UNDATED (WSAU) – Next Sunday’s Packers-Lions game will determine the NFC North champion. And the issue will be decided in prime-time.
The NFL announced that the Packers-Lions match-up in Detroit will be played on Sunday Night Football with a kickoff at 8:30pm ET (7:30 CT).
It’s the only game on the week 17 schedule with playoff implications for both of the partipants.
The winner is assured of a playoff birth. The loser would know if they will make or miss the playoffs based on the results of games earlier in the day.
The Lions could clinch a playoff birth with a win on Week 16’s Monday Night Football game against Dallas. If the Lions lose and then lose to the Packers, they could be in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
If the Packers lose in Detroit, they could be passed for the final wildcard spot if Washington beats the New York Giants earlier in the day.
A very complicated tie-breaker would determine whether the Packers or Tampa Bay would get the final playoff spot if Green Bay and Washington both lose in week 17 and the Bucs beat Carolina.
The strength of schedule tie-breaker would be determined, in part, based on how other teams do on that day.