It’s been awhile since the Detroit Lions were even a blip on the NFL playoff radar this late in the season. Detroit hasn’t made the postseason since 2016 and was already officially eliminated from postseason contention by Week 13 in each of the last three seasons.
But there the Lions are, still officially in the hunt despite being 4-7. They are 2.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the NFC, currently held by a team the Lions beat, the Washington Commanders. Detroit has six games to play, Washington just five.
With the way Dan Campbell’s Lions have been playing lately, it’s not out of the question for Detroit to make a playoff push. But the head coach doesn’t want to focus on that right now.
Campbell was asked if he reminds the team about the playoff possibilities.
“I do not, I do not,” Campbell responded right away. “Everything is — my focus is, from the time that game (Week 12 vs. Buffalo) ended was about Jacksonville. Everything has to be about this (week’s) opponent.”
The Jaguars are also 4-7 but still on the fringes of playoff contention in the AFC after winning two of their last three games.
“I think this is a crucial game for us,” Campbell continued. “We’ve got to be able to get back into the win column. Do things right, do what we’ve done over the last three to four weeks. And you’ve got to go earn a win.”
Campbell did acknowledge that the Lions players are tuned into the playoff possibilities.
“Oh you know they are,” Campbell said. “And yes I did (watch the standings when he played). That’s always going to be in the back of your head. We’re all competitive, right? I mean, that’s what the goal of all this is always when you’re playing — it’s to be able to play in the big one. How do you do that? You’ve got to find a way to get into the playoffs. Certainly that’s always going to be in the back of your head.”
