The Detroit Lions are in a rare position right now where they can make a playoff run while vicariously tanking via the Los Angeles Rams. Detroit’s playoff odds remain long, but with a favorable schedule, a healthy roster, and a team that is starting to play well together, it doesn’t feel impossible.
Meanwhile, the Lions have the Rams’ first-round pick in 2023, and everything is headed in the opposite direction for Los Angeles. Their roster is depleted by injury, with Matthew Stafford, Allen Robinson, and Cooper Kupp recently placed on IR—along with an ankle sprain for All-Pro Aaron Donald—all expected to miss the next few weeks, if not the rest of the season.