ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — After soaring to the NFC’s top playoff seed last season, the Detroit Lions won't be returning to the postseason this year, and they could end up at the bottom of the NFC North.
This was not the expected outcome for a team that won 15 games last season and started the year as a Super Bowl favorite.
The Lions (8-8) were bounced from playoff contention Thursday with a 23-10 loss at Minnesota. Detroit has lost three straight games for the first time since 2022.
Coach Dan Campbell's team — which lost both coordinators from last year's 15-2 squad — is struggling on both sides of the ball. Detroit has failed to rush for at least 100 yards in three straight games and the defense has given up an average of nearly 32 points over the last six.
“It sucks,” quarterback Jared Goff said of missing the playoffs. “We’ll reflect on the whole season after next week, but yeah, it sucks.”
With the season ending earlier than anyone in Detroit wanted, Campbell suggested that major changes are possible.
“I’m going to be looking at a lot,” Campbell said. “I’m going to be looking at a lot of things, because I do not like being home for the playoffs, and I know our guys don’t, either. Whenever you lose, man, it’s takes a village. Everyone is involved, including myself. I’m always going to look at myself first.”
Campbell intends to set a high bar as the Lions prepare for their season finale at division-leading Chicago.
“We got one game to go,” he said. “I expect everybody to be ready to go when we get back in a couple of days, be locked in and be ready when we get on a plane to go to Chicago. You know, to be locked in one more time. That’s what I expect and then we’ll go from there.”
The Lions have 48 sacks on the season, their most since producing 50 in 1999. Detroit totaled seven sacks against Minnesota, its most since having eight against the Vikings in 2014. Aidan Hutchinson had two sacks to reach a career-high 13 1/2 on the year.
The Lions' offensive line, once the catalyst of their rise to the NFL's elite, has become a liability. The line's decline due to injuries, illness and lack of depth was on full display as Minnesota's pressure overwhelmed a patchwork front that surrendered five sacks, eight tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits.
Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa continues his impressive rookie season. He caught his sixth touchdown pass of the year, a high-point grab in the back of the end zone. TeSlaa set a franchise record for the most games (six) with a touchdown catch by a rookie wide receiver.
Goff had one of his worst games with the Lions. He accounted for five of Detroit’s six turnovers, throwing back-to-back interceptions in the third quarter and losing three fumbles. The Lions had only eight giveaways on the season entering the game.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone and safety Thomas Harper left Thursday's game with concussions. Defensive tackle Alim McNeil aggravated an abdominal injury. Pro Bowl offensive tackle Penei Sewell briefly exited with an injury but returned.
3 — Minnesota finished with 3 net passing yards — the second‑fewest by a victorious team in the past 42 seasons. The Houston Texans beat the Oakland Raiders 23-14 with minus-5 passing yards on Dec. 3, 2006.
To avoid going from first to worst in the NFC North, the Lions need to beat the Bears and coach Ben Johnson, their former offensive coordinator.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, center, is sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebackers Andrew van Ginkel, second from left, and Dallas Turner, right, during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks in a news conference after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff walks off the field after the team's loss to the Minnesota Vikings in an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Seattle (12-3) at Carolina (8-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Seahawks by 7.
Against the spread: Seahawks 10-5, Panthers 9-6.
Series record: Seahawks lead 9-4.
Last meeting: Seahawks beat Panthers 37-27 on Sept. 24, 2023.
Last week: Seahawks beat Rams 38-37 in OT; Panthers beat Buccaneers 23-20.
Seahawks offense: overall (7), rush (21), pass (6), scoring (3).
Seahawks defense: overall (8), rush (3), pass (14), scoring (2).
Panthers offense: overall (25), rush (11), pass (26), scoring (27).
Panthers defense: overall (17), rush (19), pass (16), scoring (13).
Turnover differential: Seahawks minus-4; Panthers even.
QB Sam Darnold. The Seahawks have five straight wins with Darnold under center. Next up for Darnold is one of his former teams, the Carolina Panthers, who allowed him to leave in free agency following two seasons in Charlotte in 2021-22. Darnold revived his career last year in Minnesota, and has built on that success this season in Seattle. Seattle can clinch the NFC West this weekend with win and a Rams loss or tie against the Falcons as well as a 49ers loss or tie against the Bears.
DE Derrick Brown. Brown could be extra motivated this week to show the rest of the league that he's still a difference-maker after getting snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting despite finishing third in the fan voting. Brown, who was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2023, has 54 tackles along with seven pass breakups and a career-best five sacks.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Panthers CBs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Smith-Njigba has emerged as one of the league's best wide receivers with 104 catches and more 1,600 yards receiving this season along with 10 touchdown catches. On Sunday he'll face two of the league's better cornerbacks in Horn and Jackson. The long and physical Horn was selected as a Pro Bowler for his second straight season. The Panthers normally don't rotate Horn to the opponent's best receiver in large part because they have confidence in Jackson's ability to cover out on the island.
Seahawks: T Charles Cross (hamstring) is out Sunday after also missing last Thursday's game against the Rams. S Coby Bryant, who left the Rams game with a knee injury, will also miss Sunday's game against the Panthers.
Panthers: QB Bryce Young strained his ankle in last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay but remained in the game and is expected to play against the Seahawks. Other than that, the Panthers made it through last week's game relatively healthy and should be close to 100%.
The Seahawks have dominated the series, winning four of the past five and eight of 10. Seattle has scored at least 23 points in each of the past six meetings.
The Seahawks have 12 wins in their first 15 games for the first time since 2019. Seattle went 10-7 last season and hasn’t had a losing season since 2021 under Pete Carroll. ... The Seahawks are 7-3 against NFC foes this season. ... Mike McDonald needs one road win to move into second place for the most road wins by a head coach in his first two seasons in NFL history with 14. …TE A.J. Barner has set single-season career highs in receptions (47), yards (462) and touchdowns (five). … Zach Charbonnet needs one touchdown to become the first Seahawks player since Marshawn Lynch (2014) to have double-digit rushing touchdowns in a season. … WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the NFL in receiving yards this season, needs 90 yards to become the second player in NFL history with at least 90 receiving yards in 14 games within a season, joining teammate Cooper Kupp (16 games in 2021). … Ernest Jones IV has at least 100 tackles for the fourth season in a season. … Jason Myers needs eight field goals made to pass David Akers (2011) for the most field goals made in a single season in NFL history with 45. ... The Panthers can wrap up their first NFC South title since 2015 with a win and the Tampa Bay loss to Miami. ... QB Bryce Young has 12 fourth quarter or overtime game-winning drives since coming into the league in 2023, the most of any QB in the league. ... Under second-year Dave Canales the Panthers are 11-5 in one-score games, tied for the fourth-best winning rate in the league since 2024. Carolina is 4-1 in overtime games under Canales. ... The Panthers have converted 23 of 33 fourth down conversions attempts. They rank fourth with a 69.7% conversion rate. ... Carolina has scored on its opening possession in 10 games this season, tied for the most in the league with the Los Angeles Chargers. ... Panthers RB Rico Dowdle is only the sixth undrafted player to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons.
Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan has five touchdown receptions in the past five games.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales greets quarterback Bryce Young after their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba reacts after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker is tackled by Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) walks on the field after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
