Detroit Lions: 6 tough questions after 6 games

Question 6: Are any playoff hopes for the Lions already on life support?

As always, winning just one playoff game is that Sword of Damocles constantly hanging over our heads. Until the streak is snapped, it’s the one and only thing, at least in a fan’s mind, that each season will be judged on. Week after week, every win, loss, or injury for either the Lions or their division foes gets tossed into the category “so what does this mean for the playoffs?”

With the current three game losing streak, the Packers at 6-1, and Minnesota winning at Ford Field, are the Lions’ playoff hopes already on life support? For chances of winning the NFC North, absolutely yes. The Packers loss and Cardinals tie are back-breakers. For snagging a Wild Card spot, it’s not quite a lost cause, but starting to steeply tilt in that direction in a hurry. Since so many teams in the conference have 5 or 6 wins already, it looks like a minimum of ten will be necessary to make the NFC playoffs as a Wild Card.

That leaves room for two more Lions losses, three at the absolute most. Four of the next five games on the schedule (NYG, Oakland, Washington, either Chicago or Dallas) are absolutely winnable, which would put Detroit right in the conversation moving to the last third of the season. Based on the schedule, going 7-3 to close it out strong and at least give themselves a chance to end the postseason doom shouldn’t be impossible.

Based on how inconsistent they’ve been on the field though, would anyone look me in the eye and put money on that happening?