Getty Dan Campbell on the field coaching the Lions in 2022.
The Detroit Lions are rolling into the 2023 NFL season after what’s been an exciting offseason, and with the draft just around the corner, pondering the schedule is the next order of business.
Coming into next season, the Lions are going to play a bit more difficult of a schedule based on their second-place finish from this past season. In addition to that, there will be no shortage of intriguing matchups.
The Lions figure to be one of the most interesting teams this coming season by virtue of their 9-8 finish to the season in 2022. As a result of that, there could be some looming “revenge games” on the slate.
NFL.com writer Adam Rank took a look ahead to scheduled games yet to come, and picked out what contests could qualify as a revenge game. In Rank’s mind, the Lions will have to deal with three games that figure to meet that criteria next year.
First, Detroit’s battle with the Packers was revealed to be a potential revenge game in the making for the team, and in Rank’s mind, that’s due to how the Lions used Green Bay as a springboard in 2022. As a result, Rank is calling for the Lions to be placed in primetime to open the season.
“The Lions became one of the most beloved teams in the NFL — and seemingly helped send Aaron Rodgers out of town without one last playoff appearance. Now Detroit heads into the 2023 season as a sentimental favorite. This should be the first Sunday night game of the season — even though I hate opening with divisional games — but it really should be in prime time to kick off the 2023 slate. Make it happen, NFL,” Rank wrote.
From there, Rank called out Detroit’s battles with the Chicago Bears as potential revenge games in 2023. The biggest reason revolves around David Montgomery, who signed with the rival Lions in free agency.
“it will seem weird to see Monty in the Honolulu Blue. Plus, he’s probably going to rush for about six touchdowns in two games against the Bears. You can book that,” he wrote.
Finally, Detroit’s battle against the New Orleans Saints was speculated to be a revenge game by Rank, and the reasoning had to do with Jamaal Williams departing Detroit in salty fashion.
“It should also be noted that the Saints play host to the Lions this season. New Orleans, of course, being the new home of running back Jamaal Williams, who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns (17) last season with Detroit. Yeah, this will be a big storyline this fall,” he wrote in the piece.
Add it up, and that’s three games of major implications already for the Lions. Detroit will have to be on guard for teams that want to upend them and pay them back for last season.
It’s all a part of being the hunted and not the hunter, which is a new league reality the Lions will have to adjust to as they improve.
Lions’ 2023 NFC North Battles Will Be Strong
Perhaps the biggest reason the NFC North battles will be fun? The fact that the Lions have played well within the division lately. That’s another reason these battles could shape up as revenge games for the competition.
Last season, the Lions went 5-1 against their divisional competition, sweeping the Bears and the Packers and splitting with the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit’s only loss to the division was an early season defeat in Minnesota which was a coin flip by the end, a 28-24 game in September
Both times the Lions beat the Packers and Bears, the victories were fairly resounding. Detroit’s 31-30 win over the Bears on the road November 13 was the closest of any of the four games between the sides. Their 20-16 win in Week 18 over Green Bay was an epic season finale.
If the Lions want to win the division, they will have to prove they can win games against their biggest competition when they might be out to avenge losses from last year. That’s going to be a challenge when all is said and done, no matter what the teams look like in 2023.
Jamaal Williams Reunion With Saints Offers Intrigue
As part of their schedule formula revealed late in the 2022 season, the Lions were revealed to be set to tangle with the NFC South for the 2023 season. That brings with it an intriguing story because of Williams.
Detroit’s running back was a force with the team in 2022, rushing for 17 touchdowns and 1,066 yards. Many thought the Lions would re-sign Williams in the offseason, but instead, the team opted to let him go. New Orleans scooped Williams up.
In the wake of Williams signing with the Saints, the runner called Detroit’s contract offer “disrespectful” and attempted to call the team out for their strategy with regard to his deal.
“They been done with me. I could tell,” Williams told reporters at his introductory news conference as recounted by Grant Gordon of NFL.com in a piece. “The offer they gave me I feel like was very just disrespectful and just showing that they really didn’t want me to be there like that. But it’s all love. I know my teammates, everybody there at the Detroit Lions have love for me and all that, but at the same time, it’s just we couldn’t come to terms on things. It’s just funny is all.”
With words like that, it’s gong to be very interesting to see Williams battle against his former team next season, and does set the Lions up to play in a potential revenge game.
Of all the revenge games, this might become the most interesting battle the Lions have on the entire schedule all of a sudden.