What we know about the Detroit Lions' 2024 schedule
The 2024 NFL schedule will likely be released within the next two weeks, and it marks the last real stop before fans turn their attention to training camp.
With the release of the schedule happening soon, here is what we know about the Lions’ 2024 schedule:
Opponents
The team’s 2024 opponents have been set for a while now. Along with playing home and road games against their division foes, the Lions will also play games against teams from the NFC West and AFC South.
After winning the division for the first time in 30 years, the Lions will also play the division winners from the NFC East, NFC South and AFC East.
The Lions will host nine games while playing eight games on the road this season. Here are the set home and away opponents for 2024:
Home
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Buffalo Bills
Away
- Bears
- Packers
- Vikings
- Arizona Cardinals
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- San Francisco 49ers
- Dallas Cowboys
How many national TV games will the Lions have?
The Lions were 30 minutes away from the Super Bowl last season and have brought back just about all the key players that led to their success in 2023. It’s likely the Lions will be handed a decent number of primetime games again this season.
Detroit went 4-2 in its six primetime games last season. We know the Lions will for sure have the annual Thanksgiving game, but beyond that could feature in a number of nationally televised games throughout the season.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, right, celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown during the first half of the NFC championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
Are the Lions going international?
It’s been almost a decade since Detroit last played outside the United States. The Lions played the Kansas City Chiefs in London back in 2015; that’s the third-longest streak without an international game in the league, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (2013) and Cowboys (2014).
That’s likely to continue into the 2025 season. The league has so far announced that the Philadelphia Eagles and Packers will play in Brazil while the Jaguars, Vikings and Bears will all host games in England.
The Carolina Panthers will also host this season’s Germany game.
The Lions host the Jaguars this year and don’t play the Panthers, so we can cross those two games off the list. The NFL hasn’t scheduled a divisional matchup overseas since the Panthers played the Bucs in London during the 2019 season. While it’s entirely possible the league could buck that trend, it seems pretty improbable.
Strength of schedule
Due to their first-place finish, the Lions have one of the tougher schedules in the league in 2024. Based on projected win totals from Vegas oddsmakers, Sharp Football Analysis ranked the Lions as having the 12th-toughest schedule in the league.
The Lions’ schedule of opponents has the 11th-best winning percentage (.509) in the league. Detroit will play 11 games against teams that finished over .500 in 2023 while also playing eight games against teams in the playoffs last season.