By Mummy Grace 
Vikings vs. Lions: NFL’s Regular-Season Finale Gets Playoff-Level Hype
By Eric Fisher
Jan 2, 2025 | 4:45 PM
Updated Jan 2, 2025 | 5:14 PM
(Kirby Lee – Imagery)
Alright, NFL fans, get ready—this season’s final regular-season game is gonna be a big one. The Vikings are squaring off against the Lions in a matchup that has all the feels of a playoff showdown, and NBC Sports is treating it like one.
This Vikings-Lions game, dubbed the league’s “Game 272,” will be broadcast live in prime time on Sunday Night Football. NBC’s going all out by bringing its entire Football Night in America (FNIA) crew to Detroit’s Ford Field to cover the action on-site. Yep, you heard that right—this is the first time FNIA will have its full team at a regular-season finale. Outside of season openers and the Tom Brady return game in 2021, this is a rare move.
What’s at stake? Well, this isn’t just your average regular-season game. The Vikings and Lions, both sitting at 14-2, will battle it out for the NFC North division title, but that’s not all. The winner grabs the coveted No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, which means a first-round bye and home-field advantage. Talk about high stakes! And hey, there’s even talk this could be a sneak peek of the NFC Championship game. On top of that, this game is setting a new record with the most combined wins (28) of any regular-season matchup. Take that, past records!
One of these teams is about to make history as only the 9th squad to finish a season with 15 wins, while the loser will become the highest-ever winning wild-card team. Either way, both teams are headed to the playoffs.
Lions coach Dan Campbell, who’s clearly fired up, described the game as “fairytale stuff.” It’s been building up for a while now, and Campbell’s ready to make that Super Bowl push. He said, “The division title and the one-seed, it’s right here in our hands.”
NBC’s decision to throw all their resources into covering this regular-season finale is reminiscent of CBS Sports bringing its crew to Buffalo earlier this season for a Chiefs-Bills game. That game was Kansas City’s only loss of the year and pulled in a huge 31.1 million viewers—making it the NFL’s biggest draw at the time.
So, yeah. Get ready. This game has everything—big playoff implications, drama, and the chance to watch two powerhouse teams go head-to-head. Make sure you tune in!