A Detroit Lions fans' rooting guide for Week 14 of the 2023 season

Allen Park — It's that time of the year when the NFL sends out a weekly email highlighting the various playoff-clinching scenarios. This week, three NFC teams have a chance to snag a postseason berth, some possibilities more convoluted than others. The 9-3 Detroit Lions are still just shy of entering that conversation, but with a win in Chicago this Sunday, they'll clear a path to secure their spot to the dance the following weekend.

But what else should Lions fans want to see this week that will better their team's place in the standings? Don't worry; we've got you covered with our first rooting guide of the season.

▶ Minnesota Vikings at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

It's not fair to suggest the other 1 p.m. games don't matter to the Lions, because there are a half-dozen teams in the mix as potential wild-card opponents. Still, it's a little too early to suggest which of those would be the best draw. Personally, We're all for a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, with former quarterback Matthew Stafford coming to town for Ford Field's first playoff game, while also understanding those who prefer a different scenario.

That said, things heat up for Detroit's playoff chase in the 4 p.m. window, starting with Minnesota, one of two challengers who are three games back in the NFC North race (with two head-to-head matchups with the Lions remaining).

After piecing together a five-game winning streak, the Vikings have cooled off with two straight losses. But they're expected to get back superstar receiver Justin Jefferson this week against a Raiders team that's also slumping, after a brief rebound following the firing of coach Josh McDaniels.

Clearly, a Raiders win could take some pressure off the Lions, but probably not too much, since the Vikings are no longer the biggest threat to the North's crown.

▶ Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

The 49ers reminded everyone last week why they should strongly be considered the NFC favorites, thrashing the conference-leading Eagles on the road. Even with that win, they remain a game back of the No. 1 seed, due to a mid-season lull, but it's obvious where they have their hopes pinned.

Right now, they hold the tiebreaker edge over the Lions for the second seed. That matters if the Eagles hold on to the top spot and both Lions and 49ers advance past the Wild-Card stage, because it would force the Lions to make a long trip out west in the second round. So ideally, the 49ers get upset here by a division rival and stumble on Christmas Day against another Super Bowl contender, the Baltimore Ravens. That opens the door for the Lions to claim the No. 2 seed with a 4-1 finish.

But if San Francisco wins, it's not the worst thing in the world. It could be a contributing factor to costing Seattle a playoff berth. When presented with the problems they've given Detroit the past two seasons, that could be a blessing in disguise.

▶ Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Realistically, the No. 1 seed is a pipedream. Among other factors, the Lions would likely need to win out, which is no small task. But since a division winner gets a higher seed than another division's runner-up, regardless of record, there's no reason not to root for that longshot, even if cheering for the Cowboys feels wrong.

And if the race at the top of the NFC gets muddied enough, the Lions still have an opportunity to grab the tiebreaker from the Cowboys, when the teams meet head-to-head later this month.

▶ Green Bay Packers at New York Giants, Monday, 8:15 p.m.

More than the Vikings, the Packers are now the Lions' biggest threat to stopping a three-decade division title drought.

Green Bay is red hot, having won three straight, including a Thanksgiving Day victory in Detroit. More concerning is their tissue-soft remaining schedule, with a home matchup against Tampa Bay and a road trip to Minnesota being the biggest hurdles down the stretch.

Players and coaches will never hesitate to tell you winning in this league is difficult, but there's a realistic possibility of the Packers running the table. The Giants certainly aren't good, but they have a little something going, having won two straight. They could do the Lions a huge solid by halting the Packers' late-season momentum.

▶ Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m.

The Saints remain in the playoff hunt, a game out of the NFC South lead, but you'd prefer to see the 1-11 Panthers get the win here. Why? Because they're in position to get the No. 1 draft pick in 2024, which they'll be shipping to the Bears as part of a trade ahead of last year's draft.

Maybe it's a foregone conclusion, thanks to the Steelers, who embarrassingly provided the Patriots and Cardinals their third wins the past two weeks, allowing the Panthers to open a two-game "lead" at the bottom of the standings. And look, there are no guarantees, even with the top choice, that Chicago will finally land the franchise's long-sought solution at quarterback. Still, it would be better to let the consensus best prospect end up elsewhere.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers