ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions are playing for pride and future jobs now with any small hope for the playoffs dashed and the team missing out on a chance at back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the mid-90s.

But there’s a lot that can be picked up from the final four games of the season -- from players getting a jump on 2016 to putting good things on film for whoever is running the football operations and coaching the Lions two months from now.

And for some players, there are the possibilities of All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods to consider. So with that in mind, here are five players (and a coach) who December is a pretty big month for.

1. Ameer Abdullah: The rookie running back has shown improvement since the bye, both getting more work and also actually improving each week. Abdullah has had better rushing totals every game since the bye week and has been more confident and better with ball security. He should be the team’s lead back next season, no matter who the coaching staff is, but putting a good last month on film will only inspire more confidence.

Ameer Abdullah has 414 yards rushing and 134 receiving in his rookie season. AP Photo/Jose Juarez

2. Jim Bob Cooter: The offensive coordinator was denied permission to interview for the Chicago Bears OC job last season -- a gig that eventually went to Adam Gase. Over the past month, he’s shown the ability to take a struggling offense and inject some life into it. He’s also helped make Matthew Stafford a better quarterback. If the Lions continue offensive improvement over the final month of the season, it would be a huge resume boost for him, no matter what happens with his bosses.

3. Ezekiel Ansah: The defensive end’s place on the team and in the lineup are extremely secure. He might even be Detroit’s best player this season. But the last month of the year could determine whether Ansah makes his first Pro Bowl appearance or All-Pro team this season. He’s second in the league in sacks (12.5) behind J.J. Watt and is blossoming into a star. If he continues the consistency through the final month, it could end up being a special season for him.

4. Matt Prater: He’s come close before, but Prater has never had a perfect season kicking field goals before. He’s four games away from pulling it off in his second year with the Lions. Prater missed one field goal with the Broncos in 2013 (25 of 26) and made all but two of his field goals in 2010 (16 of 18). But he’s four games away, with three in domes, of having a perfect field goal season. He has, however, missed three extra points.

5. Nevin Lawson: The cornerback replaced Rashean Mathis is the starting lineup after a concussion ended his season and it has essentially turned into a second half of the season tryout for 2016. The Lions know they have a shutdown corner in Darius Slay, but the spot opposite him will be up for grabs in 2016, even if Mathis returns for another year. If Mathis is gone, the Lions will likely try to add a veteran there and could look to a rookie, too, but Lawson will have the first chance to prove he can be an NFL starting cornerback -- at least until spring workouts, when Alex Carter will push him on the field.

6. Stephen Tulloch: The veteran linebacker has gone from an every-down backer to a situational player this season, but he’s also quietly put together a decent season and he’s still quite good against the run. But he also has a cap number of $7.3 million next season, so the Lions front office might have to make a decision on the long-time middle of the Detroit defense. A strong final month of the year could help him immensely.