1982 Detroit Lions season

The [1982 National Football League|NFL season|1982] Detroit Lions season was the 53rd season in franchise history. An NFL players strike shortened the regular season to nine games.
The NFL changed the playoff format due to the strike to allow the top eight teams in each conference to qualify. Because of this, the Lions qualified for their first postseason appearance since 1970, becoming one of only four teams to ever qualify for the playoffs despite having a losing record. The Lions and the 1982 Cleveland Browns are the only two teams with a losing record to qualify as wildcards.
The Lions lost to the Washington Redskins at RFK Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.
It would not be until 2010 when the Seattle Seahawks became the third team with a losing record to qualify for the playoffs, the first to do so in a 16-game season and the first to win a division title with a losing record.
The Carolina Panthers in 2014 and Washington in 2020 have subsequently won their divisions and made the postseason with losing records.

Offseason

NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1	15	Jimmy Williams	LB	Nebraska
2	42	Bobby Watkins	CB	Southwest Texas State
3	69	Steve Doig	LB	New Hampshire
4	96	Bruce McNorton	CB	Georgetown (KY)
5	127	William Graham	S	Texas
6	154	Mike Machurek	QB	Idaho State
7	175	Phil Bates	RB	Nebraska
7	187	Victor Simmons	WR	Oregon State
8	208	Martin Moss	DE	UCLA
9	231	Dan Wagoner	DB	Kansas
10	266	Roosevelt Barnes	LB	Purdue
11	292	Edward Lee	WR	South Carolina State
12	319	Ricky Porter	RB	Slippery Rock
12	326	Rob Rubick	TE	Grand Valley State

Playoffs

The Redskins jumped to a 24–0 lead en route to a 31–7 victory over the Lions.

Records

Regular-season record

First team with a losing record to qualify for the playoffs. Shared with Cleveland Browns
Worst regular-season record to qualify for the playoffs. ''Shared with Cleveland Browns. Broken by the 2010 Seattle Seahawks and later matched by the 2020 Washington Football Team.''