The Detroit Lions are set to travel to the West Coast to face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 17. Heading into the matchup, the Lions boast an impressive 13-2 record and are aiming to avenge their loss to the 49ers in last season’s NFC Championship Game.
Despite their strong season, Monday’s game holds little significance for Detroit. With the Minnesota Vikings defeating the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Lions are unable to clinch the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the conference during their matchup with San Francisco.
Instead, Detroit’s Week 18 showdown against Minnesota will decide their postseason fate. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the winner will secure the division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which comes with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The loser will drop to the No. 5 seed and face a road game in the opening round of the postseason.
Given the lack of stakes for Week 17, many have suggested the Lions should rest their starters to ensure full health for their pivotal game against the Vikings. However, head coach Dan Campbell made his stance clear during a press conference on Monday, Dec. 23.
“I’ll make this easy for everybody, that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don’t have to debate them anymore,” Campbell said. “We’re bringing everything we’ve got to this game, and we are playing. I don’t care what it looks like, where it’s at, who’s this, who’s that. We’re going out to play and win this game, out on the West Coast. So there you go.”
While it might make sense to rest starters for the Week 17 matchup, Campbell’s approach reflects the culture he’s built in Detroit—a culture of grit and perseverance. For Campbell, resting players and not giving full effort goes against the identity he has instilled in the team.
As a result, the Lions are expected to play their starters on Monday night and go all-in to secure a win on the road in Santa Clara.
