The NFL season has reached its final two weeks, and the Detroit Lions are firmly in the race for a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC. As it stands, the Lions are in a tie for the top spot in the NFC with an NFC North divisional opponent,

The Detroit Lions are on the cusp of clinching both the NFC North and No. 1 seed in Week 17, but they're going to need some help from a division rival. Here's how the Lions can clinch both of those top spots this coming week.

The Detroit Lions finally got some help in the playoff race. Obviously, Detroit is one of four NFC teams who have already punched their postseason ticket, but—just like every other NFC division—the NFC North has still yet to be decided.

Dan Campbell is never one to mince words. The Detroit Lions head coach made sure his message was crystal clear from the very start of the preparations for next Monday’s game in San Francisco against the 49ers. His Lions are coming to play, no matter what.

Dan Campbell outlines his controversial plan ahead of Detroit's Monday Night Football showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

In a move that indicates the team is getting a healthy return to the defensive lineup, the Detroit Lions released veteran linebacker David Long on Tuesday. Long, 28, spent five weeks with the Lions after coming from the Miami Dolphins.

The Detroit Lions announced the team has waived veteran linebacker David Long Jr. prior to their Week 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers. It started to appear Long's tenure in Motown could be numbered when the team decided to sign Anthony Pittman off of the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad.