The Lions may have stumbled out of the NFC playoff picture last season, but that hasn’t erased what this group has done over the last three years. Detroit has won 36 regular season games in that span, and even with some major defensive injuries still hanging around, there’s plenty of reason to think this team can answer the bell again in 2026.
Nothing in the NFL is truly automatic. Still, when you look at Detroit’s schedule, a few games stand out as the kind the Lions should control if they play anywhere near their level.
Week 1 brings the New Orleans Saints to Detroit, and that opener has the feel of a game the Lions can grab right away. The Saints did finish strong last season, winning four of five, and Tyler Shough looked solid as a rookie.
They also added Travis Etienne, David Edwards, and Jordyn Tyson in the offseason. But they’re still working through a rebuild, and there’s no guarantee Shough takes another step in year two.
In a season opener, the Lions’ experience should carry real weight.
A few weeks later, Detroit gets the New York Jets in Week 3, and that matchup looks even cleaner on paper. The Jets did add talent this offseason, but they still come off as one of the shakier teams around the league.
Aaron Glenn’s first year as head coach was rough, and the quarterback situation remains a major problem with Geno Smith projected to start. Smith has thrown 32 interceptions since 2024 and is now on his third team in as many years.
There’s also a recent blueprint for how these reunions can go: in Week 2 of 2025, the Ben Johnson-led Bears were beaten by 31 points in Detroit. The expectation here is that the Jets get overrun too.
The Lions should also like their chances on the road in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona has some intriguing offensive pieces, but the bigger picture is ugly: a new coaching staff, a bottom-5 roster, and no real stability at quarterback. Detroit’s defense may have some trouble with Arizona’s playmakers, but the Lions’ offense should be able to put immediate pressure on a Cardinals defense that is still trying to find itself.
Week 9 sets up another favorable trip, this time to Miami. The Dolphins are being treated as one of the league’s weakest teams, and while they deserve credit for tearing things down and rebuilding the right way, that approach takes time.
Right now, the roster is thin. De’Von Achane is the one obvious threat, and he’s likely in line for a massive workload, but outside of him there isn’t much to worry about.
Detroit should have no trouble taking control of that one.
Then comes Week 14 at home against the Tennessee Titans, a game that also leans heavily toward the Lions. Tennessee could be a little frisky in 2026.
Cam Ward improved late as a rookie, and now Brian Daboll is running the offense after helping develop Josh Allen and getting Jaxson Dart to play better than expected last year. Even so, the Titans are still in the middle of a rebuild, their offensive line needs a lot of work, and the defense is not close to finished.
At Ford Field, that’s a bad formula against a Lions team that has been especially dangerous at home. Jared Goff owns a career passer rating of 101.3 at home, and he has already gone 2-0 against Tennessee with seven passing touchdowns and a 125.5 passer rating.
That’s why these five games - Saints, Jets, Cardinals, Dolphins, and Titans - jump off the page as the most winnable spots on Detroit’s 2026 slate.
In Other News...
Lions Add To Crowded O Line Picture With Another Intriguing Move
The Lions kept adding to an already busy offensive line mix by signing former Buccaneers lineman Elijah Klein to the practice squad. A sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Klein has already appeared in 26 games with one start, giving Detroit another young blocker with some pro experience to evaluate as the roster takes shape.
Detroit has plenty of offensive linemen around the building between the active roster and the practice squad, so this is less about a clear immediate role and more about creating competition and depth. For Klein, the next step will be figuring out where he fits in a group that is already crowded, which makes his path with the Lions worth watching as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Already Have A New Reason To Feel Great About Blake Miller
The Lions went into the preseason looking to sort out the right side of their offensive line, and Blake Miller has wasted little time making the decision easy. Detroit took the tackle with the No. 17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, then watched him work his way into the starting right tackle job by outplaying veteran Larry Borom and earning steady praise from the coaching staff and the media.
Miller has looked comfortable in both phases of the game, showing the kind of power in the run game and reliability in pass protection that can settle an offense quickly. For a team that values stability up front, it is an encouraging early sign that the rookie is not just holding his own, but pushing the Lions to feel better about a spot they needed to get right. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Branch Could Give Lions Defense A Huge Early Lift
Brian Branchs arrival on the sideline this fall is still expected to come with a delay, but the Lions have reason to believe the wait wont be a long one. The versatile defensive back is slated to open the 2026 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after the Achilles injury he suffered in December 2025, a setback that would normally cloud a players early-season availability much more heavily than this one appears to.
Branchs recovery has reportedly been moving in the right direction, and there is already a sense he could be back at practice after only two weeks on PUP. If that timetable holds, Detroit could be talking about getting one of its most valuable defensive pieces back by Week 6 or Week 7, a boost that would matter even more given how much the unit leans on his range and flexibility compared with the situation around Kerby Joseph. [Read more 🡒]