Predicting the rest of the Detroit Lions schedule after their Week 9 bye

Week 16, at Minnesota Vikings

A scheduling quirk has the Lions playing the division rival Vikings twice in the last three weeks of the season. As mentioned before Kirk Cousins is out for the season with a torn Achilles, and it'll be either rookie Jaren Hall or well-traveled veteran Josh Dobbs under center for them now.

Division games are a unique challenge, and can be weird. But it would take a whole lot of weird for the Vikings to beat the Lions.

Prediction: Lions 23, Vikings 14

Week 17, at Dallas Cowboys

The Lions will get a Saturday night primetime stage against the Cowboys on the night before New Year's Eve. Dallas is the aforementioned only team left on Detroit's schedule who currently has a winning record, and thus this game is easiest to mark in the loss column as the Lions make a push to the playoffs.

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Lions 20

Week 18, vs. Minnesota Vikings

This game may not be mean anything for the Lions' presumed playoff seed/having a home playoff game, and starters would then be rested for some or all of it. But there's a decent chance it does matter, and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is attainable with a win. On the other side, the Vikings' players may be waiting for their season to come to an end with one eye on the clock.

Prediction: Lions, 23, Vikings 14

Detroit Lions' final 2023 record prediction: 13-4