Getty A fan fired up in England for Lions vs. Falcons in 2014.
The Detroit Lions haven’t played internationally since the 2015 season, and that run could be coming to an end when the team hits the field in 2020.
According to a report, the Atlanta Falcons are likely to play an international game in October. That left MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke to speculate that the Lions could be the team that ends up joining them when all is said and done. This is due to the fact that the team hasn’t played internationally in over a handful of years.
Meinke called the chances “pretty good” that this game gets moved overseas for next season, rather than taking place in Atlanta.
Ironically, Detroit and Atlanta squared off in 2014 in London, with the Lions pulling out an exciting 22-21 victory in the last seconds courtesy of a Matt Prater field goal. Detroit played the Kansas City Chiefs in London the very next year in 2015, losing 45-10. Since then, the Lions have not gone overseas.
The league could be primed to send Detroit back across the pond this season for a game, and it could come against a familiar foe when all is said and done.
Lions Opponents for 2020 Finalized
When it comes to what teams the Lions will play next season, things have finally seen a measure of finality. Detroit finished last in the NFC North, and as a result they will play a last place schedule. The Lions will also play the AFC South and NFC South next season, in addition to their battles against every team in their division both home and away.
Here’s a look at what is known about their schedule at this point in time in terms of the teams they will play and some of the locations courtesy of FBSchedules.com
Home/away Green Bay Packers
Home/away Chicago Bears
Home/away Minnesota Vikings
@ Jacksonville Jaguars
@ Tennessee Titans
vs. Houston Texans
vs. Indianapolis Colts
@ Carolina Panthers
@ Atlanta Falcons
vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
vs. New Orleans Saints
vs. Washington Redskins
@ Arizona Cardinals
The full schedule reveal including time, dates and locations will come later on in April.
Lions 2020 Playoff Hopes
Detroit started the 2019 season in decent enough shape at 2-0-1, but things took a turn after that point. Injuries piled up across the roster, and Detroit lost quarterback Matthew Stafford for an elongated amount of time to a back injury. The Lions never hit their stride and lost plenty of close games through the middle of the season as their roster got worse and worse hit with the injury bug.
The struggles of the team to stay healthy certainly does little to excuse the inconsistent play of the team’s defense. Offensively, the Lions looked to be heading for a solid season under Darrell Bevell until the bottom fell out. The defense was a wreck from start to finish, however, and that could be the side of the ball that needs the most turnover if the Lions are to be contenders.
Another big question was who will be coaching the Lions in 2020. While many questioned whether Matt Patricia would come back or not, the team revealed his return, meaning it will be Patricia leading his team into these games in 2020.
Lions 2020 Schedule Difficulty
The Lions have been no stranger to playing a last place schedule lately. Just this season it happened for the team after they went 6-10 in 2018. Prior to that, the Lions had played a much better schedule given their higher finish from 2017, but were not able to capitalize. Detroit has found life just as difficult with an easier schedule, and will once again have that to deal with in 2020.
If they have to travel internationally, it will be a good experience no matter how tough it might be to prepare for the staff.
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