Detroit Lions: Analyzing the 2012 Schedule

The 2012-13 schedule for the NFL has been released, and while the official week-by-week listing won't be available until the end of the month, home and away matchups are known and ready for analysis and discussion.

Because the season is so far away, it's impossible and almost naive to attempt to guess the outcome of every match; there are simply too many unknown factors to try to predict.

What we can do, though, is look at whether the 2012-13 schedule is easier than it was last year for certain teams and what that will do for their overall chances.

You'll find a complete breakdown of their schedule compared to last year, as well as the three most exciting matches to look forward to in 2012.

Ready? Let's roll.

Detroit Lions in 2011

Behind the ever-improving Matthew Stafford, the Detroit Lions continued their rise as one of the up-and-coming teams in the NFL—finishing second in the NFC North but securing a Wild Card for the playoffs with their 10-6 record.

Stafford cleared the 5,000-yard mark for passing yards in 2012, but the real show belonged to Calvin Johnson with "Megatron" leading the league in passing yards with 1,681 and 16 touchdowns for the season.

As a result, their passing attack ranked Top Four in the league behind the powerhouse arms of Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady.

Other than their aerial game, however, the Lions ranked in the bottom 10 in the league for run offense, pass defense and run defense as well as points allowed per game.

2011-12 Schedule

As per usual, Detroit played six divisional matches against the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings and walked away with a 3-3 split for the series. They won at home to the Bears and Vikings and won also in Minnesota, but lost the rest of their away matches.

The Lions also played the NFC South which also saw them take a series split. They lost on the road to New Orleans, which most teams do, and were defeated by the Falcons at Ford Field also, but managed victories against Tampa Bay on the road and Carolina at home.

It was the AFC West where Detroit left its mark in 2011, notching a 4-0 record against a tumultuous division. They managed to sneak home with a one-point win on the road to Oakland, but other than that, it was fairly easy going for the Lions who won by 45, 35 and 28 points against Kansas City, Denver and San Diego respectively.

Their other two remaining matches came against the NFC West and NFC East, splitting these matches 1-1 in the end. They played hosts to San Francisco, who were six-point winners on the night, but won a big match over Dallas in Dallas by four points.

Overall, 2011 wasn't the most grueling schedule for the Lions, especially considering the class of this football team.

However, the telling point for the Lions' season was that they played five playoff teams and only won one of those matches, finishing with a 1-5 record against teams that made the NFL playoffs.

2012-13 Schedule

Getting the easy one out of the way, the Lions will again play their six divisional matches against an ever-improving NFC North. Green Bay will be out to avenge its shock exit from the playoffs last year and will be a tough team to beat again, no doubt. Chicago will benefit from having a healthy roster and a stronger receiving core, and Minnesota will benefit from a stronger offensive line.

No questions asked, this is a stronger division than last year.

They also play the entire NFC West and have missed the missile that was Peyton Manning in doing so. San Francisco will benefit from a stronger receiving core, whoever their quarterback is, and Seattle will also be a tough match with new players. There are tough defenses in there to contend with, but considering the offensive strength of the Lions, the defenses aren't that strong.

Detroit also faces off against the AFC South—Indianapolis, Houston, Tennessee and Jacksonville—with some more tough defenses attempting to slow down Detroit's rampant passing attack. The Lions will get to see first hand just how good Andrew Luck really is, and Houston will benefit from having a regular, healthy quarterback.

They complete their schedule against the Atlanta Falcons at home and the Philadelphia Eagles on the road—two very tough matches to win.

Atlanta dropped the Lions at home last year, and Detroit will be desperate to rectify that this time around, and if the real Matt Ryan shows up, they may have a hard time doing so again. Throw in to that mix a Philly side that simply has to be better than last year's woeful efforts, and these two matches could be huge come playoff time.

Comparing the Strength of Schedule

Divisional matches will no doubt be tougher this year, as mentioned before, with all sides in the NFC North set to improve on last year. Minnesota will be better than 3-13 this year, and Chicago could be a real handful in the division with their complete football team. Throw in to that mix a powerhouse like the Green Bay Packers, and it's one tough division to compete with.

Tougher year? 2012.

The NFC West matches take a different turn now that we know Peyton Manning is out of the way. And while San Francisco is strong, they appear evenly matched against the Lions, who the 49ers will have to face on the road. But the 49ers are simply nowhere near the class of the NFC South, who prove that you need a great offense to beat the Detroit Lions. Defense might win you championships, but it just doesn't win you football games against this team.

Tougher year? 2011.

The AFC South is in a similar situation—tough defense and not a whole lot on offense—but they offer significantly more than the AFC West did last year. Houston's offense will show its teeth again, and with Arian Foster underneath, they will again be a playoff side. Throw in there Andrew Luck, and it's already offensively better than Tim Tebow, Carson Palmer and Kyle Orton put together.

Tougher year? 2012.

The other games that they play are also tougher in 2012. Philadelphia will be a team to watch this year as their team desperately tries to find their groove, and facing them away from home will be a tough task. We've already seen that Atlanta beat the Lions at home last year, and as a result, they're tougher matches than San Francisco and Dallas were in 2011.

Tougher year? 2012.

Three Games to Watch

No. 1—Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions

I'm going on about this game a bit because I think it will have huge playoff implications for at least one of these sides searching for a wild-card berth. They battled it out last year, and the Falcons came away with the win.  Matthew Stafford will be desperately trying to stop that from happening again. Ford Field could be nice and loud that night.

No. 2—Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions

It doesn't take the league's best quarterback to open up the Lions defense, as highlighted by Green Bay backup Matt Flynn last year. That could mean that someone like Andrew Luck could find his groove against a weaker secondary, especially if it turns in to an aerial bombardment from both ends. The best football you've ever seen? Probably not, but it will be pretty fun to watch.

No. 3—Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

They were in this one on Thanksgiving right up until that now infamous stomping incident. 2012 sees the rematch occur as the Lions push the Packers for divisional supremacy. Expect Ford Field to be an unwelcoming place that night for the Pack.

Overall

As far as scheduling goes, it's fairly similar to what they experienced last year. Their division will be tougher again, but their other matches do hold great hope for the Lions.

They will benefit from facing defensively focused teams with a weaker offense because they know that they're able to turn a shootout in to a Lions win. Expect Stafford and Johnson to combine heavily in these matches, as per usual.

If the defense can step up in 2012, the Detroit Lions will be one tough football team. Their offense is dominant in the air and can be explosive at times on the ground, albeit inconsistent at times.

Fill in the gaps, and this Lions team could certainly be there come playoff time again.

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