The Detroit Lions had a golden opportunity to solidify their playoff positioning on Sunday - and they let it slip right through their fingers. Facing a Los Angeles Rams team that found its rhythm in the second half, the Lions couldn’t keep pace, surrendering points in bunches and ultimately losing control of their postseason destiny.
Dan Campbell’s message to the Lions during this critical stretch:
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 15, 2025
“It should burn at you. It should eat you up. Do not go numb to the losing,” he said, admitting they got a look at the “top of the NFC,” and said they’re not there right now.
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Now sitting at 8-6, Detroit still has a path to the playoffs, but it’s no longer entirely in their hands. The good news?
They don’t need a miracle. If they take care of business over the final three weeks, they’ve still got a shot.
But the margin for error? It’s gone.
This latest loss adds to a troubling trend for Dan Campbell’s team. For a squad that came into the season with real expectations - and for good reason - the Lions have struggled when tested against the NFC’s elite.
They’ve been swept by the Packers, dropped a game to the Eagles, and now this stumble against the Rams. These aren’t just losses - they’re missed opportunities to prove they belong in the conference’s top tier.
Campbell didn’t sugarcoat it after the game. “It should burn at you,” he said.
“It should eat you up. Do not go numb to the losing.”
That’s the kind of message you expect from a coach who wears his heart on his sleeve, but it also speaks to the urgency inside that locker room. The Lions aren't out of it, but they’re dangerously close to wasting a season that once looked so promising.
What’s especially frustrating is that the Lions have shown flashes of being a complete team. Their point differential is better than five current division leaders - a stat that tells you they’re competitive in most games.
But when it comes down to the wire, they haven’t closed the deal. They’ve dropped four of their five one-score games this year, and in a league where the line between winning and losing is razor-thin, that’s the kind of stat that can define a season.
The road ahead isn’t easy, but it’s clear. First up: a must-win matchup against the Steelers next Sunday at Ford Field.
Then comes a tough Christmas road trip to Minnesota, followed by a potentially do-or-die finale in Chicago against the Bears. It’s a stretch that will test this team’s resilience - and its identity.
Campbell put it bluntly: “Now you have firsthand knowledge of what probably the top of the NFC looks like right now. Now you know what it looks like, you know what it is and we're not there right now. Doesn’t mean we can’t be.”
That’s the challenge for Detroit. The talent is there.
The fight is there. But the consistency - especially in high-leverage moments - hasn’t been.
If they can find it over these next three weeks, they’ll still have a chance to crash the postseason party. If not, they’ll be left wondering how a season with so much promise turned into one filled with regret.