Detroit Lions 2015 Schedule: Win-Loss Predictions for Every Game
The over/under for wins based on the Detroit Lions' 2015 schedule is nine. Which way do you go?
I'm not giving my answer away quickly. You're going to have to earn it by checking out the results of every matchup that was announced Tuesday night, including the six(!) prime-time games.
So what are you waiting for? Click through to find out how the Lions season could play out—and if this team has enough to make it back to double-digit wins.
Week 1: Detroit Lions 21, San Diego Chargers 10
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If you could figure out the San Diego Chargers in 2014, bully for you. They matched nearly every impressive win with a loss that seemed just as impressive from a "what the..." perspective.
Now? Things are getting even crazier, as Bleacher Reporter's Brent Sobleski sums up well here:
"Sunday morning rambling: Chargers trade Rivers, No. 17 pick for Titans' No. 2 overall to select Mariota just makes too much sense to happen
— Brent Sobleski (@brentsobleski) April 12, 2015"
Trading away your longtime quarterback is enough to give a veteran Detroit team a huge advantage, but there are other rumblings emanating from San Diego as well:
"Eric Weddle feels "highly disrespected," skipping Chargers offseason workouts (via @RapSheet) http://t.co/diLm6mUyi6 pic.twitter.com/kKy7d94PcR
— NFL (@nfl) April 21, 2015"
James Ihedigbo is the only Lion currently unhappy enough to speak out or miss workouts. However, the Lions have Isa Abdul-Quddus, who performed very well in his stead last year. The edge for Detroit here is too great to worry about a road venue or who will be under center come September.
Week 2: Detroit Lions 17, Minnesota Vikings 20
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Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin taught Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater a lesson in their first meeting. His defense sacked the young signal-caller eight times and picked off three of his passes.
Bridgewater picked up on those teachings though, bringing the Vikings within a late blocked field goal of upsetting the Lions at Ford Field. He's also applied those teachings to individual games as well by getting better in second halves, as noted by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly:
"Rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater had a 92.4 passer rating in 4th quarter (88.2 is avg), and had a 95.2 passer rating on 3rd down (89.5 is avg).
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) April 20, 2015"
Now that his comparably young defense has been given a chance to grow, and with most analysts mocking the Vikings a talented corner at the 11th spot in this year's draft, things are starting to fall into place for head coach Mike Zimmer.
That seems like too much for a road-weary Lions team. Sure, Detroit could hit all the right buttons and keep the pressure on the rest of the division, but the Vikings are set up to compete in 2015. And it all starts at home.
Week 3: Denver Broncos 31, Detroit Lions 21
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The first of brutal back-to-back prime-time games see the Lions opening Ford Field with a bang—and the one pulling the trigger is Peyton Manning.
The old field general won't have his red-zone safety blanket in Julius Thomas, but team president John Elway didn't set Manning up to fail. He retained wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and committed larceny last year by signing Emmanuel Sanders for far less than his true value.
The act was so bold it might have even got someone fired, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport:
"Undervalued contract didn’t help RT @SBJLizMullen: Denver Broncos Pro Bowl WR Emmanuel Sanders has left NFL agent Steve Weinberg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2015"
Plus, Manning always plays well early in the season—and in domes. Detroit will have to work hard to equal that firepower.
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Week 4: Detroit Lions 13, Seattle Seahawks 17
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Golden Tate was perhaps the offensive breakout star of the entire league in 2014. There was one situation where he struggled though—against rugged, physical secondaries.
Here's guessing you've heard of the Seattle Seahawks' "Legion of Boom." Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor will certainly bring new arrival Cary Williams along by showing him how to dislodge a receiver from his route. That approach will make points difficult to come by for a team that will have to rely on Joique Bell and the running game.
On the other side of the ball, Seattle has the answer to a hard-charging defense that loves to get after the quarterback:
"Trust your instincts...
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 21, 2015"
Russell Wilson is among the best at doing just that—trusting his instincts. He prolongs plays for seemingly untenable amounts of time, putting stress on even the best secondaries by squirming, sliding and using his gut as his guide.
Week 5: Arizona Cardinals 13, Detroit Lions 21
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As we just discussed, the Lions can have trouble dealing with physical secondaries because Golden Tate can't be his shifty self. While the Seahawks have enough to counter a healthy Lions team, Arizona doesn't have the depth to deal with Calvin Johnson, Joseph Fauria and Eric Ebron.
That's the football logic behind this decision. There's also the law of averages that has to be taken into account.
Arizona is not Green Bay. The Cardinals aren't going to replicate the Packers' run of home-field success, and this one isn't in Glendale anyway.
The Cardinals have beaten Detroit the last three years when playing in the desert. This time the Lions get even in Motown.
Week 6: Chicago Bears 21, Detroit Lions 27
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The Lions have taken the last four matchups between these two squads. Detroit also is settled at quarterback this season. The Bears, meanwhile, are praying that the Tennessee Titans will take Jay Cutler, and likely other compensation, for the second overall pick, per Bleacher Report's Jason Cole.
Although, there could be more excitement with Cutler than without him:
"Only Jay Cutler could set a career high for touchdowns and get benched for Jimmy Clausen in the same season.
— Fantasy Douche (@FantasyDouche) April 17, 2015"
Yes, Cutler did throw 28 touchdowns in 2014, and the Bears still have Matt Forte, but the defense is in the midst of a complete overhaul. So unless you expect Cutler to win this one on his own, Detroit gets the nod at home.
Week 7: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 24
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The Lions made it to the 2014 playoffs on the back of solid home performances. The dome rocks in response to the strong defense, returning the favor by helping to induce false starts.
Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley may be gone, but Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker will keep things from falling apart inside. Plus, Ezekiel Ansah will be very important, as he's slowly been putting all the pieces of his game together.
This week, he'll be tasked with slowing down Teddy Bridgewater. If he has a slow start to the season, the pressure will only mount for another stunning performance against left tackle Matt Kalil, whom he abused to the tune of 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries in one game last season, per Pro Football Focus.
It's a perfect union of need meeting opportunity. Detroit will finish the first three-game home stand on the right side of each ledger.
Week 8: Detroit Lions 26, Kansas City Chiefs 17 (in London)
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If you followed the Kansas City Chiefs at all last season, you know they didn't complete a single touchdown pass to a wide receiver. They had to make a splash, and giving Jeremy Maclin $11 million annually, per Spotrac.com, seemed to be the answer.
That may work out for most of the season, but it won't against Detroit's breakout defender from last season:
"Slay-tombo? Lions CB Darius Slay poised for a big 2015 http://t.co/vqx0R5LTtl via @freep
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 9, 2015"
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press went on to give us the inside info on why Slay was so good:
"Slay credited drills he did with Hall-of-Famer Rod Woodson last spring and summer as one reason for his improved play, and Austin said Slay's willingness to listen and learn from veterans Rashean Mathis, Glover Quin and James Ihedigbo played a role, too.
"All those guys that have played a lot of football in this league, they kind of took him under their wing and they said, 'Hey, listen, you can be a great player but you've got to do this.' And he bought into it and I think it showed," Austin said.
"
Now that Slay has had a taste of success, here's betting he doesn't slow down with those veterans prodding him. And if he shuts down Maclin, that leaves Kansas City with precious few options left against a defense that will still shut down running backs.
Week 10: Detroit Lions 28, Green Bay Packers 35
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Stop me if you've heard this before: The Lions haven't won in Wiscons...—oh, you have heard this?
Well, just in case there are kids here that weren't around in the early '90s, Detroit hasn't won in the state of Wisconsin since the last time it won a playoff game (1991). I put it in parentheses to ease the pain as much as possible.
As a lifelong follower of the Lions, I'd love to be the one who predicts the big upset. However, there has to be some semblance of logic here, and to pick against Aaron Rodgers at home, against a team that's never beaten him (or his backup), seems to stretch said logic a bit too far.
Hey, there's always next year.
Week 11: Oakland Raiders 14, Detroit Lions 28
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The pain of another trip to Wisconsin should be eased by a visit from the league's dormant doormat. It's gotten so bad for the Oakland Raiders that the team was better known this offseason as a negotiating decoy instead of a destination.
That's OK for the Raiders, though. It will stress building the team through the draft, and any turnaround might actually be able to be sustained.
But none of that will matter this year. The Lions have a fairly solid roster that requires only a few more tweaks to round itself out. That should be enough, along with home-dome advantage, to take out the Raiders.
Week 12: Philadelphia Eagles 31, Detroit Lions 27
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The second three-game home stand will likely be crucial to this season's outcome. Detroit has played much better the past two Thanksgivings, and the Philadelphia Eagles certainly aren't untouchable.
Yet there's a feeling out there that Chip Kelly knows something we don't. While everyone is wondering what he's thinking, he's already working out his next move.
Acquiring the NFL's leading rusher from last season to pair with new quarterback Sam Bradford seemed odd, but it might bring the exact type of balance and accuracy this team needs.
His defense still won't be topnotch. However, it'll be enough to make this a ball game, giving the offensive wizard a chance to snatch a road win.
Week 13: Green Bay Packers 24, Detroit Lions 28
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Tight end Eric Ebron, Detroit's top 2014 pick, caught a lot of heat for not catching enough balls (25) last year. It should be noted that his performance wasn't abnormal for rookie tight ends, as Vernon Davis only had 26 catches in his debut season.
Ebron will get a chance to improve on that number as Detroit expects him to be the third option behind Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate this season. If there's any game where he'll be more crucial, it doesn't jump out on the schedule.
The Packers lost two of their top defensive backs and don't have the linebackers to hang with the athletic Ebron. So long as the defense can keep Rodgers from completely owning the game (a tall task indeed, but doable), this could be Ebron's time to shine.
Week 14: Detroit Lions 16, St. Louis Rams 13
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Detroit isn't going to walk into St. Louis and smack the Rams defense around. Luckily for the Lions, the Rams offense—even with new quarterback Nick Foles—isn't going to move the ball efficiently either.
No, this one will be a classic slugfest that new-age fantasy fans will find abhorrent. I'd sit out any skill position players not named Johnson if you have suitable replacements.
Obviously, the Rams have a stout front with Nick Fairley and Aaron Donald that will make Lions fans weep for what could have been. The sledding between the tackles will be difficult, and the game will probably come down to screens. Detroit's running backs and linebackers are the more capable of the two groups when taken as a whole, giving the Lions the small edge they need.
Week 15: Detroit Lions 27, New Orleans Saints 17
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For almost a decade, the Superdome was a frightening destination for anyone not clad in gold and black. In fact, 2014 seemed destined for the same distinction after a 3-0 start, including a dominating win over the Green Bay Packers.
However, the final five games in New Orleans saw the Saints pick up five losses, the nadir coming at the hands of the Carolina Panthers (41-10).
When you combine the lost home-dome advantage with the defections of All-World tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Kenny Stills, it's curious to see how the Saints will maintain the explosive offense of yesteryear.
Detroit's defense may take a step back, but the drop-off in pass-rushing productivity should be offset by New Orleans' lack of receiving. Plus, a freed Matthew Stafford was able to move the ball with the game on the line last season. If he gets that type of reign all year, this shouldn't be nearly as close as the 2014 thriller.
Week 16: San Francisco 49ers 21, Detroit Lions 31
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The star will turn back to the defense in Week 16 with Glover Quin taking the mantle back from the unshackled Matthew Stafford.
There is little reason to think the San Francisco 49ers have improved. They lost their head coach (who may or may not have lost the team), their stud young linebacker and their six-time All-Pro linebacker.
This will be an interesting year for Colin Kaepernick without Jim Harbaugh on the sideline. Will he be able to look off the safety? Or will be he susceptible to being baited by a veteran who led the league in interceptions in 2014?
Will the defense be anywhere near as fierce without the above linebackers and both of their starting cornerbacks? It seems the only question left is if Harbaugh will show up to revel in the 49ers' misery.
Week 17: Detroit Lions 20, Chicago Bears 21
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Head coach John Fox isn't Marc Trestman. He'll keep his guys in line and won't let them quit because the going gets tough.
When you're trying to project the outcome of a game that is some 8.5 months away, you have to find the little things. That fight will be what gives Chicago the push to break the Lions' recent dominance over their divisional rivals.
The sure-to-be freezing weather is the final nail in the coffin. Unless Detroit develops a nasty running game, this team will probably be more air-orientated next season when it needs to put up points. That recipe doesn't mix well with a dash of Fox feistiness and ice, even if you liberally sprinkle on Jay Cutler.
Well, Cutler might be the only thing that could turn the outcome sweet for Detroit. Otherwise, a 10-6 finish will have to do, which puts Detroit one win above the over/under line.
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