NFC Playoff Picture: Here's how the Lions can clinch as soon as humanly possible

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1970-01-01 08:00

It's far too early for any NFL team to clinch a playoff spot, but the Detroit Lions have one of the easier paths back to the postseason.

The Detroit Lions are no guarantee to make the playoffs -- this is the Lions, of course. But what Dan Campbell, Jared Goff and Co. have done to rebuild the football culture in the motor city is nothing short of magnificent.

Detroit has a relatively easy path back to the playoffs as long as they take care of business thanks in large part to their division. The NFC North is shaping up to be a cake walk for Detroit this season, as they sit atop the division at 6-2 following their Monday Night Football win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Minnesota Vikings are surprisingly in second place at 4-4, only two games behind Detroit. The main problem in Minnesota is that they are down their top two offensive playmakers in Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins, the latter of which suffered a torn achilles.

As Detroit heads into their bye week, let's look at just how soon they could clinch a postseason berth.

Here's how the Lions can make the playoffs, explained

With the win over Las Vegas, Detroit is slotted in at the No. 2 seed in the NFC, just one game behind the Philadelphia Eagles and a half-game ahead of the Seattle Seahawks. Ford Field has yet to host a playoff game, but the Lions are now 14-4 in their last 18 games, and have a real shot to receive a home postseason matchup for the first time in decades.

The easiest way for the Lions to clinch a postseason berth is to win out. The remainder of their schedule isn't too tough. After the bye, Detroit heads to Los Angeles to face the Chargers, a game which is truly a toss-up. That is followed by matchups against the Packers, Bears and Saints -- all of which they ought to be favored to win.

The toughest remaining game on the Lions schedule is their second-to-last regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys. At that point in the year, both teams should be battling for playoff positioning, if all goes according to plan.

The Vikings are the Lions biggest competition for the NFC North, and no matchup should be considered an easy victory for Minnesota without Cousins. If Detroit somehow doesn't win the North, heads will roll.