The 2026 NFL season is coming up fast. Teams have been in the middle of rookie mini-camps and summer workouts and we will have the preseason here before we know. Today, I am breaking down the Lions schedule week by week and predicting how I think the 2026 regular season shakes out.
Week 1: Vs Saints (1-0)
I think the Lions start 1-0 with the Saints at home. I think New Orleans will be improved this year with year 2 of Tyler Shough at QB, but the Lions will be looking to make a statement at home to open the season.
Week 2: @ Buffalo (1-1)
I believe the Lions drop to the Bills in week 2 to fall to 1-1. Similarly to the Lions, the Bills had a disappointing end of their season, so they have a chip on their shoulder, pair that with Thursday night football and the opening of their new stadium this will be a tough one for Detroit to win.
Week 3: Vs Jets (2-1)
This is where Detroit starts to roll. They come back home after the Bills loss and blowout the Jets at home in Aaron Glenn’s return to Detroit.
Week 4: @ Carolina (3-1)
The Panthers are a team that came on late last season and ending up getting in to the playoffs, but I’m not exactly sold on Bryce Young at QB yet. The lions win this one on SNF.
Week 5: @ Arizona (4-1)
The Cardinals will be one of the worst teams in football this year, Detroit rolls in the desert.
Week 7: Vs Green Bay (4-2)
I see the Lions splitting with Green Bay this season and dropping this game at home and they tag them back at Lambeau later on.
Week 8: Vs Minnesota (5-2)
I’m not sure what to make of the Vikings this season but Dan Campbell will have the boys locked in on back to back home divisional games, Detroit moves to 5-2 after this week.
Week 9: @ Miami (6-2)
Like the Cardinals, Miami is going to struggle to put up wins this fall, by week 9 they will be towards the bottom of the league and Detroit goes to Miami and lights them up in week 9.
Week 10: Germany Vs Patriots (7-2)
I am taking the Lions to beat the Pats in Germany behind a huge game from Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Week 11: Vs. Tampa Bay (7-3)
The Lions play one of the easier schedules in the NFL this year, but this part of the schedule is where the NFL tagged Detroit back. The Lions play in Germany in week 10, 95% of NFL teams who have overseas games get bye weeks after to accommodate travel, whereas the Lions come home and play Tampa just a week later, then the Bears on Thanksgiving 4 days after that. This schedule and travel will be tough to navigate and I see them dropping to Tampa while looking ahead to Chicago, but don’t be surprised of a 1-2 stretch weeks 9-11.
Week 12: Thanksgiving Vs Chicago (8-3)
The NFC north is always a tough division to navigate and similarly to Green Bay I see Detroit splitting with Chicago, and taking this one at home on Thanksgiving.
Week 13: @ Atlanta (9-3)
Atlanta is not a team that scares me at all, Detroit picks up another win here.
Week 14: Tennessee (10-3)
I like the direction the Titans are moving in with young Cam Ward at QB and picking up Carnell Tate in the draft this year, but Detroit stomps them at home this year.
Week 15: @ Minnesota (11-3)
The Lions have demons to exercise in Minnesota after an awful showing there last year that ended their season, you better believe Dan Campbell will have the boys ready to go this week.
Week 16: MNF Vs Giants (12-3)
Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, and Cam Skattebo are an exciting young trio in New York, but I am not betting against Detroit at home on Monday night football late in the season, Detroit moves to 12-3.
Week 17: @ Chicago (12-4)
The Lions split with a good Chicago team and drop one at Soldier Field.
Week 18: @ Green Bay (13-4)
As a Lions fan, there is no better feeling than winning in Lambeau field, and the Lions get back to that to end the 2026 season and gain some momentum going into the playoffs.
The Lions 2026 schedule is ranked #1 easiest in the NFL based on opposing teams expected winning %. Couple that with the chip on their shoulder from a disappointing season last year and I think Detroit is in for a big season and finishes 13-4 or around that.