Detroit Lions 2020 schedule
Sept. 13 vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET
Sept. 20 at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET
Sept. 27 at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
Oct. 4 vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET
BYE
Oct. 18 at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET
Oct. 25 at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 1 vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 8 at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 15 vs. Washington Redskins, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 22 at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 26 vs. Houston Texans, 12:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 6 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET
Dec. 13 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET
Week 15 at Tennessee Titans, TBD
Week 16 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TBD
Jan. 3 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
2019 record: 3-12-1
Last playoff appearance: 2016
PointsBet over-under for Lions wins: 6.5
FLM projects: 5 wins
Somehow the Lions landed the fifth-most difficult schedule based on 2019 results, with opponents generating a .525 winning percentage. In a must-win season for head coach Matt Patricia, it’s now or never. When considering whether this could be the Lions’ year, note the franchise hasn’t hit 10 wins since 2014 and lost all eight wild-card playoff chances since 1991.
Upset watch: The New Orleans Saints are built for the indoor environs of Ford Field, but it’s a good course of action to apply the “Stafford Rule” to at least one game per season, when the conditions are ripe for the rifle-armed quarterback to go bananas and put the Lions in position to win a game they probably shouldn’t. Likewise, the Saints aren’t above playing to the level of competition under Sean Payton.
Longshot wager: Cornerback Jeff Okudah, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is not one of the favorites for Defensive Rookie of the Year at 16-1 (PointsBet). Bet on the Lions to make improvement on defense, and if Okudah can make a few game-turning plays, he’ll be in this conversation.
