NFL Puts Wild Card Weekend’s Best Story Line – The Detroit Lions – Into Prime Sunday Night Football Slot

With the Detroit Lions hosting their first playoff game in decades and the first at Ford Field and coming off a 12-win season, Lions fans had to hope for prime placement of the team's playoff game. They were rewarded with the NFL released the 2024 Wild Card Weekend schedule.

The Lions vs the Los Angeles Rams will be in the Sunday Night Football position with a kick just after 8PM.

'Insider' reporter Adam Shefter was first with the news on X:

A 3/6 match-up may not always draw the coveted prime position - and this season could risk a dreaded slot on streaming-only Peacock - but having the hot Lions plus a custom-made storyline with the return of former quarterback Matthew Stafford proved too irresistible for the NFL gods to pass up.

How to Watch the Detroit Lions Wild Card Game

While NBC + Peacock are airing a doubleheader on Saturday to open the weekend they will also air the traditional Sunday Night Football meaning NBC stations will get the Lions game with the standard 8:20PM kick.

The Lions VS Rams Prove the 'NFL Script' Theory?

Fans love to jockey around the 'NFL is Scripted' conspiracy theory. That idea began to circulate when it became likely - then confirmed - that the LA Rams, and former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, would visit Detroit.

The Lions and Rams famously pulled off the rare starting QB for starting QB trade that sent Stafford to LA and Jared Goff to Detroit.

The following season, Stafford led his team to the Super Bowl with Lions fans happy to see 'their qb' get a shot at a ring even if it was for another team.

Many now have shared their slightly conflicting loyalties. Cheer for the Lions or cheer for the former QB who suffered through so much in the Detroit backfield. End of the day, of course, Lions fans will be backing the home team, but the return of Matthew Stafford makes for the best storyline of Wild Card Weekend.