Don’t look now, but those Detroit Lions are only a half game out of a playoff spot in the NFC.

The Lions have now won six of their last seven contests and are back at the .500 mark at 7-7 overall for the first time since Week #2.

Detroit can move above the .500 mark for the first time this season and strengthen its playoff case this Saturday afternoon as they hit the road to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the 5-9 Carolina Panthers for a Christmas Eve battle at 1 pm.