The Detroit Lions said goodbye to their shot at the 2023 NFL playoffs on Sunday afternoon, but business was not yet finished. The media darling Green Bay Packers remained, poised for a playoff berth and another chance to entrench the legacy of Aaron Rodgers. The Lions were seemingly another footnote in the improbable turnaround of the Packers.
Not on their watch.
The Lions weren’t the only ones saying goodbye to the playoffs, as they dragged the division rival Packers down with them into the playoff-less abyss. Their season was ended earlier in the day in dramatic fashion by the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, but that was not enough to demoralize these Lions.