The NFC North has gone from strong to downright outrageous, and the rest of the league is starting to notice.
Detroit enters its bye week at 3-2, with two home games coming up against some of the division’s best competition. That alone would make the next stretch important. But with the way the NFC has looked overall, the Lions aren’t just playing for position inside the North - they’re part of a division that could end up sending everybody to the postseason.
Every team in the NFC North has a winning record right now, and the Minnesota Vikings are still one of the NFL’s few undefeated teams. That kind of balance at the top has already sparked talk that the entire division could wind up in the playoffs, and ESPN’s Ben Solak openly floated the idea heading into Week 7.
"Listen, if the Seahawks lose to the Chiefs in Week 7 -- very possible! -- then the second-best team in the other three NFC divisions will have a losing record at the end of Week 7. Meanwhile, if the Lions beat the Packers in Week 7 -- very possible! -- every single NFC North team will have a winning record. I'm just saying there's a chance!"
That’s the kind of setup that would create a wild playoff picture and, if it actually happened, guarantee divisional matchups with real bite once January rolls around. For fans in the Midwest, that would be a dream. For everyone else, maybe not so much.
The idea doesn’t come out of nowhere, either. Last season, the Lions finished last in the division at 9-8 and still missed the playoffs, which shows just how demanding this group can be. This year, though, the NFC has been weak enough that a record like that could be good enough to get back in.
Dan Campbell, unsurprisingly, isn’t getting caught up in October playoff math. But he’s been around this division long enough to know exactly what the Lions are dealing with.
"It's been that way for a while. We know what division we're in.
It's got really good players (and) really good coaches. It's top notch, and you've got to be on it every week.
That's why I say you can't get too high (and) you can't get too low. You got to try to improve every week.
Incremental improvement, find a way to win and then get to the next one. (Week 7) is a step to try to get to (win) No. 4, which is the plan.
First division game, and it'll be fun, We get it at Ford Field, so we'll be excited."
That’s the reality for Detroit and everyone else in the North: no team can afford to drift. The Lions can make a serious push with a pair of wins over the next two weeks, and if that happens, the idea of an NFC North clean sweep in the playoffs will only sound more believable.
In Other News...
Lions Pass Rush Could Finally Flip A Frustrating Jordan Love Trend
Jordan Love has made a habit of staying in control against Detroit, but the Lions have reasons to think this matchup can look different. Love has never topped 300 passing yards in seven career starts against the Lions, and his high-water mark in the series came last season at 273 yards. Even as Detroit has dealt with its own issues defending the pass this year, the one area that can alter the script is the front seven, where the Lions have enough rush to make life uncomfortable on any quarterback.
Jordan Loves protection has become a bigger concern, too, with Green Bays offensive line hit by injuries in recent weeks. For Detroit, that creates a possible opening to turn a familiar frustrating trend into something more meaningful by getting after Love before plays can develop downfield. If the Lions can make him work under pressure, they may finally have the kind of defensive edge that has been missing in this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Pressure Suddenly Falls On Ennis Rakestraw Against Packers
Ennis Rakestraw has barely had a chance to settle into a real role in the Lions secondary this season, working mostly as an outside cornerback in limited defensive snaps. Even in that small sample, he has given up five catches on 11 targets and a 63.8 passer rating against him, but his coverage has still been steadier than what Detroit has gotten from some of its other cornerbacks.
Now the spotlight is shifting quickly. With Week 7 bringing a trip to face the Packers, Rakestraw is set for a much bigger workload, and the way he handles that assignment could carry more weight than just one afternoon in Green Bay. A solid showing against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden would give the Lions a better read on what they already have, while also shaping how urgently they need to pursue more help at cornerback. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Finally Addressed Sam LaPortas Contract Frustration
Sam LaPortas frustration over not getting a contract extension had enough traction to draw a response from Dan Campbell, and the Lions coach made it clear the team is treating the situation as part of the normal churn around a young star. Campbell addressed the media and framed LaPortas comments as the kind of thing that can surface when a player has been waiting on a deal, rather than a sign of anything deeper going on around the tight end.
Inside the building, the message is apparently calm rather than alarmed, with Campbell stressing that the remarks are not being taken personally. He also said LaPorta remains focused and ready to play, describing the comments as pent-up frustration and not something that says anything about his character, which is about as direct a line as a coach can draw without turning the issue into a bigger story. [Read more 🡒]