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Listen in the appOpening slate: Saints lift-off, Bills hurdle, early split
The day after the NFL schedule release, the Detroit Lions Podcast dove into the schedule game. The call is clear through Thanksgiving. Detroit projects an 8-3 mark built on home control, measured road aggression, and smart handling of travel.
Week 1 brings the Saints to Ford Field. That’s a win. Tough opponent, but the Detroit Lions are set to treat home fans right out of the gate. Week 2 at Buffalo is tagged as the least winnable date on the entire slate. The Bills are set to open a new stadium on a Thursday night, and that setting tilts against Detroit. Week 3 vs the New York Jets swings back to a win. Week 4 at Carolina is labeled a coin flip that falls the wrong way. Through four, it’s a 2-2 split. Week 5 at Arizona flips the script again. Detroit takes care of the Cardinals on the road. Week 6 is the bye, arriving with the Lions at 3-2.
Reset after the bye: division tone-setters
Back from the break, the NFC North run sets the tone. Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field is a win and a division opener that matters. One week later, the Minnesota Vikings visit. If the Detroit Lions are reasonably healthy, that’s another win. The record climbs to 5-2 with momentum building inside the division.
Travel tests: Miami swing, Germany trip, sandwich trap
The road trip to Miami follows, slotted between two divisional matchups and a flight abroad. The focus holds. Detroit gets a road win in Miami. The next stop is Germany against New England. Detroit hasn’t played overseas in a long time, but the matchup favors the Lions offense. Chalk up another win.
Returning from Europe sets a classic trap. Tampa Bay arrives at Ford Field off a bye while the Lions are just back from the international trip. That spot leans against Detroit. The Buccaneers are picked to edge it, a narrow loss in a tricky schedule pocket.
Thanksgiving target and running tally
Thanksgiving brings the Bears to Detroit. The Lions lock in and handle business, a home win fueled by the Ford Field crowd and the urgency of a division race. That puts the Detroit Lions at 8-3 heading into the final six games. The schedule tightens from here, but the path to that mark is set: protect home turf, win the right road fights, and survive the travel swings. The Detroit Lions Podcast made the calls. Now the NFL season will test them.
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"Daily DLP: Picking Ws and Ls on Lions schedule release Detroit Lions Podcast" is an episode of The Detroit Lions Podcast. Runtime 21 min. Published May 15, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.