The Detroit Lions are back in first place in the NFC North with a 6-3 record heading into Week 11 of the NFL season. After defeating the Washington Commanders 44-22 in a bounce-back road win, the Lions jump back in the driver’s seat of the NFC North following the Philadelphia Eagles' 10-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
While there’s plenty of football left to be played this season, it’s the opponent that the Lions are currently projected to play in the playoffs that is causing excitement among fans. If the season were to end today, the Lions would be playing the Chicago Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round.
The Lions and Bears both have 6-3 records; however, Detroit holds the tiebreaker over Chicago, having won 52-21 in Week 2. The two teams will meet again at Soldier Field in Week 18, with the NFC North division crown potentially on the line.
Potential for sweet revenge against Bears for the Lions
The Lions and Bears facing off in the NFL playoffs would be fun not only for the two fan bases but for NFL fans in general. Ben Johnson vs. his former boss, Dan Campbell, on a postseason stage would be an exciting game to watch.
Lions fans and players taunted Johnson and the Bears in their Week 2 win, and there's no question that they'd do the same if they beat Chicago in the playoffs.
If this were to take place, most Lions fans would be confident heading into a potential playoff matchup against the Bears, knowing how well Detroit played in their Week 2 matchup against Chicago.
Chicago hasn't had a convincing slate of victories this season either. Wins are wins, but they dropped their first two games of the season to divisional opponents: the Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
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They've since only faced off with one other contending team in the Baltimore Ravens, and they lost that contest. Very close wins against the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Las Vegas Raiders aren't exactly "convincing." To each their own, though.
A potential playoff matchup against the Bears would create a hostile environment at Ford Field, where Lions fans will be amped up and ready to give it their all. On top of it all, potentially ending their former offensive coordinator's first season with the Bears in the playoffs would satisfy Lions fans and could spark a postseason run.
While it's always fun looking at what could be, the Lions fans have to take care of business the rest of the season, and that starts with winning a Week 11 road matchup against the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. They just had a sloppy win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10, which should give Lions fans confidence that they can end this short road trip on a high note.