Getty A fan taking in Lions vs. Falcons in London.
The Detroit Lions were slated to travel overseas during the 2020 NFL season, but that might be going by the wayside thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
While the Lions and the rest of the league wait for the schedule release for next season, one trip they can be expected not to take is to London. The Lions were likely to head there to play a team, most likely the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that trip won’t be happening now according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The league is likely to put a moratorium on international travel for the 2020 season.
Detroit will soon learn their schedule, and it now appears as if there won’t be an international game this year for the fans to look forward to.
Lions Were Expected to Play Jaguars in London
A few months back, it was revealed that the Jaguars would be hosting a pair of home games in London next year. That revelation normally wouldn’t mean much for Detroit fans, minus the fact that the Lions are set to play the Jaguars on the road in 2020, and wer rumored to be in the mix for an international game in 2020.
After the announcement was made, Lions beat writers began speculating that the teams could be set for a collision course over the pond this coming year.
The logic? The Lions haven’t played an international game since 2015, and the league could want to get them back there this season. That’s been rumored for a while, with the only difference being their potential competition.
Now that this isn’t likely to happen, it’s probably wise to watch the team for inclusion in an international game in 2021 or beyond.
Rumors Persisted About Lions vs. Falcons Abroad
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.
This trip will have to wait another season.
Lions Opponents for 2020 Finalized
When it comes to what teams the Lions will play next season, things are known already even though the team’s schedule has not been released. 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 in early May.
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.
Having to travel will take a bit of a tough element out of Detroit’s 2020 schedule, however it might look in the coming days.