The Detroit Lions' schedule for 2026 is now out, setting the stage for a much-needed do-over season after a disappointing 9-8 finish.
There were numerous games last season that the Lions wish they could've gotten a do-over for, and this season's schedule provides a chance for at least one such game.
In Week 7, the Lions will host the Green Bay Packers. It won't be Thanksgiving again this season, but the game will take place after the Lions' early Bye week. This is a similar setup to Week 1 last season, where the Lions had more than the standard one week of time to prepare for their first divisional game.
Last season, the Lions sputtered out of the gate with sloppy play and poor communication as they adjusted to the then-new offensive coordinator, John Morton. The Lions would lose 27-13, taking them until late in the fourth quarter to score their first touchdown on the season.
They just weren't prepared for the Packers, and it showed.
This season's Lions' squad will have a few extra games under their belt, with some presumably favorable matchups, to shake out any cobwebs.
That extra time before the first Packers game gives them ample opportunity to show that this year's team is different. That new OC, Drew Petzing, is not Morton, and that they're back to being the team to beat in the NFC North.
That they're actually prepared this time.
A loss against the Packers in Week 7 would be devastating
The Week 7 game against the Packers is also a chance to right a very frustrating trend from last season, in which the Lions finished 3-5 in games where they had more rest days than their opponents. Not only will the Packers be playing in Week 6, but they'll also be playing on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys.
A loss against the Packers coming off the Bye could be catastrophic for the Lions. They host the Minnesota Vikings the following week. If the Lions are still reeling from a Packers loss, they can easily find themselves 0-2 in divisional home games before the midway point of the season. It doesn't help that all three road divisional games come in the final four weeks.
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The Lions will get their chances to right 2025's wrongs and prove that last season was a one-off thing. There's few better ways to prove that than to flip the script on the Packers with a multi-score victory.
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