With the playoff picture starting to take shape for the 2025 NFL season, the slate of Christmas games for Thursday is not exactly full of major playoff implications. In fact, the first game in the tripleheader (between NFC East rivals Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders) is between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention. There are, however, still big things at stake in the other two games. After dropping Sunday’s game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lions are now facing a literal must-win situation for Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. There is simply no other way around it. This is an elimination for the Lions, and if they do not come away with a win, they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. That would be a stunning development for a team that opened the season as a potential Super Bowl contender. Even a win would only leave their playoff probability at 9%, which is not where they expected to be this season. Detroit not only needs to win its remaining tw
