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Tag: Detroit Lions Rooting Guide

  • Detroit Lions Rooting Guide Week 12: 8 Teams You Should Root For

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    The Detroit Lions enter Week 12 sitting just outside the NFC playoff picture, but with seven games left and plenty of tiebreaker advantages, Detroit still controls its own destiny; they need a little help around the league.

    Here’s your updated rooting guide, now with kickoff times and TV info included.

    Steelers (6-4) at Bears (7-3)

    1:00 PM ET — CBS
    Who to root for: Steelers
    Chicago slipping here gives Detroit a chance to pull even with a win over the Giants.

    Vikings (4-6) at Packers (6-3-1)

    1:00 PM ET — FOX
    Who to root for: Vikings
    Green Bay is the larger division threat right now, so a Packers loss helps Detroit regain control of the NFC North.

    Seahawks (7-3) at Titans (1-9)

    1:00 PM ET — FOX
    Who to root for: Titans
    Even a slim chance at a Seahawks loss helps pull one of Detroit’s Wild Card competitors closer to the pack.

    Jaguars (6-4) at Cardinals (3-7)

    4:05 PM ET — CBS
    Who to root for: Jaguars
    This won’t move the needle much, but when in doubt, choose AFC over NFC.

    Eagles (8-2) at Cowboys (4-5-1)

    4:25 PM ET — FOX
    Who to root for: Eagles
    Knocking Dallas further down the Wild Card ladder keeps another competitor off Detroit’s heels.

    Falcons (3-7) at Saints (2-8)

    4:25 PM ET — FOX
    Who to root for: Saints
    This game doesn’t impact Detroit much, but a Saints win stops Atlanta from regaining any momentum.

    Buccaneers (6-4) at Rams (8-2)

    8:20 PM ET — NBC (Sunday Night Football)
    Who to root for: Buccaneers
    Detroit already owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Tampa, so a Rams loss could give the Lions an opening to climb the NFC ladder.

    Panthers (6-5) at 49ers (7-4)

    8:15 PM ET — ESPN/ABC (Monday Night Football)
    Who to root for: Panthers
    San Francisco holds the final Wild Card spot, so a 49ers loss directly boosts Detroit’s path back into the playoff picture.

    Matchup Time / Channel Who to Root For
    Steelers at Bears 1:00 PM ET — CBS Steelers
    Vikings at Packers 1:00 PM ET — FOX Vikings
    Seahawks at Titans 1:00 PM ET — FOX Titans
    Jaguars at Cardinals 4:05 PM ET — CBS Jaguars
    Eagles at Cowboys 4:25 PM ET — FOX Eagles
    Falcons at Saints 4:25 PM ET — FOX Saints
    Buccaneers at Rams 8:20 PM ET — NBC Buccaneers
    Panthers at 49ers 8:15 PM ET — ESPN/ABC Panthers

    What Week 12 Could Mean for Detroit

    If the Lions beat the Giants and a few key matchups swing their way, Detroit could climb back into the NFC North lead heading into Thanksgiving, and reset the momentum for the stretch run.

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    Georgina Bilbrey

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  • 2025 Detroit Lions Rooting Guide: Week 8

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    The Detroit Lions might be on a bye this week, but that doesn’t mean fans can tune out. At 5–2, Dan Campbell’s squad is in a prime NFC playoff position, and what happens in Week 8 could shape the race for home-field advantage.

    Let’s break it down using these general rooting rules:

    1. Root for AFC teams to beat NFC teams
    2. Root for NFC teams with worse records to beat those with better records
    3. Ignore all AFC vs. AFC matchups

    And yes, the Chargers already beat the Vikings on Thursday Night Football, which helps Detroit in the NFC North standings. Let’s go game by game.


    Early Window (1:00 PM Games)

    Dolphins (1–6) at Falcons (3–3)CBS

    Root for: Dolphins
    The Falcons are hanging around the NFC playoff bubble, so Lions fans should want Miami to pull the upset. Any NFC South loss is a win for Detroit.


    Bears (4–2) at Ravens (1–5)CBS

    Root for: Ravens
    This is a must-root situation. The Bears are right on the Lions’ heels in the NFC North, and a loss here helps Detroit maintain control of the division. Fly high, Baltimore.


    Bills (4–2) at Panthers (4–3)FOX

    Root for: Bills
    Another simple one: AFC over NFC. A Buffalo victory keeps Carolina from gaining ground in the Wild Card race.


    Jets (0–7) at Bengals (3–4)CBS

    Root for: Jets
    This one does not impact the Lions in any way, but let’s root for Aaron Glenn to FINALLY get his first win as a head coach!


    49ers (5–2) at Texans (2–4)FOX

    Root for: Texans
    This one’s huge. The 49ers are one of Detroit’s top competitors for NFC supremacy. Houston hasn’t been great, but if they can pull off an upset, Lions fans everywhere will celebrate.


    Giants (2–5) at Eagles (5–2)FOX

    Root for: Giants
    An easy call. The Eagles are one of the few NFC teams with the same record as Detroit. The Giants upsetting Philly would be massive for the Lions’ playoff positioning.


    Late Window (4:00 PM Games)

    Buccaneers (5–2) at Saints (1–6)FOX

    Root for: Saints
    The Buccaneers are 5–2 and leading the NFC South. A New Orleans upset keeps them from climbing into the NFC’s top tier with Detroit.


    Cowboys (3–3–1) at Broncos (5–2)CBS

    Root for: Broncos
    You know the rule, AFC over NFC. A Dallas loss keeps them down in the Wild Card chase and helps Detroit’s seeding odds.

    Packers (4–1–1) at Steelers (4–2)NBC

    Root for: Steelers
    This is the big one. The Packers are just ahead of Detroit in the NFC North standings. A Pittsburgh win here would go a long way toward keeping the Lions in first place.

    Commanders (3–4) at Chiefs (4–3)ESPN

    Root for: Chiefs
    Once again, AFC over NFC. The Commanders aren’t an immediate threat, but keeping them from getting to .500 makes life easier for Detroit in the Wild Card picture.

    Teams on Bye

    • Cardinals (2–5)
    • Lions (5–2)
    • Jaguars (4–3)
    • Raiders (2–5)
    • Rams (5–2)
    • Seahawks (5–2)

    The Bottom Line

    Even though the Detroit Lions aren’t taking the field in Week 8, they’ve got plenty to gain. Between divisional races and playoff seeding, several games could swing in their favor if the right teams win.

    So this weekend, Lions fans should root for:
    Dolphins, Ravens, Bills, Texans, Giants, Saints, Broncos, Steelers, and Chiefs.

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    Don Drysdale

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  • 2025 Detroit Lions Rooting Guide: Week 3

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    The Detroit Lions don’t play until Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, but that doesn’t mean Sunday is meaningless. With six NFC teams still unbeaten heading into the weekend, plenty of results can impact Detroit’s chances down the road. For fans watching from home, here’s a guide to who you should be pulling for.

    Remember this rule of thumb: AFC vs. AFC games don’t affect the Lions, so you can ignore those. But anytime an AFC team is playing an NFC opponent, it’s best to root for the AFC side since Detroit’s playoff race only runs through the NFC.

    1 p.m. ET Games

    Browns (0-2) vs. Packers (2-0) on FOX
    Root for the Browns. Green Bay is the biggest obstacle in the NFC North, so a stumble helps Detroit keep pace.

    Bengals (2-0) vs. Vikings (1-1) on CBS
    Cheer for the Bengals. A loss would keep Minnesota from climbing back into the playoff mix.

    Rams (2-0) vs. Eagles (2-0) on FOX
    Back the Rams. Both teams are undefeated, but the Eagles are the greater long-term threat.

    Jets (0-2) vs. Buccaneers (2-0) on FOX
    Support the Jets. Handing Tampa Bay its first loss would immediately thin the crowd of unbeaten NFC teams.

    Raiders (1-1) vs. Commanders (1-1) on FOX
    Go with the Raiders. Washington sits in the Wild Card lane Detroit hopes to control, so an AFC win helps.

    Panthers (0-2) vs. Falcons (1-1) on FOX
    Pull for the Panthers. Atlanta was projected as a division contender, and a 1-2 start would slow them down.

    1:40 p.m. Game

    *Yes, I had to toss this one in!

    Detroit Tigers (85-70) vs. Atlanta Braves (72-83)

    Root for the Tigers! The Tigers’ lead in the American League Central is down to just one game over the Cleveland Guardians. Today is Detroit’s final home game of the regular season, and it sure seems like a must-win event!

    While we are at it, make sure to also root for the Twins to beat the Guardians! That game begins at 2:10 p.m.

    Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers misconduct investigation

    Afternoon Games

    Saints (0-2) vs. Seahawks (1-1) at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS
    Root for the Saints. Seattle always finds a way to hang around the playoff race, and an early loss would keep them below .500.

    Bears (0-2) vs. Cowboys (1-1) at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
    Cheer for the Bears (I just puked a little). Chicago isn’t a threat in the NFC this season, while Dallas actually has some talent.

    Cardinals (2-0) vs. 49ers (2-0) at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
    Back the 49ers. Most would disagree with me here, but I just have a feeling that when all is said and done, it will be the Cardinals that pose the biggest threat to the Lions.

    Bottom Line

    As fans of the Detroit Lions, we should certainly enjoy our stress-free day when it comes to football, but the Detroit Tigers need our help! So, while you are out at the cider mill, or just hanging out with your family, make sure to root for the Tigers, Twins, and even the Browns, Bengals, and Cowboys!

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    Don Drysdale

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