The NFL makes an event out of whatever they can, and the regular season schedule release is no different. Leaks of certain games, rumors and what-not have now been set aside to the schedule officially coming out, and we now know when the Detroit Lions will play the opponents we already knew about.
Without further ado, let's go game-by-game through the Lions' 2024 regular season schedule, with predictions for each contest.
Detroit Lions 2024 schedule: Game-by-game predictions
Week 1: vs. Los Angeles Rams (Sept. 8, 8:20 p.m. ET-Sunday Night Football)
A rematch of the Wild Card Round game in Detroit last year was a layup for the league to put in prime time this season. The pomp and circumstance of Matthew Stafford returning to town is mostly gone, and the stakes will naturally be lower in a season opener compared to a playoff game. But there may be some residue from the low hit Lions' safety Kerby Joseph had on Rams' tight end Tyler Higbee late in that playoff game, which would add a fresh layer to this game.
This should be another tight game, like the playoff game last year, determined by plays made or not made right to the end.
Prediction: Lions 24, Rams 21
Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Bay Buccaneers (Sept. 15, 1 p.m. ET)
Another playoff rematch right off the bat for the Lions. They beat the Buccaneers in the Divisional Round last year, and Tampa Bay brought back most everyone from that team.
Ultimately, the prediction for this one is easy. The better team will win, and do so pretty decisively.
Prediction: Lions 28, Buccaneers 13
Week 3: at Arizona Cardinals (Sept. 22, 4:25 p.m. ET)
The Cardinals' rebuild looks to be moving in a nice direction, but any progress they have this year may not be totally reflected in their win total. The Lions are the established good team in this game (which is still an adjustment to say), and a road win in Arizona feels like it can almost be written in stone right now.
Prediction: Lions 31, Cardinals 17
Week 4: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Sept. 30, 8:15 p.m. ET-Monday Night Football)
Lions' defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has to figure out what it is about Seattle's offense he has had no answer for. But the Seahawks had a coaching change, and University of Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb made the jump to the NFL. So maybe that will help Glenn, but Grubb's system was prolific at the college level and the gap between college and NFL offenses is narrow now.
The Lions clearly seem to be the better team here. But even with the coaching change in Seattle, this feels more difficult to predict than you might think.
Prediction: Seahawks 27, Lions 24
Week 5: Bye
A bye week this early is not ideal, with 13 straight weeks to follow it.
Week 6: at Dallas Cowboys (Oct. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET)
The controversial finish to last year's game, when Lions' left tackle Taylor Decker was ruled ineligible after catching the game-winning two-point conversion, seemed to set this game up for a prime time spot. Both teams now drive viewership like few other teams do, with the Lions joining the Cowboys in that boat, and the league never misses those opportunities. But alas, this will be a late Sunday afternoon game that it feels like FOX protected from being poached to prime time.
The Cowboys have had a notably inactive offseason, defining the term "all-in" in a way only Jerry Jones would. But they are still a pretty good team, and beating them on the road will not be easy.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Lions 24
Week 7: at Minnesota Vikings (Oct. 20, 1 p.m. ET)
The Vikings will either have Sam Darnold or rookie J.J. McCarthy under center, which will naturally give what should be a much-improved Lions' defense an advantage. Minnesota's defense should be ok, but it does have holes.
Division games always have an extra layer of familiarity/difficulty. But on the "win the ones you're supposed to" angle, the Lions put a mark in the win column here.
Prediction: Lions 26, Vikings 20
Week 8: vs. Tennessee Titans (Oct. 27, 1 p.m. ET)
The Titans look like a sneaky team that could rise up this year. But beating their competition in the AFC South and coming in to Detroit and leaving with a win over a legit Super Bowl contender are two very different things. The Lions should have little trouble here, at home against a clearly inferior team. This is an ideal game to have between two divisional road games.
Prediction: Lions, 27, Titans 17
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers (Nov. 3, 4:25 p.m. ET)
A trip to Lambeau Field is always a challenge, even if Lions fans travel well. The Packers are also a playoff team from last year, they gave the eventual NFC champion 49ers a test in a Divisional Round loss and they may be a better team now.
The outdoors and road version of Jared Goff is in play here, even if it may not be a coldest of cold weather games in Green Bay. The Lions may have to overcome their quarterback riding a tightrope between good and bad plays all day long.
Prediction: Packers 27, Lions 23
Week 10: at Houston Texans (Nov. 10, 8:20 p.m. ET-Sunday Night Football)
The Lions can take a look at the Texans and see a lot of themselves a year ago at this time. A lot of hype, and people wondering if they can pay it off. The Lions of course did pay off their hype last season. The Texans look loaded on both sides of the ball, and their division is easily there for them to win again.
If the Texans were to beat the Lions in a prime time game, the rest of the league would take notice. In any case, this should be a very good, possibly high-scoring, game on the Sunday night stage.
Prediction: Lions 31, Texans 27
Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Nov. 17, 1 p.m. ET
With a 9-8 record in each of the last two seasons, the Jaguars are walking a fine line between either becoming really good or taking a downturn. By Week 11, mid-November, we may clearly know which it is for them this season.
The Lions should not have much trouble holding serve at home against the Jaguars. This one also falls into the "win the ones you're supposed to" category.
Prediction: Lions 27, Jaguars 17
Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts (Nov. 24, 1 p.m. ET)
The Colts seem to be on a good track again, and if quarterback Anthony Richardson is healthy his running ability makes him a bad matchup for the Lions' defense until Aaron Glenn's unit shows otherwise.
That being said, the Lions should beat a team like the Colts and even if it's close for a long time they'll finish the job like a good team should.
Prediction: Lions 30, Colts 21
Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears (Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m. ET-Thanksgiving Day)
The Bears, looking like a promising team with the No. 1 pick in the draft at quarterback (Caleb Williams), were easy to tab for a marquee game against the Lions one way or another. It'll be Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field, with the Bears making the holiday visit for the fourth time in the last seven years.
As improved and promising as the Bears look to be, the Lions are still the better team. A short week is always challenging, but the Lions get a win here.
Prediction: Lions 23, Bears 16
Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers (Dec. 5; 8:15 p.m. ET-Thursday Night Football)
At least one Lions-Packers matchup seemed tailor-made for prime time this year, and it'll happen one week after Thanksgiving on Thursday Night Football in Detroit.
Some people see the Packers as the biggest threat to the Lions in the NFC North. If things come to fruition along that line come early December, this will be a huge game in the division and possibly the NFC as a whole.
Prediction: Lions 27, Packers 23
Week 15: vs. Buffalo Bills (Dec. 15, 4:25 p.m. ET)
The Bills had a bit of a roster reset this offseason, most notably trading wide receiver Stefon Diggs. But they still have a ton of talent, led by one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen.
A 2022 Thanksgiving Day game against the Bills, albeit a close loss, showed the Lions they could compete with good teams as they had an 8-2 run to close that season. The rematch, now that they're a fully-formed good team and a Super Bowl contender, should be a great game in a late Sunday afternoon nationally-televised window.
Prediction: Bills 27, Lions 24
Week 16: at Chicago Bears (Dec. 22, 1 p.m. ET)
The aforementioned "road and outdoors" version of Jared Goff is in play here again, except this will most surely be a cold weather game in Chicago. Goff's track record against the Bears is also pretty dismal, across both teams he has played for, and arguably his two worst games last season came against them.
This game feels really ripe for a Lions' letdown.....but good teams avoid these kind of letdowns, even if the game is ugly/lackluster for the most important player on their offense.
Prediction: Lions 20, Bears 14
Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 30, 8:15 p.m. ET-Monday Night Football)
The rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game was another no-brainer for the league to put in prime time, and the Lions get another Monday night game. Being this late in the season, the stakes for NFC playoff seeding are set up to be very high for both teams.
The 49ers are the reigning kings of the NFC until someone knocks them off in the playoffs. The Lions could send a message for a possible playoff rematch by coming in and finishing the job this time.....
Prediction: 49ers 26, Lions 20
Week 18: vs. Minnesota Vikings (Jan. 5, 2025-TBD)
The biggest question might be how meaningful this game is for each team. But Dan Campbell is not one to rest starters, as shown in last year's regular season finale with a very small percentage chance for a better playoff seed even with a win. So shy of a blow out one way or the other, and maybe not even then based on more evidence from last season, Lions' starters will play this whole game no matter what is or isn't at stake.
The Vikings could need a win in the regular season finale for their own playoff candidacy. Failing that, playing some kind of spoiler for the Lions if that's in play should keep them engaged.
Prediction: Lions 24, Vikings 20
The Lions are scheduled for five prime time games, two Sunday night, two Monday night and one Thursday night, and nine nationally televised games counting Thanksgiving and three late-afternoon Sunday games (at Cowboys, at Packers, vs. Bills). But let's get to the bottom line here.