Updated Detroit Lions playoff picture: No. 3 seed looks like a lock

Going into Week 17, the Detroit Lions had a remote chance to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Hindsight being what it is, the San Francisco 49ers win on Sunday over the Washington Commanders made Saturday night's controversial loss to the Dallas Cowboys a moot point. If the Lions had won, their chance at the No. 1 seed would have been gone anyway,

The Cowboys are currently the No. 2 seed after the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and they of course now have the tiebreaker over the Lions there. So the seed the Lions always seemed likely to occupy, No. 3, is now a practical lock.

Per ESPN Analytics, the Lions now have a 97.3 percent chance to be the No. 3 seed and a 2.7 percent chance to be the No. 2 seed.

To get the No. 2 seed, the Lions obviously have to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18. Then the Eagles have to lose to the New York Giants, and the Cowboys have to lose to the Commanders. Both of those NFC East games are in the late window next Sunday afternoon, after the Lions-Vikings game at 1 p.m. ET.

Detroit Lions Week 18 playoff picture: Wild Card Round opponent is narrowed down

As the No. 3 seed, the Lions would host the No. 6 seed in the Wild Card Round.

The Los Angeles Rams, and former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, clinched a playoff spot in Week 17 and are the six-seed "if the playoffs started today." If they beat the 49ers in Week 18, they would clinch the No. 6 seed.

A Rams' loss to the 49ers would open the door for the Green Bay Packers to be the No. 6 seed. Green Bay will clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Chicago Bears in Week 18 no matter what, it would just be a matter of their seed then (No. 6 or No. 7).

If the Lions were to get the No. 2 seed, there are several teams who are possible to be the No. 7 seed and come to Ford Field for a Wild Card Round game (including the Rams and the Packers).