SideLion Report
FanSided

Detroit Lions Schedule 2023: Game-by-game predictions for upcoming season

By Brad Berreman

Dec 4, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) audibles at the line of scrimmage against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) audibles at the line of scrimmage against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 9
Next

Here’s a look at the entire Detroit Lions 2023 regular season schedule, with a prediction for each game.

After winning eight of their last 10 games last season, and finishing above .500 for the first time since 2017, the Detroit Lions are on the rise and the prohibitive favorites to win the NFC North in 2023.

The Lions had no scheduled prime time games last year, though they played Week 18 Sunday Night Football in what turned out to be Aaron Rodgers’ last game with the Green Bay Packers. That lack of primetime games will not continue this year.

We already knew who the Lions will play in 2023, we just didn’t know when they’d play them or when the bye week will be until the league’s full schedule announcement Thursday night.

Via ESPN’s Adam Schefter, here are some new things to note about this year’s schedule as a whole.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1655674005263622197?s=20

Here’s a look at the Detroit Lions 2023 regular season schedule, followed by a prediction for each game

  • Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday Night Football)
  • Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
  • Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons
  • Week 4: at Green Bay Packers (Thursday Night Football)
  • Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers
  • Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Week 7: at Baltimore Ravens
  • Week 8: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Monday Night Football)
  • Week 9: Bye
  •  Week 10: at Los Angeles Chargers
  • Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears
  • Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers (Thanksgiving)
  • Week 13: at New Orleans Saints
  • Week 14: at Chicago Bears
  • Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos
  • Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings
  • Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys (Saturday night)
  • Week 18: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Detroit Lions 2023 regular season schedule: Game-by-game predictions

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday Night Football, Sept. 7)

The Lions will make their first trip to Arrowhead Stadium since 2003, to face the defending Super Bowl champions on the big stage of the 2023 season opener. It will obviously be a massive test, against one of the best teams in the NFL in one of the league’s toughest road environments.

Why the Lions for the Thursday night opener? On “The Dan Patrick Show” Thursday, NFL vice president of broadcasting Onnie Bose was clear about it.

"We really like that narrative around that team. As you well know, the culture that they’re building there, the way they finished that season — eight wins out of their last nine or 10 games. Last time we saw them on national television was the last game, game 272 of the regular season, and they were beating the Packers in Lambeau to keep Aaron Rodgers out of the playoffs. We really like that,” “There’s a lot of energy there, and we feel really good about starting the season with that energy against the Super Bowl champs.”"

There are no “moral victories”, but having the Chiefs not beat you by two or three scores might be marked as one for the Lions. I just can’t quite get to predicting a big upset here, but if you have to play the Chiefs Week 1 is as good a time as any. Get it out of the way, and move on.

Prediction: Chiefs 30, Lions 21 (0-1)

Home/Lions Schedule