After delivering the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the season in Week 7, the Detroit Lions became the front-runners in the National Football Conference.
If the regular season ended today, the Lions would be the top seed in the NFC half of the NFL Playoffs, earning a first-round bye week and home-field advantage throughout.
2024-25 NFC Futures
- Detroit Lions +300
- San Francisco 49ers +400
- Philadelphia Eagles +600
- Green Bay Packers +700
- Minnesota Vikings +900
- Washington Commanders +1000
- Atlanta Falcons +1300
- Dallas Cowboys +2500
- Arizona Cardinals +3000
- Chicago Bears +3000
- Seattle Seahawks +3000
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3000
- Los Angeles Rams +3500
- New Orleans Saints +15000
- New York Giants +27500
- Carolina Panthers +50000
*Futures provided by Bovada LV
Using the above NFL futures, an assumption can be made that the Lions, 49ers, Eagles, and Falcons will win their respective divisions and earn the top four seeds in the playoffs.
Remaining Detroit Lions Schedule For 2024-25
- Week 9 (11/03) @ Green Bay Packers (Detroit is favored by -2.5)
- Week 10 (11/10) @ Houston Texans (Detroit is favored by -2.5)
- Week 11 (11/17) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Detroit is favored by -4.0)
- Week 12 (11/24) @ Indianapolis Colts (Detroit is favored by -2.5)
- Week 13 (11/28) vs. Chicago Bears (Detroit is favored by -4.0)
- Week 14 (12/05) vs. Green Bay Packers (Detroit is favored by -2.5)
- Week 15 (12/15) vs. Buffalo Bills (Detroit is favored by -2.0)
- Week 16 (12/22) @ Chicago Bears (Detroit is favored by -1.0)
- Week 17 (12/30) @ San Francisco 49ers (Detroit is a +4.5 underdog)
- Week 18 (TBD) vs. Minnesota Vikings (Detroit is favored by -5.5)
*Future game lines provided by BetUS and MyBookie
According to online sportsbooks, the Lions are favored to win every remaining game this season except for their Week 17 match-up in San Francisco against the 49ers.
The odds for betting on the 49ers suggest they are a better team from a heads-up perspective. San Francisco lags behind due to their early-season slump that has them at 4-4 and in a dead heat with all three remaining NFC West teams.
If these early game lines prove accurate, the Lions will finish with a 15-2 record with wins over the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, two AFC franchises that are almost certain to win their divisions.
Why The Lions Can Win The NFC
Two productive running backs in the same offense isn’t conducive for either to get enough reps, but the Lions have found a way to make it work. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have combined for 1,004 yards on the ground through seven games.
They’ve also punched it into the endzone 13 times. Gibbs and Montgomery contribute to the passing game as well, hauling 33 receptions for 292 yards and 1 TD.
Quarterback Jared Goff leads the offense unselfishly, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta all within 140 receiving yards of each other. Williams will return from a 2-game suspension for banned substances in Week 10 against Houston.
Detriot’s defense is ninth in the league in points allowed per game at 19.1. The offense averages 33.1 points per contest, creating a recipe for success that could propel the Lions into a Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.