The Detroit Lions enter Week 5 sitting atop the NFC North with a 3-1 record, and every game around the league matters when it comes to playoff positioning. Whether you’re watching RedZone or flipping between games, here’s who Lions fans should be rooting for on Sunday.
Detroit Lions Rooting Guide
General Rules
Let’s make this easy:
AFC vs. AFC games? Ignore them; they don’t affect Detroit.
Always root for AFC teams to beat NFC teams. That helps the Lions’ playoff seeding.
Want to win the North? Hope every other NFC North team loses.
In NFC-only matchups, cheer it is usually smart to root for the team with the worse record… but not always.
Now, let’s break it down.
9:30 AM Game
Vikings (2-2) vs. Browns (1-3) (London)
Root for Cleveland. Always root for NFC North teams to lose against an AFC team or a non-contender.
1:00 PM Games
Dolphins (1-3) at Panthers (1-3)
Root for Miami. The Panthers are not a playoff threat, but you never know!
Giants (1-3) at Saints (0-4)
Root for the Saints. Neither team is a threat, but a Saints win keeps the Giants buried in the NFC East.
Cowboys (1-2-1) at Jets (0-4)
Root for the Jets. The Cowboys are still hoping to turn things around and squeeze into the playoffs. Always root AFC here.
Broncos (2-2) at Eagles (4-0)
Root for Denver. This one’s big. Any loss for the Eagles boosts Detroit’s chances at the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
4:05 – 4:25 PM Games
Titans (1-3) at Cardinals (2-2)
Root for the Titans. Always root for AFC over NFC.
Buccaneers (3-1) at Seahawks (3-1)
Root for the Seahawks. I don’t believe the Seahawks are for real, and the Bucs scare me a bit. A Buccaneers stumble helps Detroit’s overall NFC seeding picture.
Commanders (2-2) at Chargers (3-1)
Root for the Chargers. AFC over NFC, always.
*Note: The Bears and Packers both have a bye week, so Lions’ fans don’t need to worry about them.
The Bottom Line
For Week 5, Lions fans should be all in on:
Broncos over Eagles
Jets over Cowboys
Chargers over Commanders
Browns over Vikings
Dolphins over Panthers
Titans over Cardinals
Saints over Giants
Buccaneers over Seahawks
And, of course — Lions over Bengals.
If all that happens, Detroit will be tied with the Eagles, Seahawks, and 49ers for first place in the NFC.