6 games to comfortably mark as wins on Detroit Lions 2023 schedule

6. Week 13 at New Orleans Saints

Some see this game as a potential loss for the Lions, late in the season in a tough road environment against a team that should be competitive.

But on the field the Saints just aren’t that intimidating, even with running back Alvin Kamara surely done with a possible suspension well before Week 13. Derek Carr is a theoretical upgrade under center, but he’s a middle of the pack quarterback destined to lead a team to somewhere around a .500 record.

I could see this game being a grind for the Lions for a little while, before they assert themselves as the better team and ultimately win comfortably.

5. Week 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With Tom Brady gone, the Buccaneers are heading into a reset with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask set to compete for the starting job under center. But they also seem like they want to compete still, with an eye on winning the bad NFC South as still constructed around the question mark at quarterback.

These Lions learned the danger of not coming with your ‘A’ game on the road late last season against Carolina, a loss that ultimately cost them the playoffs after things played out.

Florida in the fall can be challenging for road teams coming in. But the Lions should (and arguably have to, with what comes in two of their following three games) win this game if they are going to do what’s expected of them this season.