The Detroit Lions laid an egg on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, and now what seemed like a sure playoff spot is hanging perilously in the balance. Detroit’s division is tighter than ever, and while there are a lot of struggling NFC teams at the bottom of the conference, there are a few that will challenge the Lions for one of the last few spots. That’s especially true if Detroit can’t fix some of their more consistent issues.

Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture through Week 9, not including the “Monday Night Football” game between the Cardinals and Cowboys.

NFC North standings: • Packers: 5-2-1 • Lions: 5-3 • Bears: 5-3 • Vikings: 4-4

First place and last place are separated by just 1.5 games through nine weeks. The Packers continue to hold the top spot, but after an

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