Breaking down the Detroit Lions' 2026 schedule

The NFL has released the 2026 regular season schedule, and the Detroit Lions will begin the year hosting New Orleans at Ford Field. Detroit will end the season Week 18 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Detroit's schedule initially includes four primetime games — Week 2 at Buffalo (Thursday Night Football), Week 4 at Carolina (Sunday Night Football), Week 15 at Minnesota (SNF) and Week 16 vs. New York Giants (Monday Night Football). The Lions also play on Thanksgiving (vs. Chicago) at Ford Field and (vs. New England) in Germany in front of a nationally televised audience.

Detroit is on the national 4.25 p.m. television slot two other times. Detroit plays at 1 p.m. on Sunday eight times this season after having just three such time slots last season.

The Lions enter the 2026 season with the sixth easiest schedule in the league based on last year's opponent win percentage (.467).

The schedule includes seven games against teams that qualified for the playoffs last season: Green Bay (2), Chicago (2), Buffalo, New England and Carolina.

This year's schedule formula breaks down as follows:

6 home & away division games (Chicago, Minnesota & Green Bay)

4 games vs. opponents outside division, same conference (NFC South)

4 games vs. opponents outside division, opposite conference (AFC East)

2 games vs. opponents in same conference based on prior year standings (New York Giants & Arizona)

1 game vs. opponent outside conference based on prior year standings (Tennessee)

Here's a complete breakdown of the entire regular-season schedule:

Week 1 - Sept. 13 vs. New Orleans, Sunday., 1 p.m. (FOX)

Detroit kicks off the season at home in front of the Ford Field faithful in an intraconference matchup against NFC South foe New Orleans. The Saints are hoping they can take the next step under second-year head coach Kellen Moore and promising second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. New Orleans is breaking in two new coordinators in OC Doug Nussmeier and DC Brandon Staley so catching them opening weekend could be an advantage for Detroit.

Week 2 - Sept. 17 at Buffalo, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. (Prime)

The Bills are ushering in a new era of Buffalo football with the opening of Highmark Stadium on a national stage in primetime on Thursday night. The Lions were just 4-5 on the road last year after going 8-0 away from Ford Field in 2024. Buffalo has a new head coach (Joe Brady) and defensive coordinator (Jim Leonhard) but are still led by MVP quarterback Josh Allen. The last time Detroit and Buffalo played back in 2024 they combined for 90 points in a 48-42 Bills win at Ford Field with 1,080 total yards of offense between the two teams.

Week 3 - Sept. 27 vs. New York Jets, Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)

Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit in his second season leading the Jets after heading up Detroit's defense as their DC from 2021-2024. There's a lot of young talent on this Jets roster but their success on this Sunday - and really all season long - will depend on the play of veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who signed with the Jets this offseason. Detroit will have to be ready for New York's dangerous trio of offensive skill weapons – RB Breece Hall, WR Garrett Wilson and rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq.

Week 4 - Oct. 4 at Carolina, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

Detroit's second primetime matchup over their first four contests is once again on the road - this time in Carolina for Sunday Night Football. The Panthers won the NFC South with an 8-9 record in their second season under head coach Dave Canales, improving from their 5-12 mark in 2024. The Panthers will go as far as fourth-year quarterback and former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young can take them. Young has doubled his win total as a starting quarterback in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.

Week 5 - Oct. 11 at Arizona, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)

The only west coast trip for the Lions comes in Week 5 ahead of their Week 6 bye as they travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals and first-year head coach Mike LaFleur, the former offensive coordinator for the LA Rams the last three seasons and the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. The Lions last played in Arizona in 2024, winning 20-13. The Cardinals will feature a new starter at quarterback in 2026 after moving on from former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray this offseason.

Week 6 - BYE

Week 7 - Oct. 25 vs. Green Bay, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)

Detroit doesn't face their first division opponent until Week 7 against rival Green Bay at Ford Field. The Packers have won two of the last three at Ford Field (2025 & 2023). Teams treat division games with a little more importance and that's certainly the case for division home games. Detroit was just 1-2 against the division at Ford Field last season with the win coming Week 2 vs. Chicago. Detroit must get back to being dominant in the division at home if they're going to regain the NFC North title.

Week 8 - Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota, Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)

Back-to-back division games at home gives the Lions an opportunity to make a statement within the division. The loss to Minnesota in Detroit last November broke a five-game win streak against the Vikings and a streak of four straight wins at Ford Field. Minnesota had one of the league's top defenses last year ranking No. 2 in pass defense and No. 3 in total defense. In two games against Detroit last year, Minnesota's defense notched 10 sacks, 19 quarterback hits and 34 total pressures. It will be a good midseason test for Detroit's revamped offensive line.

Week 9 - Nov. 8 at Miami, Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)

After a bye week and two straight games in the friendly confines of Ford Field, the Lions hit the road once again Week 9. The Dolphins hold an 8-5 edge in the all-time series vs. Detroit and have a familiar face as their new head coach with former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley taking over for Mike McDaniel this offseason. The Dolphins are giving former Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis his first opportunity to be a full-time starter.

Week 10 - Nov. 15 vs. New England, Sunday., 9:30 a.m. (FOX)

Detroit is taking part in the NFL's International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots in Munich, Germany at Allianz Arena. Patriots QB Drake Maye was second in MVP voting last season and New England's defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2). This will begin a tough stretch for the Lions with three games in 12 days with international travel mixed in.

Week 11 - Nov. 22 vs. Tampa Bay, Sunday., 1 p.m. (CBS)

This is the fifth matchup in the last four seasons between these two - including the playoffs - as they've become quite familiar with one another. Detroit has won three of the last four, including a victory in the Divisional Round of the playoffs in 2023. The Bucs feature a couple familiar faces on defense as linebacker Alex Anzalone and edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad signed with Tampa Bay in free agency this spring.

Week 12 - Nov. 26 vs. Chicago, Thursday, 1 p.m. (CBS)

The Lions will look to make it five straight wins against their division foe as the Bears come to Ford Field for Detroit's Annual Thanksgiving Day Classic. Chicago is the defending NFC North champs but were 0-2 against the Lions last season, including a 52-21 loss at Ford Field. It's the sixth time in the last 12 years the Bears and Lions will play on Thanksgiving with Chicago holding a 3-2 advantage over that span. The Bears and Lions have faced off 20 times on Thanksgiving, the second most times two teams have met on Thanksgiving in NFL history.

Week 13 - Dec. 6 at Atlanta, Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)

The calendar flipping to December marks the home stretch for the regular season and Detroit will be looking to have a better December in 2026 than they did in 2025 (1-3). This should be a fun matchup between arguably the top two young running backs in the NFL in Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta's Bijan Robinson, who were also the first two running backs taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over their first three NFL seasons, Robinson has 3,910 rushing yards, 198 receptions and 34 total touchdowns. Gibbs has 3,580 rushing yards, 181 receptions and 49 total touchdowns.

Week 14 - Dec. 13 vs. Tennessee, Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)

These two interconference foes last met in 2024 at Ford Field with the Lions winning, 52-14. The Titans get another crack at Detroit at Ford Field but this time with quarterback Cam Ward, who the Titans are hoping takes a big leap forward in his second season after throwing for 3,169 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a rookie last season. Ward was sacked 55 times last season, tied with Geno Smith for the most in the NFL.

This kicks off a tough stretch for Detroit to finish the season as it's the first of three road games in their last four with all three on the road within the division. Detroit lost a critical game in Minnesota last December (23-10 on Christmas) and will be looking for better results this time around. It will be interesting to see who's playing quarterback for the Vikings at this late stage of the season. Will it be J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray?

The final regular-season home game for the Lions will be a primetime affair on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants. New York has done a nice job this offseason adding young and veteran talent to an already up-and-coming roster. The Giants could feature one of the league's best pass rushing units to go along with a young offensive core led by quarterback Jaxson Dart. Detroit's won the last four meetings between these two, including a 34-27 overtime win in Detroit last November.

Detroit has swept the season series from Chicago in each of the last two seasons, a four-game win streak Bears head coach Ben Johnson will be eager to break. This game could have huge NFC North title and playoff implications and weather could be a factor. The Bears' offense ranked in the top 10 in rushing (3rd), passing (10th) and total offense last season with an experienced offensive line and a quarterback in Caleb Williams who is a budding star. Detroit will try and make it three straight wins at Soldier Field.

Week 18 - TBD at Green Bay

A monster matchup to end the regular season between division rivals who both have Super Bowl aspirations. After sweeping the season series (home and away) against the Packers in 2024, Green Bay repaid the favor last season winning both games against Detroit including a Week 1 win at Lambeau Field which snapped a three-game win streak for the Lions in Green Bay. The Packers will try to make it two wins in a row at Lambeau Field against the Lions as they try to win their first NFC North title since 2021.

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