Winners of 36 regular season games over the past three seasons, there aren't many teams in the NFL that have been able to win like the Detroit Lions. While Detroit fell out of the NFC playoff race last year, that isn't a death sentence for 2026.
Sure, some of the main defensive injuries are still lingering, but what we've seen from this current regime is the ability to rebound and respond properly after rough patches. The 2022 season is a perfect example of this, as the Lions began that year 1-6, but finished 8-2.
While nothing is truly guaranteed in the NFL, there are some...guaranteed wins on the Lions' schedule this year.
Detroit Lions' have a handful of guaranteed wins in 2026
Week 1 vs. New Orleans Saints
If there is any team in the league that could come out of nowhere and shock people in 2026, it's the New Orleans Saints. The Saints won four of five games to end the season, saw Tyler Shough hold his own as a rookie, and added some neat offensive talent in the offseason with Travis Etienne, David Edwards, and Jordyn Tyson.
With that said, the Saints are still in a bit of a rebuild, as there isn't a guarantee that Shough develops further in year two, and this is also a Week 1 game, so a more established team like the Lions have a bigger advantage given their overall experience.
This isn't to say that the Saints won't be good this year, but Week 1 is going to be too ripe of a game for the Saints to hand with the Lions.
Week 3 vs. New York jets
Despite adding a good bit of talent in the offseason, the New York Jets still feel like one of the shakier teams in the NFL. Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn had a forgettable, at best, first season with the Jets.
He seemed to be in way over his head and just never found much of a groove. Not only that, but the Jets still sport a bottom-5 quarterback room, as Geno Smith is slated to start for the team this year. Smith has thrown 32 interceptions since 2024 and is now on his third team in as many years for a reason.
And the last time a former Dan Campbell assistant became a head coach and faced his old team was Week 2 in 2025, when the Ben Johnson-led Bears lost by 31 points to the Lions in Detroit. The Jets are going to get overwhelmed in this one.
Week 5 @ Arizona Cardinals
Perhaps the worst team in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals host the Lions in Week 5, and while the Cardinals have some fun players on offense, they have a brand-new coaching staff, a bottom-5 roster, and no stability at QB. I do think the Lions defense could struggle just a bit to contain the players the Cardinals have on offense, but Detroit's offense should immediately overwhelm Arizona's defense, and the overall newness of what the Cardinals have decreases their chances of winning much of anything this year.
Week 9 @ Miami Dolphins
Another team looked at as being among the worst in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins host the Lions in Week 9. If nothing else, the Dolphins are at least approaching this rebuild the correct way by ripping the roster down to the studs and stacking it with young talent, which we should see play out more in the next few seasons.
But as of now, the Dolphins are flat-out talentless. Outside of running back De'Von Achane, who is likely getting hundreds of touches this year, the Dolphins don't threaten at any other position. Detroit should runaway with this game.
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Week 14 vs. Tennessee Titans
Another team I believe could be frisky in 2026 is the Tennessee Titans, a team in a similar-ish situation to the Saints, as Cam Ward did play a lot better down the stretch as a rookie, and he now has Brian Daboll running the show on offense, who notably helped in the development of Josh Allen and also did have Jaxson Dart playing better than you think last year.
With that said, the Titans brought in a new coaching staff this offseason and are right in the middle of a rebuild. The offensive line needs some major help, and the defense is far from a finished product. This is yet another example of the Lions simply outmatching their opponent on paper, and with Detroit being quite lethal at home (Jared Goff owns a career passer rating of 101.3 at home), the Lions are nearly unbeatable depending on the opponent.
Goff is also 2-0 in his career against the Titans with seven passing touchdowns and a 125.5 passer rating, so this is a team he's dominated as well.
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