Getty Matt Patricia shakes hands with Mike Zimmer.
The Detroit Lions are diving in on the second half of their NFL schedule following an early bye week which allowed the team a chance to catch their breath.
At 3-3, there isn’t much optimism that the team can get things on the right track, but the chance will exist for the Lions to be able to do so given the schedule they play should offer the team plenty of advantages in the short term against teams they should beat moving forward to get back in the playoff race.
Detroit needs to get things going within the first few weeks after the bye, then maintain their consistency in the weeks after. Which games do they have to win in order to turn things around and get back on the right track? Here’s an idea.
Minnesota Vikings, Week 17
The Vikings are looking worse and worse as the season goes on, so a win over them in the season finale could theoretically jump start the Lions toward some bigger and better postseason goals if they were to get it. This season, the Lions can’t afford to lose to the Vikings like they did in 2019, or worse yet, get swept. The team is playing poorly, and it’s up to Detroit to finish their season strong with a clutch win that could matter big time for the team at the end of the year if they take care of everything else.
Atlanta Falcons, Week 7
The Falcons are arguably the most hopeless team in the NFL right now not from New York. They’ve already fired their coach and general manager and haven’t won a game. They’ve made choking a major habit both home and away. There isn’t a reason the Lions should lose this game other than the fact that they’re not prepared and cannot contain the big play threats that do still exist on the Falcons. It’s a second straight game the Lions could win in order to even their record at .500 and gain some midseason momentum.
Minnesota Vikings, Week 9
Minnesota has been competitive in their games so far this season, but even in spite of this, has a 1-4 record. This makes them at least as bad as the Lions on paper. By the time the teams get together for the first time in 2020, the Lions could be on the come up and the Vikings could be in the cellar. Detroit lost a pair of close games to the Vikings last year and needs to turn around their fortunes against the NFC North. This would be a good start to that considering their 0-2 record thus far against the division. With that in mind, this is a big game.
Washington Football Team, Week 10
Another disaster team is on the schedule in the very next week in Washington. Dwayne Haskins, who beat the Lions in 2019, is on the bench and might get traded by the time this game rolls around. Washington has been in games so they remain dangerous to Detroit, but it’s another game the Lions should be favored to win that could give them a boost into the second half and give them a major push forward as they try to make a run.
Houston Texans, Week 12 (Thanksgiving Day)
Like the Falcons before them, the Texans fired their head coach and have been a disaster so far this season. They have plenty of talent, but are clearly floundering and are a team that needs to get through 2020. The Lions need to take advantage of this on their big holiday and find a way to win. If they don’t, this could be the game that leads to plenty of changes in Detroit if it’s bad enough. It’s a must win for the Lions to keep things going in the right direction.
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