Getty Matt Patricia coaches against Dallas.
The Detroit Lions have their 2020 schedule, so now the only thing left to do is figure out what teams are favored to win some of the games.
It’s a long time before the 2020 season officially kicks off, but recently, TheLines.com took a look at compiling some of the early betting lines for each game on the slate across the league. When it came to the Lions, it’s clear the team will be fighting from behind in the minds of the experts.
Here’s a look at all of the early lines the team will face on the schedule so far:
Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears 1 p.m. (Lions -1.5)
Week 2: at Green Bay Packers 1 p.m. (Packers -6.5)
Week 3: at Arizona Cardinals 4:25 p.m. (Cardinals -4)
Week 4: vs. New Orleans Saints 1 p.m. (Saints -8.5)
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars 1 p.m. (Lions -2.5)
Week 7: at Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m. (Falcons -6)
Week 8: vs Indianapolis Colts 1 p.m. (Colts -3)
Week 9: at Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m. (Vikings -7.5)
Week 10: vs Washington Redskins 1 p.m. (Lions -5)
Week 11: at Carolina Panthers 1 p.m. (Panthers -5)
Week 12: vs. Houston Texans (Thanksgiving Day) 12:30 p.m. (Lions 1.5)
Week 13: at Chicago Bears 1 p.m. (Bears -6)
Week 14: vs Green Bay Packers 1 p.m. (Packers -4.5)
Week 15: at Tennessee Titans TBD (Titans -6)
Week 16: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers TBD (Buccaneers -7)
Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m. (No line listed)
Detroit is only favored in a whopping 4 games, and in a pair of those contests, the Line is under 2 points. Obviously, things will change dramatically as the season plays out, but it’s clear there isn’t a whole lot of faith in the Lions early on.
Lions 2020 Schedule Difficulty Ranked
Most know the inherent difficulty the team will face within their own division, but how about from the schedule as a whole? Recently, CBS Sports looked at breaking down every team’s schedule from the hardest in the league to the easiest. Theoretically, the Lions should be sitting in a favorable spot as it relates to next season given the teams they will play.
The site and writer Jared Dubin used over-under totals from opponents to rank the 2020 schedule. What he found when it came to Detroit was a team that will have one of the easier schedules in the league this coming season. The Lions have one of the lower opponent strength of schedules in the league, which leads them to have a fairly easy schedule.
As a whole, the schedule is the 7th easiest in football for 2020. That, combined with the upgrades the Lions have made and a hopeful return to health might put even more pressure on Matt Patricia and company to have a successful season and win bigger than they have.
Naturally, even the worst of teams from 2019 have improved, so while the schedule might seem a bit lighter now, that’s not always how it works out when the games begin.
Lions Top Opponents During 2020 Season
The Lions will play a schedule that many folks might say is on the easier end, but the team has to understand that there are many challenges to come this season. Perhaps the biggest might be from the Buccaneers, a team that has become a chic Super Bowl pick after a huge offseason of additions. Battles against AFC foes that made the playoffs last year like the Titans, Texans and improved Colts figure to challenge the team as well. As usual, it will be important for fans to watch the NFC North battles given the intensity of those battles. Matchups against the Saints and Cardinals will be very interesting to note as well.
The full schedule reveal is now in, and the only thing for Lions fans to do is to begin to ponder the matchups and decide which games they are most excited for in 2020.
Early on, it doesn’t seem as if the Lions are expected to do well at all.
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