Fans of the Detroit Lions need the Green Bay Packers to win their next two games if they want any real shot at making the postseason.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the Lions’ playoffs chances right now are at 16 percent. They only go up to 20 percent if the Packers lose out and the Lions beat them in the final week of the year.
Somehow, and I don’t know how, Detroit’s playoff odds go up to 19 percent if Green Bay wins their next two games before the Lions outcomes are known. The Lions winning out and the Packers going 2-1 in the next three weeks puts Detroit’s playoff odds at 70 percent. It’s crystal clear that their path to the playoffs is greatly helped by the Packers winning games.
What a wild turn of events. I hate the Packers. I’ve pretty much made a life around the idea that the Packers are the worst thing in America, and my humble and lovable Lions are the greatest thing about the NFL.
Luckily, I am an honorable man and I have a brain. This is a classic “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” scenario. Right now my enemy is the boogeyman of not making the playoffs, and the Packers winning games is now what I need to happen. I didn’t ask for this scenario, but it’s where we’re at.
I’ll lay my weapons down against Green Bay if it means Matthew Stafford can be playing in January and February. I never thought we’d be here, but we all know true champions learn to adapt to changing circumstances.