Who will the Rams or Lions play next? describing possible rivals…
Who will the Rams or Lions play next? describing possible rivals in the NFL playoff bracket for 2024.
For the first time since 1994, the Lions are hosting an NFL playoff game. In their way? A quarterback long beloved by Detroit fans.
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The NFL scriptwriters were cooking for the NFC wild-card round, as Jared Goff and the Lions take on Matthew Stafford and the Rams. The postseason matchup comes three years removed from the infamous deal between the two teams where they swapped quarterbacks.
With Goff at the helm of the offense, the Lions won the NFC North for the first time in 30 years, finishing the regular season at 12-5. In just three years, Dan Campbell has turned Detroit around from being the laughingstock of the league to a legitimate contender.
For the Rams, a healthy Matthew Stafford and the emergence of running back Kyren Williams have turned Los Angeles back into a Super Bowl threat. Sean McVay’s crew concluded the regular season at 10-7, getting back to the postseason after missing the playoffs last year with its Super Bowl 56 hangover.
The wild-card matchup is one of three on the docket for Sunday, but who will the winner play in the next round?
Who will the Lions or Rams play in the divisional round?
With the Lions as the No. 3 seed and the Rams as the No. 6 seed, there are several options for the divisional round.
No. 3 Lions at No. 2 Rams
Let’s say the Lions win and the second-seeded Cowboys also win against the seventh-seeded Packers. In this circumstance, the Lions would then head to Dallas to face the Cowboys in the divisional round.
From the wild-card round to the divisional round, the top-seeded 49ers, who are on a bye this week, face the lowest remaining seed available. The result of the No. 4 Buccaneers vs. No. 5 Eagles game wouldn’t matter in this case for the Lions, as the victor of that wild-card matchup would be the lowest seed remaining and face the 49ers.
No. 3 Lions vs. No. 4 Buccaneers/No. 5 Eagles
If Detroit defeats Los Angeles but Dallas loses to Green Bay, then the Lions would be the second-highest seed still alive in the NFC. It would set up a game in Detroit against the winner of the Buccaneers-Eagles matchup.
No. 6 Rams at No. 1 49ers
Now, if the Rams emerge victorious against the Lions, then there are two possible opponents for L.A.
If Los Angeles beats Detroit and Dallas defeats Green Bay, then the Rams would be the lowest seed still alive in the NFC, setting up a Rams-49ers matchup in San Francisco.
No. 6 Rams at No. 4 Buccaneers/No. 5 Eagles
If the Rams and the Packers both win their matchups, then the 49ers would play the Packers. The Rams would be left facing the victor of the Bucs-Eagles wild-card matchup.