Tough schedule gives the Detroit Lions a chance to prove their worth

The Detroit Lions have one of the toughest schedules this upcoming season. This is a big chance for the team to show how talented they really are.

CBS Sports has the Detroit Lions tied for fifth amongst the toughest schedules in the league. The combined record of their opponents last season was 134-121-1, equaling a .525 winning percentage. It’s safe to say that the road ahead for the Lions isn’t going to be easy.

There’s two ways you can look at this as a Lions fan. You can be a glass-half-empty type of person, and use the tough schedule as an excuse, or you can look at this as an opportunity to get respect amongst the league.

For years on end, the Detroit Lions have been a mockery in the NFL. Whether it’s for silly front office moves, or just insane ways to lose a ball game, it doesn’t matter. Other fans laugh whenever you mention the Lions being able to compete for a Super Bowl.

Now, with that being said, I’m not expecting Detroit to win the whole thing this year. You can’t go from zero to hero in one season. But I think everyone affiliated with One Pride just wants some respect around the league. Detroit can get that respect by succeeding against this tough schedule and making the playoffs.

And by “succeeding,” I don’t mean barely skating by with a 9-7 record while losing the last few games of the season. Detroit needs to win the games they’re supposed to win, and grinding out a few wins in games that seemed like a predetermined loss.

The Lions really have nothing to lose. The perception of the team around the league can’t get much worse than it already is after regressing the past two seasons.

Lots of people are already writing the Detroit Lions off for last in the NFC North. That should be the fuel that lights the fire within the organization, and gives them that drive to prove everyone wrong in 2020.