Detroit Lions Finish Season Strong, End Packers Playoff Hopes

DETROIT — Although the Detroit Lions will not be playing in the playoffs next weekend after a thrilling 20-16 win over the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field on Sunday night, they finished the season strong and ended the Packers playoff hopes.

The Lions knew they were eliminated from playoff contention prior to Sunday night's game, but they didn't let that deter them, as they put together a complete performance and earned an impressive win.

The spotlight was on the Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who came in winners of their last four and needed that final game against a team they've dominated for years and seemingly had nothing to play for, except pride.

Maybe the old-Lions would have walked in Lambeau Field and rolled over as a deflated team after Seattle's victory eliminated them from the playoffs. But not this team. Not this Dan Campbell led team who never quit playing after a 1-6 start with the league's worst defense.

The Lions made adjustments, plugged-in new players and improved down the stretch with one of the league's youngest rosters, earning an 8-8 record heading into Sunday night.

Despite that improvement, chatter was the Lions still couldn't stop the run after the Panthers embarrassed them or that Rodgers would torch their young and inexperienced secondary. But it only added fuel to a team that was looking for a statement win.

The Lions earned that win by dominating both sides of the line of scrimmage, holding the Packers' run game in check and intercepting Rodgers twice, although one was called back on a penalty.

Emerging defensive stars Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston owned the line of scrimmage and manhandled the Packers' offensive line all night. Although the Lions offense started slow, they heated up on a cold Lambeau night that saw Jared Goff complete a bomb and a fourth quarter gusty call to put the nail in the coffin.

While the Lions will not be playing in San Francisco next weekend, the 49ers should be happy this honolulu blue and silver team isn't walking into Santa Clara, because they finished the season as strong as anyone.

The key now is for the Lions to keep the momentum going by building through the NFL draft, which they have been doing very well lately. The Lions have two first-round draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including the sixth pick (thanks the Los Angeles Rams), proving them with an excellent opportunity add talent to a young roster.

While the Minnesota Vikings did make the playoffs and can't be discredited, the Lions' Sunday night win feels like a changing of the guard in the NFC North. The Lions finished the season stronger than the Vikings, Bears and Packers, beating all three of them down the stretch.

And with an opportunity to add more first-round young talent, the division feels like it's going through Detroit the next five years.