Getty Tom Brady following his final game with the Patriots.
The Detroit Lions have officially learned their 2020 NFL schedule, and after a quick glance, there are plenty of games which catch the attention early on of being particularly good.
Detroit has one of the easier schedules in the league based on finish in 2019, but every team manages to improve during the offseason, and that has been proven true in a big way when looking closer at the teams Detroit will play next season.
What games will be the most exciting for the Lions? Here’s a look at the top matchups to remember as the team turns their focus to a brand new season.
Lions vs. Buccaneers – Week 16
Any team that plays new look Tampa Bay in 2020 is going to circle the game, but the Lions might circle it even more. It will be a reunion between Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Matt Patricia, former Patriots combatants, It will also represent a game the Lions want to win in order to get a measure of revenge for last season, when the Buccaneers humiliated the hapless Lions late in the season. This year, the Lions will have to try and get the Buccaneers back.
Lions vs. Saints – Week 4
It’s always fun to see the Lions match wits with one of the best offenses in the league, and the Saints will come packing that to their battle with Detroit. This might be one of Detroit’s final chances to get a look at Drew Brees, and it’s clear he hasn’t lost anything off his fastball. The game itself will be a good test of where the Lions are at early in the season, and will be a major test for the Lions.
Lions at Packers – Week 2
Though the Lions lost both games to the Packers last season for the first time in a few years, the games were incredibly close. Detroit lost each of their leads in the final seconds and lost both games via field goal. That shows that the Lions are ready to contend with one of the top teams of their division. Detroit’s game in Green Bay was the biggest near miss, with several questionable calls dooming the team late. This time around, the Lions can’t let the game slip away like they did. Detroit wants to get back to their winning ways against their hated rival, and must do so early in the season.
Lions at Cardinals – Week 3
It was one of the most interesting games last NFL season that few people understood. Detroit was leading by multiple scores late in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals, who were starting Kyler Murray as a rookie. Instead of a win, the Lions melted down late and could not push across enough points in overtime to get the win. They settled for a tie of all things, and it ended up being one of the more frustrating games of the 2019 season. Can the Lions measure up for yet another year against Arizona in the desert? They will be facing a team that figures to have improved a ton, so this game could mean a lot for positioning in the NFC if both sides have a comeback in them.
Lions at Titans – Week 15
Many might forget that the Titans were the other team involved in the AFC Championship last year after knocking out the Ravens and Patriots, an impressive tour-de-force for one playoff season. They held a lead against the Chiefs but managed to fall apart and lose. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that the Titans have a strong defense as well as a tough rushing attack boosted by Derrick Henry. The Lions will have to be the tougher team in order to win this game and get a measure of revenge for losing to the Titans at home back in the 2017 season.