That certainly wasn't how Dan Campbell drew it up, but the Detroit Lions came away from Week 12 with a win. It was not what fans expected for the majority of the afternoon as the New York Giants often held a lead over Detroit, but in the end, the Lions got it done.
It took overtime. It took a ridiculous day from running back Jahmyr Gibbs. It took absolutely everything from this Lions team to pull it off. But, they did just that, and now it's on to the next one.
Speaking of the next one, it could end up having some serious playoff implications. The Detroit Lions take on the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day in a tradition we look forward to every year. And, the current NFC playoff picture will tell you just how important this one is going to be.
Updated NFC playoff picture shows the Lions are set up for a pivotal Thanksgiving Day
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2)
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-2)
3. Chicago Bears (8-3)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4)
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
6. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
8. Detroit Lions (7-4)
9. Carolina Panthers (6-5)
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1)
This win over New York was the type of win to get fans incredibly nervous. Sure, the Giants don't have much else to lose at this point in the season, but they fought Detroit to the bitter end. It shouldn't have taken overtime to win this one.
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Now, the Lions get to host an NFC North foe on Thanksgiving. The Green Bay Packers are coming off a win of their own, over the Minnesota Vikings, and now in their second-straight divisional matchup, Green Bay gets a chance to try and double down on their Week 1 win.
The Lions' defense was exposed in a big way against New York. If Jameis Winston and some backup skill position players could put up a whopping 517 yards of offense against Detroit's defense, then what do we think the Packers could do?
Jordan Love hasn't been what many Packers fans swore he would be in 2025, but the Packers' offense still has the potential to be far more lethal than that of the Giants'. Green Bay is likely getting Josh Jacobs back from injury, too, and that'll make this matchup even thougher.