning Super Bowl LIX.

While they've ensured home-field advantage, it's worth noting that the Lions' only two losses were at home. In the same vein, the Lions' most recent loss was to an offensive juggernaut much like themselves, the Buffalo Bills.

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In that game, the Lions scored 42 points and still came up short. The fact is, despite all of the hype and adoration for the Detroit ball club, the shorthanded defense is likely going to put the Lions in some precarious positions throughout the NFL playoffs.

Lions' Road to Super Bowl LIX is Far From Easy

Looking throughout the NFC bracket, there isn't a team in the playoffs that can't win a shootout. Of the four teams the four teams the Lions could feasibly play in the Divisional Round (the Packers, Commanders, Vikings, and Rams), each has proven their ability to light up a scoreboard throughout a contest. More importantly, they've each shown they can score when it counts.

The Lions have proven just the same, holding a 6-2 record in one-score games. The rest of the field is strong in one-score games too, each holding a positive record heading into the postseason. The Vikings are 9-1, the Commanders are 8-3, the Rams are 7-5 (including a meaningless loss to Seattle in Week 18) and the Packers are 5-4 (0-3 in their last three).

The Rams are the only team among this group other than the Lions to surrender 40+ points since the start of December (also to the Bills, though Los Angeles won). Only in the Rams meaningless loss to Seattle, the Vikings in their loss to Detroit and the Commanders shootout victory over Philadelphia have any of these teams surrendered 30+ points - except the Lions, who did it three times themselves in that stretch.

Detroit's offense is incredible, but the old saying goes "defense wins championships." It's frustrating that Detroit has built a reputable defense only to see most of the squad end up on injured reserve. While some defensive firepower has or will return, the losses may just be too much.

Detroit Can't Rely on Defense in Postseason Run

Detroit won 10 games by two or more scores in the regular season. It's unlikely they get even one such result in their postseason journey. They are going to have to engage in shootouts and come up with the plays on offense to achieve their goals.

It's not that it's impossible, it's that it's incredibly difficult to march through the playoffs in such a manner. Every team is good, and most of them have solid-to-great defenses - especially in the NFC. The Lions, by proxy due to injuries, far and away have the worst defense on this side of the bracket.

So whether it's the Rams, Vikings, Commanders or Packers coming to Ford Field next week - or the Lions eventually run into the Buccaneers or Eagles - nothing will come easy to the Lions over the next month.

All things being equal, Dan Campbell probably likes it that way.