Things have changed dramatically for the Lions and Vikings since last season, when they squared off in Week 18 with identical 14-2 records for the top seed in the NFC.

Quarterback Jared Goff turned in his worst performance of the season, and was among the lowest graded players in Thursday's game via Pro Football Focus. With three fumbles lost and two interceptions, Goff earned an overall offensive grade of 46.6, which ranked above only tight ends Giovanni Ricci and Shane Zylstra and center Kingsley Eguakun.

After missing out on the playoffs, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he is "going to be looking at a lot of things" over the offseason.

Meanwhile, outside linebacker Alex Highsmith was fined $12,172 for tripping Lions quarterback Jared Goff during Detroit’s final drive of the game. That was called a 15-yard penalty on the field and moved the Lions into Steelers territory.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as We're Good: Detroit Lions 2026 Mock Draft Simulation 1.0 . With the Detroit Lions season basically over, it is time to turn our attention to fixing the major issues that prevented the team from earning a spot in the playoffs.

With just one game remaining on the Lions ' 2025 slate, a loss at the Chicago Bears (11-4) would ensure that Detroit locks up a fourth-place schedule in 2026. But, thanks to its head-to head tiebreaker, a Vikings win over the Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) in Week 18 would also guarantee that Detroit finishes last in the NFC North.

Ryan Kennedy, along with attorneys, held a press conference on Friday, denying allegations that he made racial comments toward Metcalf during the Dec. 21 game in Detroit.

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith was fined $12,172 by the NFL for tripping quarterback Jared Goff late in Sunday’s […] This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers O

With their playoff lives on the line, the Detroit Lions produced an absolute dud, turning the ball over six times, forcing zero turnovers and falling to the Minnesota Vikings 23-10. That makes it a Merry Christmas for the Green Bay Packers, who clinch a playoff berth with Detroit's loss.