The Detroit Lions are feeling good after their big win in Week 14. Detroit crushed Dallas 44-30 and raised their record to 8-5 on the season heading into Week 15. But the Lions are still barely holding on in the NFC playoff race despite last week's victory.
Detroit currently has just a 39% chance to make the playoffs per The Athletic's playoff simulator. They are projected to finish the season 10-7 and barely miss out on the postseason as the No. 8 seed.
The odds are slim, but the Lions could still play their way into the playoffs. And anything can happen once you make it into the dance.
Unfortunately, Detroit would likely have to finish the regular season with four straight wins and get some help to make that happen. That could be a problem given their Week 15 matchup.
The Lions travel to LA to take on the Rams in one of the most exciting matchups on this week's slate. They will be heavy underdogs since the Rams are arguably the best team in the entire league.
Do the Lions actually have a chance against the Rams? Or is it inevitable that Detroit's playoff hopes get extinguished before Christmas?
Below we will explore three Lions bold predictions ahead of their huge Week 15 battle with the Rams.
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Jared Goff matches Matthew Stafford in passing touchdowns
Jared Goff is quietly having a great 2025 season. At least as far as his stats are concerned.
The 31-year-old veteran has 3,334 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions with four games left to play. Goff's style of play never looks too flashy, but it gets the job done.
Goff tied for second in the NFL with touchdown passes. The only player ahead of him just so happens to be Matthew Stafford.
The former Lions quarterback is playing out of his mind in 20025. Stafford is firmly in the MVP conversation, and his presence in this game is one of the biggest reasons why the Lions might lose.
Goff is no slouch himself. I think this game has a much better chance of being a high-scoring shootout than being a one-sided beatdown. But football is a team game, so Goff will need his teammates to step up around him both on offense and defense.
I'm predicting that Goff will match Stafford for passing touchdowns in Week 15. Detroit's defense is already compromised (more on that later) and the pressure will be on the offense to keep up with LA.
As long as Goff gets enough help, I think he can keep pace with Stafford.
Jahmyr Gibbs has 200+ total yards, accounts for half of Detroit's offensive yardage
It is no secret that Detroit's offense now runs through Jahmyr Gibbs.
Detroit's third-year running back has 187 carries for 1,062 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns headed into Week 15. But he really shines as a receiver, hauling in 58 receptions for 474 yards and three touchdowns.
Gibbs already has more receptions than he did in 2024 and he may end up close to the same amount of carries too.
LA's run defense unit is about as talented as Detroit's which means it will be tough sledding for Gibbs on Sunday. He may need one or two explosive running plays to keep the ground game functional for the Lions.
I'm predicting that Gibbs will do just that. He will have over 200 total yards and will account for half of Detroit's offensive yards.
But how realistic is it for Gibbs to account for at least half of Detroit's offensive production? It's possible, but it will require him to have a great game.
The last time Gibbs pulled this off was in Week 12 against the Giants. Detroit had 494 total yards, meaning Gibbs needed 247+ total yards to account for 50%. But Gibbs came through with 219 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards. It really helped that he had a 69-yard touchdown run in overtime.
The beauty of this prediction is that for it to hit, the Lions have to be thriving on offense. Otherwise there's no chance it will happen.
Lions win IF offense does not commit a turnover, defense forces one
Remember how I said that Detroit's defense is compromised? That could end up being the most important factor in this game.
The Lions are without both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch in their secondary. Branch tore his Achilles in Week 14, ending his season. It's possible that Joseph comes back at some point, but not in Week 15.
Detroit is also without cornerback Terrion Arnold, who is on injured reserve.
Put that together with QB Matthew Stafford, and the Lions could be in for a long day at the offense on the defensive side of the ball.
The pressure will be on Aidan Hutchinson and the defensive line to generate pressure on Stafford. If he is left comfortable in the pocket, he'll carve up the Lions all day long.
I don't think it is realistic to expect a great game from Detroit's defense. But if they make one or two splash plays, it could be enough to make the difference.
I predict that Detroit will win this game if they can force at least one turnover on defense. The offense also needs to play a clean game and not turn the ball over.
If this doesn't happen, the Rams likely win by at least one touchdown.
