The Detroit Lions are preparing for a rare appearance in the postseason. They have already clinched the NFC North title, and they are all but certain to have the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff structure.

If they can beat the Vikings in Week 18 while the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Washington Commanders, the Lions can rise to the No. 2 spot. That's an unlikely scenario because Ron Rivera's Commanders have had a brutal season and don't appear to have the weapons to cause problems for the Cowboys.

Even though the Lions have little to play for in the season finale, head coach Dan Campbell has said he will play his regulars and Detroit will go for the win. Additionally, the Lions are getting defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and defensive lineman Alim McNeil back to the active roster from Injured Reserve.

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They are also elevating Tyson Alualu and fullback Jason Cabinda from the practice squad. Another Lions move includes re-signing tight end Anthony Firkser to the practice squad.

Detroit depends on quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for a key percentage of their offense. However, Campbell may not want to put either of his star performers under significant risk, and it seems likely that the Lions will try to run the ball against the Minnesota defense.

The Lions have gotten excellent performances from right tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow, and that should put Detroit's running backs in an advantageous position. The Lions are averaging 140.1 rushing yards per game, ranking 4th in that category.