The 6-4 Detroit Lions find themselves on the outside looking in regarding the playoffs heading into Week 12. Fortunately for the Lions, they have plenty of time to catch at least one team above them in the NFC standings.
Detroit is also fortunate to have three consecutive home games on the schedule, beginning with this Sunday’s matchup against the lowly New York Giants (2-9). On Wednesday, Lions pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson made it clear he thinks Detroit should run the table through at least Week 14.
Aidan Hutchinson believes Lions are in a “good spot” despite standings
“We’re 6-4 right now,” Hutchinson explained, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “I think people have written us off a little bit, and I think it’s a good spot to be in. I’m excited, and I think these next three home games we’ve got to be 3-0, and it starts with New York on Sunday.”
As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the Lions as 10-point favorites over a Giants side that fired head coach Brian Daboll midseason. On Thanksgiving Day, Detroit will host a Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) team that needed a late touchdown to beat the Giants this past Sunday and has endured struggles on offense. On Dec. 4, the Lions will welcome the Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1) to Ford Field.
Aidan Hutchinson knows Lions are facing must-win scenarios
On Thursday, ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the Lions a 71.1 percent chance to make the playoffs. Those odds indicate some within the NFL community think Detroit is about to go on a run.
“I just know that looking at the rest of our schedule, we’re at a point where we’ve got to win,” Hutchinson added. “You’ve got to find a way to win even if you get in a close game. We’ve got to win all those close games if we want to do what we want to do this year. We all understand that, regardless of what people say about us, and I think we’ve got a great shot to do it, we’ve just got to put all the pieces together every single game. And even in the close games, pull them out.”
Certain insiders clearly feel the Lions-Giants game won’t be all that close in the fourth quarter. Perhaps earning a double-digit victory over Big Blue will prove to be just what the Lions needed after they lost two of three games coming off their Week 8 bye.