The Detroit Lions are less than two weeks from opening the season, and a few dates on the 2026 schedule already stand out as can’t-miss games.
Detroit gets started on Sept. 13 at Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, but the real intrigue stretches well beyond Week 1. After a 2025 season that ended at 9-8 and followed back-to-back NFC North titles, the Lions have a schedule full of games that could shape whether they climb back to the top of the division.
The biggest one on the board might come early. On Sept. 17, the Lions head to Buffalo for their first road game of the regular season, and they’ll do it in a matchup that could light up the scoreboard.
Detroit will try to spoil the Buffalo Bills’ first game in their new Highmark Stadium, and the last time these teams met - a 48-42 Bills win at Ford Field in December of 2024 - both offenses put on a show. Josh Allen threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns, while Jared Goff answered with 494 yards and five touchdowns.
Thanksgiving should bring its own kind of drama. The Lions host the Chicago Bears at Ford Field, and this one comes with Ben Johnson on the other sideline.
Detroit swept Chicago last season, but that didn’t erase the sting of watching the Bears win the NFC North while the Lions were left out. The atmosphere is expected to be especially loud, just like it was when Johnson returned to Ford Field last season for Detroit’s 52-21 win and the recreation of the “Stumble Bum” play.
Another NFC North clash that should carry serious weight arrives on Oct. 25, when Green Bay comes to Ford Field in the first of two meetings with the Packers. Detroit’s two losses to Green Bay last season - including on Thanksgiving - were a huge reason the Lions missed the postseason, and this year’s meetings could go a long way toward deciding playoff seeding and the division race.
The return trip to Lambeau Field in Week 18 may end up mattering just as much. It’s currently a FLEX game, and depending on how the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings perform, it could turn into a game for the NFC North title or a final playoff push. The last time these teams met there in Week 18, Detroit delivered one of the signature wins of the Dan Campbell era, beating Green Bay 20-16 on Jan. 8, 2023 and knocking the Packers out of the playoffs in Aaron Rodgers’ final game.
Rounding out the list is an overseas trip with some real weight behind it. On Nov. 15, the Lions face the New England Patriots in the NFL Munich Game, a Week 10 matchup that puts Detroit against the defending AFC Champions. It will be the Lions’ first international game since 2015, when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 45-10 in London, and they’ll be hoping for a very different outcome this time against a Patriots team that again looks like one of the AFC’s best.
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Lions Sent A Clear Message With One Surprise Pass Rush Decision
Brad Holmes made it clear during roster trimdown season that Eric ONeills path to the 53-man roster was about more than simply surviving a numbers crunch. The Lions general manager pointed to the undrafted rookies playmaking instincts, his ability to move around the defense, and the way his approach fit the teams culture, which is no small endorsement for a player who had to force his way into the conversation from the start.
It also says something about where Detroit believes its pass rush is headed. Ray Agnew described the defensive line as a strength, and the group has the names to back it up with Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, Tyleik Williams, D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore all part of the mix. In that kind of room, a surprise decision on the edge is less about filling a hole and more about the Lions signaling they want depth, versatility and competition to keep the pressure coming all season. [Read more 🡒]
Lions New Offense Is Fueling A Jameson Williams Debate Fans Didn't Expect
Drew Petzings arrival as the Lions new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season has already sparked an early conversation about how Detroits passing game might change. One of the most interesting angles is Dan Grazianos prediction at ESPN that Jameson Williams could emerge as the teams leading receiver next year, a notion that would have sounded far-fetched not long ago considering Amon-Ra St. Browns track record as the more reliable and productive target.
Williams has made steady progress in recent seasons, enough to make the idea worth serious discussion rather than a pure hypothetical. If Petzings offense leans into Williams explosiveness the way some around the league expect, the Lions could be looking at a very different pecking order in the passing game, with St. Brown still central to everything but no longer the unquestioned top producer by seasons end. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face A Real Receiver Dilemma With Two Roster Spots Open
The Lions are still weighing how to use their two open roster spots after trimming the group down to four wide receivers, and the need for depth at the position is hard to ignore. One name worth watching is veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who is currently on the Colts practice squad and would bring six years of NFL experience to the table.
Westbrook-Ikhine has mostly worked as an outside receiver, which gives Detroit a potential fit if it wants another experienced body on the boundary. The tradeoff is that he does not bring return specialist experience, so if the Lions want one of those vacant spots to help on special teams as well, the decision gets a little more complicated. [Read more 🡒]