detroitscores
Detroit Lions
2026 Playoff Race

Lions Playoff Picture

The Detroit Lions' path to January — computed live.

1-1
.500 · Updated Sep 26, 3:10 PM ET
Record
1-1
.500 · L1
Games left
15
of 17
NFC Seed
#6
in the field
NFC North
3rd
1 GB
Point diff
-9
62 PF · 71 PA
Pace
9
projected wins
The Read

Two games in, Detroit sits at 1-1 and holds the No. 6 seed, so the Lions are in the field for now even while sitting third in the NFC North, a game back. The margins are thin — a minus-9 point differential and a projected 9-win pace — but the season is wide open with 15 games left, eight of them at home. Reaching a winning record means going 8-7 the rest of the way, and getting to 10 wins requires 9-6, both well within reach if Detroit takes care of business, particularly across the six division games that will decide the North.

National Football Conference
The Playoff Picture
7 seeds · No. 1 gets a bye
SeedTeamRecPctDivConfDiffStrk
1
SEASeahawks
Bye
2-01.0001-01-0+27W2
2
MINVikings
2-01.0002-02-0+23W2
3
PHIEagles
2-01.0001-01-0+6W2
4
CARPanthers
1-1.5001-01-1+9W1
5
SF49ers
2-01.0001-01-0+42W2
6
DETLions
1-1.5000-01-0-9L1
7
CHIBears
1-1.5000-11-1+16L1
Bye (1)Division winner (1–4)Wild card (5–7)
Target
Path to a winning record
1/9
Wins needed
8
Rest-of-way
8-7
Required pct
.533
Target
Path to 10 wins
1/10
Wins needed
9
Rest-of-way
9-6
Required pct
.600
Division
NFC North
#TeamRecPctDivDiffStrk
1
MINVikings
2-01.0002-0+23W2
2
CHIBears
1-1.5000-1+16L1
3
DETLions
1-1.5000-0-9L1
4
GBPackers
1-2.3330-1-35L1
Seeds 5–7
The Wild-Card Chase
non–division leaders
#TeamRecPctConfStrk
1
SEASeahawks
WC1
2-01.0001-0W2
2
DETLions
WC2
1-1.5001-0L1
3
CHIBears
WC3
1-1.5001-1L1
4
LARRams
1-1.5001-1W1
5
NYGGiants
1-1.5001-1L1
6
DALCowboys
1-1.5001-1W1
7
NOSaints
1-1.5000-1W1
8
ARICardinals
1-1.5000-1L1
9
ATLFalcons
1-2.3331-1W1
10
GBPackers
1-2.3330-2L1
11
WSHCommanders
0-2.0000-2L2
12
TBBuccaneers
0-2.0000-0L2
The Lions currently hold the No. 6 seed.
Schedule
Remaining Games
15 games left
8Home7Road6NFC North
  • Wk 3
    9/27
    vs
    NYJJets
    Toss-up
  • Wk 4
    10/5
    @
    CARPanthers
    Toss-up
  • Wk 5
    10/11
    @
    ARICardinals
    Toss-up
  • Wk 7
    10/25
    vs
    GBPackers
    Toss-up
  • Wk 8
    11/1
    vs
    MINVikings
    Toss-up
  • Wk 9
    11/8
    @
    MIADolphins
    Toss-up
  • Wk 10
    11/15
    vs
    NEPatriots
    Toss-up
  • Wk 11
    11/22
    vs
    TBBuccaneers
    Toss-up
  • Wk 12
    11/26
    vs
    CHIBears
    Toss-up
  • Wk 13
    12/6
    @
    ATLFalcons
    Toss-up
  • Wk 14
    12/13
    vs
    TENTitans
    Toss-up
  • Wk 15
    12/21
    @
    MINVikings
    Toss-up
  • Wk 16
    12/29
    vs
    NYGGiants
    Toss-up
  • Wk 17
    1/3
    @
    CHIBears
    Toss-up
  • Wk 18
    1/10
    @
    GBPackers
    Toss-up

Seeds and tiebreakers via ESPN. Recent NFC No. 7 seed win totals: 2024 ≈ 10 · 2023 ≈ 9 · 2022 ≈ 9. Live data from ESPN.