Meaningless has no meaning for the Detroit Lions.

The Lions marched to Santa Clara with an agenda. The winner of this game would not change the lead of Detroit and its division, but a victory over the San Francisco 49ers was a year in coming. Revenge was a central theme for Detroit on Monday night as the Lions avenged their NFC Championship loss to the 49ers in January. The Lions have their sights set on next week’s NFC North game against the Minnesota Vikings, but for one night the Lions weren’t focused on the future. This was San Francisco and the result was a 40-point win.

Things were far from perfect for Detroit in the penultimate game of the regular season, but the victory sets the stage for two teams with 14 wins each to fight for the top spot in the NFC. Even a meaningless game has something to offer – let’s take a look.

No peace, no problem

For the second year in a row, the Lions avoided a serious injury in the game. While last week’s game against the Chicago Bears was significant at this point, that game didn’t matter in the standings, and many (46 percent of our voters) felt Detroit should rest its starters in a meaningless game. However, that wasn’t on the agenda for the Lions, and we got to see the best of that decision. The Lions thrived on offense, with their starters playing significant roles, and every single point mattered in a 40-34 win. The only known injury was Penei Sewell with a minor thumb injury. According to Dan Campbell, this is not a long-term problem.

Were the Lions fortunate to escape mostly injury-free, especially with plenty of vicious hits from the 49ers? Perhaps. Still, every game in the NFL carries a risk of injury. You can’t play because you’re afraid of getting hurt.

Can the defense survive until reinforcements arrive?

There was optimism that despite all the defensive difficulties of late, relief was just around the corner. Some of their injured starters, like Alex Anzalone and (maybe) Carlton Davis, could return over the course of a playoff run, a much-needed boon for an injured defense. The question is whether the Lions can even make the playoffs with this current lineup.

The Lions defense remains vulnerable. The linebackers constantly bite on most play-action passes. He has a hard time keeping the pass rush consistent, even with Purdy having a backup offensive line in front of him. The defensive backs get teased all the time. Aside from Kerby Joseph’s interceptions, there weren’t many highlights for the defense on Monday night.

There are two pressing questions surrounding the Lions defense right now. Will the return of Anzalone and/or Davis be enough to turn the unit around? Can the Lions even survive in the playoffs long enough to return? Detroit has a crucial game next week against the Vikings to decide the division and first place in the NFC. A poor defensive performance could not only lead to a loss, but could also mean the loss of a much-needed playoff bye – and home-field advantage during the playoffs. A win next week could be the difference between a healthier defense and a skeleton crew.

The Lions seemingly managed a defensive turnaround in the second half, but it was buoyed by Joseph’s two picks and a missed field goal by Jake Moody (his second of the game). They allowed a touchdown on the 49ers’ first drive of the half and then a Joshua Dobbs-led touchdown on the final drive. If Joseph doesn’t grab these picks, will we see a completely different scoreboard?

Detroit’s offense can only carry the team so far. At some point the defense has to resist. The Lions need more game-changers than just Joseph.

The most dangerous offense in the playoffs?

There’s an old saying: Defense wins championships. The Lions want to prove that wrong, and they have the offense to do it.

In a largely meaningless game, the Lions offense was unable to enjoy itself on the night. They dropped 40 points to the 49ers with their usual tools: a flawless pass attempt from Jared Goff, the speed of Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams, the reliability of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, a dominant offensive line, a dash of… trick plays and under-the-radar efforts from people like Craig Reynolds, Tim Patrick and even Allen Robinson.

Goff may not win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, but there’s no question that his role on offense rivals that of a Lamar Jackson or a Josh Allen. Dan Campbell may not win the Coach of the Year award, but there is no doubt that his leadership and culture have led directly to another brilliant season. Ben Johnson may not win Assistant Coach of the Year, but there is no doubt that the offense has been elevated to historic levels thanks to his genius.

The Lions offense should strike fear into every single opponent. They may not have a mobile quarterback like Jackson or Allen, but they have every other tool in their tool belt to win – and win big.

Road warrior

With one home game still on the schedule, the Lions have completed an away win. The Lions played in Arizona, Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Chicago and San Francisco and emerged with victories in each – a perfect 8-0 in away games.

The NFL is generally difficult to win, but winning on the road is always a difficult task. Not only did Detroit win every road game, they seemed to excel on the road as well. The offense averaged over 30 points on the road and had some of its best performances of the season in these games. They had the incredible comeback against the Houston Texans. They won a close game against the Vikings. They throttled the Dallas Cowboys.

The final chapter of the 2024 Lions is not yet written, but at least we can say that whether at home or on the road, they were warriors. If the Lions lose to the Vikings next week and end up in fifth place, they will certainly need some outstanding away performances if they want to win the Super Bowl.

A team with 14 wins will only be the fifth seed

I’m not advocating for reform of the playoff format (although I could make an argument). Instead, I just want to point out that the loser of the Lions-Vikings game next week will have to settle for the top Wild Card spot. Let that sit for a moment: An NFL team will have 14 wins in a 17-game season, but could potentially play every playoff game on the road.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime event – we hope Detroit ends up on the winning side of this record.