Sep 14, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears huddle up through the first quarter of the sport at Ford Subject. Necessary Credit score: David Reginek-Imagn Photographs | David Reginek-Imagn Photographs
Final week, we offered our personal game-by-game predictions for the Detroit Lions’ 2026 schedule. However let’s flip that concept on its head. As an alternative, let’s see how the Lions’ 2026 opponents see how Detroit’s season will play out.
For this train, I tallied the game-by-game prediction from SB Nation websites of Detroit’s 2026 opponents*. In these articles, I pulled the prediction from their sport in opposition to the Lions, and counted it as both a win or loss relying on the prediction. From there, I constructed out Detroit’s total schedule based mostly on the predictions of every of their 17 opponents.
Admittedly, this story concept was blatantly stolen from our buddies at Bleeding Inexperienced Nation (with Brandon Lee Gowton’s blessing, after all), as a result of I believe it’s a enjoyable method to have a look at our personal biases and the biases of our opponents.
*If the corresponding SB Nation web site didn’t have game-by-game predictions, I used the primary game-by-game predictions I might discover from a special supply.
Week 1 vs. Saints
Canal Road Chronicles:
[Saints] LOSS
Lions file: 1-0
Week 2 at Payments
Buffalo Rumblings:
One other factor I actually dislike is choosing the Lions to lose — no less than in any sport the place they don’t play the Payments. Detroit can be lastly a very good soccer group, however one which tends to play a chaotic model of soccer much like Buffalo.
I see the Payments profitable their dwelling opener for apparent causes. Some issues are greater than head-to-head roster evaluation. Issues like the primary sport in a brand new stadium that includes the very best fan base in all of sports activities roaring on the cameras of Thursday Night time Soccer. It’s a primetime stage that favors Josh Allen, and I see him rising to the event as soon as once more right here within the first matchup of a three-game dwelling stand to interrupt within the new place.
Lions file: 1-1
Week 3 vs. Jets
Jets on SI:
This group is gifted on either side of the ball and can give the Jets group matches. Final 12 months, Detroit was the very best scoring group at dwelling, averaging 32.5 factors per sport. Regardless of the additions the Jets made on protection, the Lions are a machine at Ford Subject. The Lions will rating factors in bunches, particularly if Smith and the offense can’t put collectively scoring drives. Now, that’s to not say the Jets’ offense gained’t have its good moments, however after a troublesome sport in opposition to Inexperienced Bay, Detroit will stroll away victorious.
Lions 34, Jets 17
Lions file: 2-1
Week 4 at Panthers
Cat Scratch Reader:
The Lions nonetheless have an elite offense with insanely explosive potential. They do have a brand new offensive coordinator, who has mentioned he’d prefer to get again to a run-heavy type of play. The protection is an enormous query mark heading into the season. Anzalone was an enormous loss in free company, Department might or might not return this 12 months, and Kerby Joseph has a lingering knee difficulty. Aidan Hutchinson leads the protection, and former Panther DJ Wonnum shall be relied on for constant cross rush reverse him. That is nonetheless a really steep hill for the Panthers to climb, riotous dwelling crowd however.
Last: Lions 27 – Panthers 23
Word: A separate Cat Scratch Reader author picked Carolina to win, so we’re enjoying out each eventualities.
Lions file: 3-1 or 2-2
Week 5 at Cardinals
Revenge of the Birds:
[Cardinals] Loss
The Lions need to bounce again after a disappointing 2025, and the Cardinals early is a pleasant reward in the direction of that.
Lions file: 4-1 or 3-2
Week 7 vs. Packers
Packers on SI:
Ford Subject has been a troublesome place to play for Inexperienced Bay, however it has gained two of the final three video games in Detroit. The Lions needs to be out for revenge as they have been swept by the Packers final season. That went a great distance towards the Lions staying at dwelling when the postseason started.
With the invoice coming due for a few of their stars who’re enjoying on rookie contracts, urgency needs to be at an all-time excessive in Detroit. That urgency – and an enormous scheduling benefit – will present up because the Lions maintain serve on their dwelling discipline.
Prediction: Lions 27, Packers 24
Lions file: 5-1 or 4-2
Week 8 vs. Vikings
Word: I used to be going to make use of Vikings on SI’s predictions, however they inaccurately mentioned Minnesota has their bye week heading into this sport and used that as justification for a win right here. For what it’s price, that they had the Vikings sweeping the Lions, whereas Vikings Wire has the Lions sweeping the Vikings.
Vikings Wire:
[Vikings] Loss
Lions file: 6-1 or 5-2
Week 9 at Dolphins
The Phinsider:
Second quarter: 1-3 (Win over Patriots, losses to Jets, Lions, and Colts)
Lions file: 7-1 or 6-2
Week 10 vs. Patriots (in Munich)
Pats Pulpit:
The Patriots keep away from a real street surroundings at a loud Ford Subject as they head to Germany, the place a powerful New England crowd is anticipated. Slowing down Jahmyr Gibbs, nevertheless, is not any straightforward process on any discipline, however the Patriots do sufficient defensively to provide Drake Maye the chance to safe New England’s first win as a franchise in Germany. | Prediction: [Patriots] Win
Lions file: 7-2 or 6-3
Week 11 vs. Buccaneers
Bucs Nation:
Going into Detroit is all the time a canine combat and these two groups have gotten to know one another very effectively, dealing with off 4 occasions within the final three seasons together with a playoff sport. Sadly for the Bucs although, they’re 1-3 in these 4 contests. I’m undecided I see that altering this 12 months. Prediction: Bucs lose
Lions file: 8-2 or 7-3
Week 12 vs. Bears (Thanksgiving)
Windy Metropolis Gridiron (through the 2nd Metropolis Gridiron podcast)
Bears win
Lions file: 8-3 or 7-4
Week 13 at Falcons
The Falcoholic
[Falcons] Loss.
The Lions must also rebound, and so they’re only a scary group. Atlanta hasn’t seen them since 2023, once they misplaced 20-6, however Detroit stays a squad with a balanced offense, a gifted protection, and a top quality teaching workers that ought to get an improve with Drew Petzing taking up for a struggling John Morton at offensive coordinator. I can see a sport Falcons group making this shut, however I’m undecided I can see the Falcons profitable it and not using a massively spectacular early season run and maybe some main Detroit accidents.
Lions file: 9-3 or 8-4
Week 14 vs. Titans
Titans on SI:
As I simply talked about, it is a brutal a part of the schedule. The Titans might very simply enter the Week 14 matchup in Detroit on a four-game dropping streak. Sadly, the Lions aren’t the group you wish to be enjoying whereas on an extended dropping streak.
The Lions are going to be out for blood after lacking the postseason in 2025. I count on the offense to have an excessive amount of for the Titans, and Detroit will win this one comparatively simply.
Prediction: Lions 31, Titans 17
Lions file: 10-3 or 9-4
Week 15 at Vikings
Vikings Wire:
[Vikings] Loss
Lions file: 11-3 or 10-4
Week 16 vs. Giants (MNF)
Large Blue View:
The schedule makers did the Giants a favor by giving them the 49ers, Seahawks, and Lions in December. These are all mature groups and attrition might put on them down by this level. The Giants by no means trailed in regulation in opposition to the Lions final 12 months, and that was with out Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, and Cam Skattebo. I’m anticipating the Giants to win one in every of these December video games as an underdog, and this one may be the almost certainly.
Choose: Giants
Lions file: 11-4 or 10-5
Week 17 at Bears
Windy Metropolis Gridiron (through the 2nd Metropolis Gridiron podcast)
Bears lose
Lions file: 12-4 or 11-5
Week 18 at Packers
Packers on SI:
Whether or not this sport issues or not on the finish of the season, we’ve seen each approaches play out in actual time. Final 12 months, the Packers sat nearly anybody of substance in a meaningless regular-season sport. The Lions performed their starters in a sport that didn’t matter to them and knocked off the Bears to shut their common season.
On this case, the Lions might take that method once more, whereas the Packers could possibly be wanting ahead to the primary week of the playoffs, or a date on a seaside in Cancun. The Lions would definitely relish an opportunity to knock the Packers out of the playoffs and presumably increase their very own probabilities within the course of.
Lions 27, Packers 23
Lions file: 13-4 or 12-5
So even those that cowl the Lions’ opponents see this as being a double-digit win season for Detroit. And their predictions aren’t all that completely different from our personal.
