The Detroit Lions are working through training camp and the rest of the preseason, which means it's almost time to think about the 2026.
Looking at the schedule, there aren't many potential pitfalls for the Lions, because they play arguably the easiest slate in the league. One of the toughest tests they will face, though, will come early in the season at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
In Week 2, the Lions travel to open Highmark Field, the new home of the Bills. It will be the first regular season game played at the site, which means the crowd will be hyped and anticipation will be at a fever pitch to kick off a new era properly.
For this reason, many who are looking ahead are assuming the Lions will simply be overwhelmed in the game and the environment. CBS Sports analyst John Breech was one such person. Making his early picks for the season and attempting to predict who might go undefeated, he projected the Lions to lose their first game of the season on the road in Buffalo.
"This Thursday night matchup will mark the first game at the Bills' new stadium and it's almost impossible to see the Bills losing the first game at their new stadium."
Impossible is an interesting word to use, given the fact the NFL has always been known for an environment when teams can win in a variety of places and ways. Whether it's a new stadium's first day, a playoff game or even the Super Bowl, the improbable routinely happens in the league. That's what makes its entertainment unmatched in the sports landscape.
For now, though, the Lions are already strong underdogs for Week 2. But there is reason to think Detroit could show up strong based on past history.
It isn't fair to count Lions out given where they have won since 2022
Assuming the Lions will simply get run over against the Bills is assuming the franchise hasn't turned a corner in recent years in terms of where they have been able to win. No longer is it simply the 'Same old Lions' in terms of not being able to compete in plenty of different scenarios.
In the past, the Lions certainly haven't won on the road consistently or in tough environments. Ever since Dan Campbell came into the mix, though, that hasn't been an issue. The Lions started this out by knocking the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs in the final game of the 2022 season with nothing on the line for them. Nobody expected Detroit to win that game.
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Ever since, the Lions have managed to win high-leverage road games in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Kansas City and San Francisco. While the comparison isn't exact, the 2023 Lions spoiled the Chiefs' Super Bowl ring ceremony in primetime during the first game of the season. It was comparatively raucous, and few believed the Lions could compete in that situation, as well.
Campbell has the Lions contending to potentially reach and win the franchise's first Super Bowl. With this in mind, he isn't going to let the team be fazed by a new stadium environment or any of the hoopla that comes with it.
In that situation, the pressure could be strongest on the home team to open under the lights and make a strong statement, which means the Bills could certainly play much tighter than Detroit. The point? Declaring anything as a certainty in the NFL isn't a good idea.
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