ALLEN PARK, Mich. — After soaring to the NFC’s top playoff seed last season, the Detroit Lions won’t be returning to the postseason this year, and they could end up at the bottom of the NFC North.
This was not the expected outcome for a team that won 15 games last season and started the year as a Super Bowl favorite.
The Lions (8-8) were bounced from playoff contention Thursday with a 23-10 road loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They have lost three straight games for the first time since 2022.
Coach Dan Campbell’s team — which lost both coordinators from last year’s 15-2 squad — is struggling on both sides of the ball. The Lions have failed to rush for at least 100 yards in three straight games, and the defense has given up an average of nearly 32 points over the last six.
“It sucks,” quarterback Jared Goff said of missing the playoffs. “We’ll reflect on the whole season after next week, but yeah, it sucks.”
With the season ending earlier than anyone in Detroit wanted, Campbell suggested that major changes are possible.
“I’m going to be looking at a lot of things, because I do not like being home for the playoffs, and I know our guys don’t either,” Campbell said. “Whenever you lose, man, it’s takes a village. Everyone is involved, including myself. I’m always going to look at myself first.”
Campbell intends to set a high bar as the Lions prepare for their season finale at the division-leading Chicago Bears in Week 18.
“We got one game to go,” he said. “I expect everybody to be ready to go when we get back in a couple of days, be locked in and be ready when we get on a plane to go to Chicago. You know, to be locked in one more time. That’s what I expect and then we’ll go from there.”
What’s working
The Lions have 48 sacks on the season, their most since producing 50 in 1999. They totaled seven sacks against the Vikings, their most since having eight against the Vikings in 2014. Aidan Hutchinson had two sacks to reach a career-high 13½ on the season.
What needs help
The Lions offensive line, once the catalyst of their rise to the NFL’s elite, has become a liability. The line’s decline due to injuries, illness and lack of depth was on full display as the Vikings’ pressure overwhelmed a patchwork front that surrendered five sacks, eight tackles for a loss and eight quarterback hits.
Stock up
Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa continues his impressive rookie season. He caught his sixth touchdown pass of the year Thursday, a high-point grab in the back of the end zone. TeSlaa set a franchise record for the most games (six) with a touchdown catch by a rookie receiver.
Stock down
Goff had one of his worst games with the Lions. He accounted for five of their six turnovers, throwing back-to-back interceptions in the third quarter and losing three fumbles. The Lions had only eight giveaways on the season entering the game.
Key number
3 — The Vikings finished with 3 net passing yards — the second‑fewest by a victorious team in the past 42 seasons. The Houston Texans beat the Oakland Raiders 23-14 with minus-5 passing yards on Dec. 3, 2006.
Next steps
To avoid going from first to worst in the NFC North, the Lions need to beat the Bears and coach Ben Johnson, their former offensive coordinator.
