Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs slaps ‘playoff’ label on critical Cowboys clash

After a dream 2024 season in which they won 15 games and ended up being the best team in the NFC during the regular season, the Detroit Lions have scuffled through a bit of a hangover in 2025. Their result on Thursday night in Week 13 action also puts a damper on their playoff hopes, as their 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers sends them to 7-5 on the season — putting them in third place in the division behind the Chicago Bears and the Packers.

This currently has them on the outside looking in on the playoff picture, and they at least need to overtake the Packers in the standings to do so, which is difficult considering that their most recent defeat came at their hands. Nonetheless, this Lions team isn’t without hope with five games to go in the regular season. But they know that they have to lock in for them to reach the postseason.

In fact, running back Jahmyr Gibbs is imploring the Lions to turn postseason mode on as early as now, treating every game as must-win so they can continue their hunt for the ever-elusive Super Bowl as they remain the only franchise in the NFL to not even make the The Big Game.

“We need to treat it like playoff games,” Gibbs said of the Lions’ next five games, starting with a clash against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.

That is indeed what the Lions must do to stay alive in the hunt. The good news is that one of the teams above them in the NFC North is bound to drop a game, as the Bears and Packers will be squaring off next Sunday. If the Lions take care of business and win out, it’s hard to imagine them missing out on the playoffs. But they have to approach this with a one game at a time mindset.

Lions look to stay alive in the playoff hunt

The Dallas Cowboys are also clinging on to some marginal hope that perhaps the seas would part and mountains would move and that they’d end up in the postseason. They’ve won three consecutive games, including a huge 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs this past Thursday.

This makes the Lions’ quest to win out that much more difficult. The Cowboys will also bring a similar level of desperation, and they’re bringing momentum as well, with QB Dak Prescott hitting his stride.

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