The race to the top … of the 2022 NFL Draft comes to an end in Week 18.
The Lions and Jaguars are “vying” for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, with the Jaguars holding a tight, tight lead over the Lions entering the final game of the 2021 regular season.
If the Jaguars lose out, then they’ll hold the No.1 pick in the draft for the second consecutive year. The Lions are looking (?) for their first No. 1 selection since taking Matthew Stafford in 2009. For now, Detroit is locked in at no lower than a No. 2 pick, meaning they have everything to … not play for this Sunday.
Here’s how the top selection could fall to either team:
MORE: SN’s latest 2022 NFL mock draft
NFL Draft order 2022: Who will get the No. 1 pick?
With a game left in the regular season, the Jaguars are currently another loss away from their second consecutive No. 1 overall pick.
The Jaguars (2-14) currently have a worse record than the Lions (2-13-1) when you factor in winning percentage. That pesky Detroit-Pittsburgh tie plays into the Lions’ total win percentage: If both teams lose their final matchup the Jaguars (.117 win percentage) will hold the No. 1 pick over the Lions (.125 win percentage) in the final game of the season.
If the Jaguars upset the Colts on Saturday (3-14) and the Lions lose to the Packers on Sunday (2-14-1), then the Lions would finish with the league’s worst record and the No. 1 overall pick.
The NFL counts a tie as half a win and half a loss when it comes to calculating winning percentage.
If both teams win, then the Jags still end up with the No. 1 pick.
Jaguars, Lions remaining schedules
There’s only one game left for both teams this weekend:
- The Lions face the Packers on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be at Ford Field in Detroit.
- The Jaguars face the Colts on Sunday, also at 1 p.m. ET. The game will be played in Indianapolis
The Packers have already locked up the No. 1 seed, which means they won’t have much to play for vs. Detroit.
The Colts are still playing for a playoff berth, and if they beat the Jags, they’re in.
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