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Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: Game time, TV channel set for Week 18 for NFC 1-seed
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- Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: Game time, TV channel set for Week 18 for NFC 1-seed
This story was updated following Sunday's final game.
What time will the Detroit Lions play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 of the NFL season ?
After an overtime extravaganza between the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders , which ended with the Commanders winning to clinch a playoff berth (and clinching a spot for the LA Rams , as well), we now know: The Lions will host the Vikings at 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, on NBC in the final game of the 2024 regular season, in the league's marquee slot.
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Here's what we know about what time the Lions might play the Vikings:
Detroit Lions game time vs. Minnesota Vikings in Week 18
The Lions and Vikings game is about as big as it gets in the NFL, with the NFC North, the 1-seed and a first-round bye all hanging in the balance.
Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks off the field after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
WIN AND IN (1-SEED): Detroit Lions 1 seed path: NFC North title down to Week 18 game vs. Vikings
The two teams are a combined 27-4 this year entering Monday and even though the Lions beat the Vikings in Week 7, 31-29, with a Jake Bates field goal , this has been a neck-and-neck race the whole season.
While there aren't usually two teams with 13 or more wins in a division facing off in Week 18, games of similar magnitude have typically been chosen for the Sunday Night Football spot in the past, including the Lions at the end of the 2022 season.
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Been here before
The Lions and Packers game was chosen as the final game of the year that season as both teams were fighting for one of the final wild-card spots . The results didn't go the Lions' way that day, as they were eliminated when the Seattle Seahawks won a late-afternoon game to take a tiebreaker, but the Lions played spoiler, too, ending the Packers' season (and Aaron Rodgers' time with the Packers) along the way.
Going further back to 2016, the Lions found themselves in a very similar spot. The Lions had a chance to take their first division crown since 1993 by simply beating the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field, but couldn't get over the hump and lost to Rodgers and Co. and fell into a wild-card spot.
The Lions went on to play the Seattle Seahawks on the road and were utterly outclassed in a 26-6 loss.
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Detroit Lions No. 1 seed path
The Lions have been at or near the top of the standings in the NFC all year long, but the Vikings have been a major thorn in their side, going win for win for much of the year.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on at the end of first quarter against Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.
The Lions beat the Vikings on the road in Week 7, 31-29, with a Jake Bates field goal , putting them in the driver's seat from that point forward. They got more help when just a few days after losing to the Lions, the Vikings lost again to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. After that, the Vikings got red-hot again.
The Vikings have won nine straight games after defeating the Packers on Sunday to improve to 14-2.
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The Lions, who enter Monday with a 13-2 record, will meet the Vikings in Week 18 at Ford Field. All of their regular-season goals will be up for grabs, whether or not they take care of business on Monday at Levi's Stadium, where they lost to the 49ers last season in the NFC championship and missed a chance to make their first Super Bowl .
The other major player in the NFC this year, the Philadelphia Eagles , was eliminated from the race for the No. 1 seed with the Vikings win. Whoever comes out on top between the Lions and Vikings takes home the top seed, while the loser will play on the road in the wild-card round as the No. 5 seed against the NFC South or West winner on Jan. 11-13.
KEY DETAIL: Lions won't rest starters no matter how Vikings fare: 'Going out to play and win'
The Lions are 3½ point favorites over the 49ers for the MNF showdown in Santa Clara, California, and will enter the game looking for some serious revenge after choking away a 24-7 halftime lead over the 49ers in last year's NFC championship game.
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Although the result doesn't mean much on paper, coach Dan Campbell already said the Lions will play their starters and try for the win against the 49ers no matter what .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings for Week 18 game time, TV channel
