The Detroit Lions are in prime position to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs this season. Detroit is 13-2 heading into Week 17 and hold a narrow lead over the Vikings and Eagles in the NFC playoff standings. This is already the best season in Lions franchise history. Detroit has never won more than 12 games in the regular season before 2024.
This is even more impressive considering how banged up the Lions are, particularly on defense.
Fortunately, there is an easy path to a deep postseason run for Detroit. If the Lions can win their next two games, they will secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC and get a week of rest. This would give them extra time to prepare for the divisional round and a chance to get more players back from injury. Simply put, it is a prize that the Lions desperately want.
The first team to stand in their way is the San Francisco 49ers. There is no doubt that the Lions will be out for blood after what happened in the playoffs last year.
Will the Lions get revenge for last season's NFC Championship game with a big win against the 49ers? Or will the Lions lose a huge game during a crucial period of the regular season?
Below we will discuss three Lions bold predictions head of their Week 17 matchup against the 49ers on Monday Night Football.
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Jared Goff does not throw an interception, eclipses 300 yards vs. 49ers
Jared Goff is having the best season of his professional career. Goff has led Detroit to their most wins in franchise history and has them poised for a deep playoff run.
Goff has also accumulated some impressive stats. He has thrown for 4,095 yards with 33 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. The Lions still have two games to go, so it is reasonable to expect Goff to pass his career-best 4,688 passing yards from the 2018 season. However, he has an extra game to work with in 2024 compared to 2018.
Goff has been on fire recently, throwing for 830 yards and eight touchdowns over the past two games alone.
I believe Goff will keep his hot streak alive and guide the Lions to a big victory on MNF.
My prediction: Goff has another great game in front of a national audience. He will throw for over 300 passing yards and multiple touchdowns on Monday Night Football. More importantly, he will not throw an interception and will not surrender a turnover.
Jahmyr Gibbs will exceed 25 touches, score multiple touchdowns on MNF
One area for concern around the Lions heading into the postseason is the health of running back David Montgomery.
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Montgomery suffered a knee injury during Detroit's close loss against Buffalo a few weeks ago. He was initially feared out for the season, but now the team is optimistic that he can return during the playoffs.
This puts a lot of pressure on Jahmyr Gibbs. The second-year running back is a versatile player who can run between the tackles, bounce runs outside, and catch passes out of the backfield. He is a dynamic do-it-all weapon who is the perfect complement to Montgomery's workhorse running style.
Gibbs proved that he can handle a heavy workload against the Bears last week. However, the Lions may want to keep Gibbs fresh for the playoffs.
But Monday Night Football against the 49ers is different. I believe the Lions will not take their foot off the gas and will do whatever it takes to get revenge for last season's NFC Championship game. That means a lot of Jahmyr Gibbs carries and receptions.
My prediction: Gibbs will have more than 25 total touches on MNF. He will score at least two touchdowns, with at least one coming in the receiving game.
Lions D forces two turnovers, shuts out 49ers in second half
It is no secret that the Lions are banged up on defense.
The Lions are missing nearly all of their offensive starters from the beginning of the season. However, they keep winning games and playing at a high level despite losing player after player.
San Francisco is pretty banged up as well, with a significant number of offensive skill-position players already out for the season.
I believe the Lions will have a strong defensive performance with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line.
