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The NFC North title game will be played on Sunday night in Week 17. The NFL has chosen the Packers-Lions game as next week's "Sunday Night Football" matchup.

The NFL always likes to have a game that will have definitive playoff implications as the final Sunday night game of the season, and this one fits the bill.

The Packers are currently sitting at 9-6 after defeating the Vikings, 38-25, on Saturday afternoon. Detroit is 9-5 and plays the Cowboys on "Monday Night Football" this week. No matter if the Lions win or lose against Dallas (which has already clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed), next week's game will decide the NFC North.

Here are the scenarios:

  • If the Lions beat (or tie) the Cowboys and the Packers, the Lions will have the better overall record and win the division.
  • If the Lions beat the Cowboys and tie the Packers, the Lions will have the better overall record and win the division.
  • If the Lions lose to the Cowboys and beat the Packers, the Lions will have the better overall record (10-6) and win the division.
  • If the Lions lose to (or tie) the Cowboys and lose to the Packers, the Packers will have the better overall record and win the division.
  • If the Lions lose to the Cowboys and tie the Packers, both teams will have the same record and the Packers will win the division based on the head-to-head tiebreaker. Green Bay won the first meeting, 34-27, back in Week 3.
  • If the Lions beat the Cowboys and lose to the Packers, both teams will have the same record and the Packers will win the division based on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Got it? If the Lions do win the division, it'll be a pretty big deal, as the last time they finished in first place was all the way back in 1993. Those Lions had Wayne Fontes as their head coach, Rodney Peete as their quarterback and Barry Sanders in the backfield.