Getty Everson Griffen sacks Lions quarterback David Blough in 2019.
The Detroit Lions have discovered their 2020 NFL schedule, and now is the time to start to ponder how things will look next season on the field.
Which games should the team consider the hardest for next season when all is said and done and why? The Lions have plenty of tests at every turn next season, but these games figure to be the hardest for several reasons.
Here’s a look at the toughest matchups the team will face in 2020.
NFL Week 4: Lions vs. Saints
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. It’s a lot better than playing New Orleans on the road, but no matter of location, the Saints remain a strong challenge for any NFC team.
NFL Week 9: Lions at Vikings
The Lions haven’t made winning in Minnesota a habit the last few years, and while they’ve played their other NFC North rivals strongly on the road and either won or come within a few plays of winning, that hasn’t been the case for the Vikings. The Lions have been blown out in Minnesota recently, and in order to make the playoffs, they’ll need to win games like this in order to take the next step. The Vikings figure to be a strong team, and this will be a huge midseason challenge for the Lions.
NFL Week 15: Lions at Titans
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. The physicality of this game will make it one of the more difficult tests for the Lions next season. They’ll have to prove they’re up to the challenge this presents.
NFL Week 11: Lions at Panthers
On the surface this game seems like one of the easier ones the Lions will play given how the Panthers finished. Looking below the surface, however, that might not be the case. The Panthers drafted for defense and are trying to build up that side of the ball. The Lions haven’t played well in Carolina classically, and it’s a classic trap game where the team will likely be expected to win. The Lions have to measure up in this game, and considering they will know nothing about what direction the Panthers are
NFL Week 2: Lions at Packers
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. It’s going to be a huge early season challenge in order to do so.