2016 Detroit Lions Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info
Coming off a disappointing 7-9 record last season, followed by the retirement of star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, the Detroit Lions are a team facing many questions heading into 2016.
Winning 11 games before losing a controversial playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, it was just two years ago the Lions were coming off the franchise's best season since 1991. Head coach Jim Caldwell appeared to have instilled discipline that was lacking in the Jim Schwartz era, as well as accentuating the best parts of his roster.
Optimism shouldn't be low for the Lions, though. They did show signs of life last year, rebounding from a 1-7 start with six wins in their last eight games. Quarterback Matthew Stafford had his best season by completion percentage (67.2) and threw over 30 touchdowns for just the second time in his career.
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Replacing Johnson is the biggest question facing Detroit's offense, but Golden Tate has caught 10 touchdowns in two seasons with the team.
Here is the recently released schedule on NFL.com the Lions will be tasked with facing as they look to make a return trip to the playoffs after a one-year absence:
| 1 | Sept. 11 | at Colts | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
| 2 | Sept. 18 | vs. Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 3 | Sept. 25 | at Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 2 | at Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 5 | Oct. 9 | vs. Eagles | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 6 | Oct. 16 | vs. Rams | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | vs. Washington | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 8 | Oct. 30 | at Texans | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 9 | Nov. 6 | at Vikings | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 10 | BYE | |||
| 11 | Nov. 20 | vs. Jaguars | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 12 | Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving) | vs. Vikings | 12:30 p.m. | CBS |
| 13 | Dec. 4 | at Saints | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 14 | Dec. 11 | vs. Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 15 | Dec. 18 | at Giants | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 16 | Dec. 26 | at Cowboys | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 17 | Jan. 1 | vs. Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
Analysis
Going by opponents' win percentage in 2015, the Lions are tied for the third-easiest schedule this season, per CBSSports.com's John Breech. It helps that the NFC North, despite producing two playoff clubs last year, does not have an elite team.
The Green Bay Packers are the closest thing to a dynasty in the division, having made the postseason in each of the last seven seasons, but they showed a lot of cracks in 2015 with a 4-6 record after a 6-0 start.
The Minnesota Vikings won the division last year and appear to be headed in the right direction. But eventually star running back Adrian Peterson's legs will wear down, and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looks more like Alex Smith than a dynamic force.
The Lions split the season series against Green Bay last year, missing out on winning both games thanks to a Hail Mary by Aaron Rodgers in Week 13. They were swept by the Vikings, scoring a combined 35 points in two games.
Those are the games Detroit has to win in 2016 if it wants to be taken seriously as any kind of playoff threat in the NFC. It's hard to know what will become of the Chicago Bears, who rise and fall based on the performance of Jay Cutler, so the Lions are at worst No. 3 in the NFC North right now.
Looking outside of the division, the Lions got a rough draw with their road schedule. They have to play at Dallas, the New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints.
The Cowboys and Colts disappointed last year essentially because they played without their starting quarterbacks for most of the season. Dallas' Tony Romo and Indianapolis' Andrew Luck are two of the NFL's best at their position, so their teams will rise or fall based on their health.
The Giants are a team searching for answers on defense, yet it's hard to overlook an offense that scored 420 points and has one of the NFL's most exciting playmakers in wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. The Lions were in the bottom half of the league in points allowed, touchdown passes allowed and interceptions last season.
They did win in New Orleans last year, as Stafford outlasted Drew Brees in a showdown that saw the two quarterbacks combine for 595 yards, six touchdown passes and no interceptions. The Superdome is no longer an imposing stadium for opponents, giving Detroit more confidence heading into this year's matchup.
The Lions' home schedule does provide several opportunities for victory, particularly in games against the still-rebuilding Tennessee Titans and quarterback-needy teams in the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.
However, despite a five-win campaign in 2015, the Jacksonville Jaguars no longer look like a doormat. Quarterback Blake Bortles has to tone down the turnovers, but he threw for 4,428 yards and 35 touchdowns last year. Wide receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns had over 1,000 yards.
Washington is a fascinating team because its success, as seen last year, depends on quarterback Kirk Cousins being able to repeat what he did in 2015. It's something to be great for one year; it's something different to do it again when the target is squarely on your back.
The Lions' problem last year was a slow start that left them with an impossible hole to climb out of. They have been a streaky team for the past two seasons, winning four straight games twice in 2014 before losing in consecutive weeks immediately after.
Consistency is something the Lions have been striving to find for years. They showed glimmers of being on the right track when 2015 ended. Their start to 2016 will determine if that was a blip on the radar or indicative of everything coming together.
Pivotal Matchups
One thing lost in Detroit's 1-7 start last season is how brutal the schedule lined up. Those seven losses came against the San Diego Chargers, Minnesota, the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota again and the Kansas City Chiefs. Five teams in that group made the postseason, with the Broncos winning the Super Bowl.
After the Lions got out of the heavy part of their schedule, they fared well against the "easy" part of their schedule with wins over Green Bay, the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia, New Orleans, the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago.
Therein lies the dilemma with the Lions, though. To be a playoff team, you have to beat good teams. They have four cracks at that during the regular season against the Packers and Vikings. Two years ago, their success came in the division with a 5-1 record. That mark fell to 3-3 in 2015.
Opening things up beyond just the always-crucial divisional matchups, it's the games against middle-of-the pack teams like the Giants, Eagles and Saints that will push the Lions in a positive or negative direction.
The Giants spent much of the offseason improving their roster, especially on defense by signing defensive end Olivier Vernon and cornerback Janoris Jenkins. That will be a litmus-test game for the Lions, who know they will have to attack that defense in an effort to keep pace with one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses.
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