The Detroit Lions will square off against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on Monday Night Football in Week 17. Detroit is 13-2 on the year and will be looking to notch their 14th victory of the season over San Francisco in a rematch of the 2023 NFC Championship Game.
Though every game in the NFL holds some type of value, Monday's showdown versus the 49ers holds little meaning for the Lions. With the Minnesota Vikings' victory over the Green Bay Packers, Detroit will not be able to clinch the NFC North and the No.1 seed in the NFC versus the 49ers.
The Lions will host the Vikings in Week 18 at Ford Field, and the winner of that game will take home the division crown and the top seed in the conference, which includes a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The loser of next week's contest versus Detroit and Minnesota will be the No.5 seed in the NFC and will play a road playoff game in Round 1 of the playoffs.
With Monday Night's game being insignificant for the Lions and their chase for the division and No.1 seed, many fans have been calling for the team to rest their starters in Week 17.
The Lions game tomorrow is irrelevant now
— Daily MSU (@daily_msu) December 29, 2024
They should rest their starters
There is no reason to play the starters tomorrow if you are the Lions. Rest up and get ready for next week.
— Sam Newcombe (@SamNewcombe24) December 29, 2024
Lions should rest ALL their starters for tomorrow's game.
— K-1 (@Mr_Sir_Raider) December 30, 2024
Rest starters tomorrow night?
— Brand New Lions (@DETsports__) December 30, 2024
Lions need to rest their starters tomorrow.
— Josh (@VoshJogt) December 29, 2024
Though many fans want Detroit to rest their starters on Monday Night, head coach Dan Campbell spoke to the media about the possibility during a press conference on Monday, Dec.23, and Campbell made his stance on the issue clear.
"I'll make this easy for everybody that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don't have to debate them anymore," Campbell said. "We're bringing everything we got to this game and we are playing, I don't care what it looks like and where it's at and who's this, who's that. We're going out to play and win this game, out on the West Coast. So there you go."
Going off what Campbell said earlier in the week, it seems the Lions will play their starters versus the 49ers and try to secure a win in San Francisco.
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