The Detroit Lions are making a desperate last-minute push to make the postseason over teams like the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. Yes, you read that right. But, don't worry - the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are in the same boat. This is just not the year for contenders.
All jokes aside, the Lions are in quite a pickle as a result of some poor draft choices the last few seasons, poor health on the defensive side of the field, and the loss of Ben Johnson as their offensively minded weapon up in the booth. These compounding factors have landed them at 7-5, spinning out towards a 3rd-place finish in the NFC North.
And, to make matters worse - and as ESPN's Ben Solak pointed out in his latest assessment of which teams should be worried down this final stretch of play - the Lions are about to hit a wall they haven't touched since beginning to win under their current regime: a cap wall.
"I can explain the Lions' recent losses pretty easily. The Lions went 0-for-3 on fourth down in their Thanksgiving loss, while the Packers went 2-for-2 (with some officiating assistance to boot). In the loss in Philadelphia, the Lions were 0-for-5 on fourth down. In the loss to J.J. McCarthy (the Lions really lost to J.J. McCarthy) and the Vikings, they were 1-for-3 in the red zone, and the Vikings got 17 points off three short fields," wrote Solak, saying the Lions' panic level is "it's the beginning of the end."
ESPN's Solak says Lions might (finally) be hitting a wall in 2025
Solak goes on to say that he also hasn't loved the Lions' offensive line play this season, in addition to the fact that the Lions would have to be trudging through the postseason on the road if they even made it that far. That's a recipe for disaster for Jared Goff, according to Solak, who pulled some sobering numbers regarding Goff's inability to play in uncontrolled weather:
"He has a 42.7% success rate with the Lions in those spots, versus 39.2% with the Rams. He has a 60.3% completion rate with the Lions, versus 54.8% with the Rams. He has been a little better, but the issue was still clear and obvious against the Eagles on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 11. His grip on the ball falters, and his accuracy nosedives."
Injuries are the most obvious pain in the side of Detroit this season, especially to their defense. Solak - and likely any Lions fan at the moment - says that he's not even sure that the Lions can rely on their current ragtag group of practice squad call ups to have three dominant games against the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Bears in an effort to make the postseason.
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This is an extremely fair assessment of the current state of the Lions. They have several decisions to make this offseason regarding extensions, and truthfully, the only one that sticks out as a "must get done" deal is with running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has proven to be their most electric offensive weapon once again this year.
"...the Lions' window is officially transitioning from a cheap roster to an expensive one, and the thinning margins are evident. GM Brad Holmes needs to hit on players in these next couple of drafts -- pass rusher, interior offensive line, cornerback -- in order to keep the ship afloat as currently constructed. Otherwise, a soft roster reset will be required."
Outside of him, the team's draft choices and free agency moves will dictate how much more they can succeed with Goff in the pocket and with a few other key players already locked in long-term (Jameson Williams, Aidan Hutchinson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, specifically). The playoffs may not happen for them this season, but this same level of failure can be avoided if they play their cards right in their trenches - and with their cap space - this offseason.