NFL Schedule 2011: 5 Detroit Lions Games We'd Love to See in Primetime

Football is back! Sort of...

The 2011 NFL schedule is being released today. With the lockout stymieing any talk of free agency and trades, the schedule is the biggest piece of real NFL news until the draft.

Weeks ago, the league released the home and away opponents of each team.

Last week, the league released the preseason schedule. The Lions will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots at home and the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills away.

The most interesting game in the preseason is the Patriots game. It will be the first time in recent history that the league has given the Lions a non-Thanksgiving game to be broadcast to a national audience.

With that in mind, it's possible the Lions could get a regular season shot at primetime as well. These five matchups would be perfect to showcase the Lions recent turnaround.

Atlanta Falcons

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 15: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons drops back to pass the football against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on August 15, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

Matthew Stafford vs. Matt Ryan...

The first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and the guy who should have been the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft—two young quarterbacks and two young teams.

The Falcons helped write the blueprint for the Lions success. The heavy turnover, the young face of the franchise, the importance of the rushing attack and the defensive line—all common themes between the two squads and talking points for the Monday or Sunday night crews.

Moreover, it should be a really good game.

The Falcons loss in the 2010 playoffs against the eventual champs was a minor setback for a team that is both young and extremely talented.

The Lions may be a year away from the playoffs, but are clearly talented and catching the eye of league observers.

Minnesota Vikings

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 02: Percy Harvin #12 of the Minnesota Vikings tries to escape the tackles of Ndamukong Suh #90, Nathan Vasher #30 and Eric King #43 of the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on January 2, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus

The Minnesota Vikings have been a thorn in the Detroit Lions side for so long.

The last time the Lions won in the Metrodome was 1997 and Scott Mitchell was under center for that victory.

Now, the Vikings are headed toward the bottom of the NFC North (at least for now) and the Lions are headed upward. Last season, the Lions beat the Vikings in the final game of the season without Stafford or Calvin Johnson.

If the Lions are truly going to ascend above the Vikings in the division, what could be more symbolic than a victory in Minnesota on national TV?

The one problem here could have more to do with the Vikings than the Lions. Without a QB, the Vikings were unwatchable in 2010.The NFL will not put that team on national TV.

However, Donovan McNabb would immediately bring hope (along with a few wins) to the Twin Cities and be a big enough draw to the networks.

Dallas Cowboys

Rob Carr/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (R) talk outside the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service building March 11, 2011 in Washington, DC. The NFLPA has filed for decertification and will

Think the NFL needs any real reason to put the Dallas Cowboys in primetime?

Jerry Jones is a main player among the NFL owners and was nationally televised five times in 2010—a norm for NFL fans who are used to watching the so-called "America's team," a team most American's have learned to loathe rather than love.

While the league is behind the times concerning the public's love of the Cowboys, Lions fans could luck out if the NFL decides a healthy Tony Romo and Matthew Stafford is a great chance for ratings.

With the lack of talent and amount of upheaval in both teams' secondaries, this could be an offensive explosion for both squads.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers watches a play during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Buccaneers defeated the Saints

Jim Schwartz and Raheem Morris—two young coaches that needed to earn the respect of their teams and fan bases. Schwartz had plenty of speed bumps with game management. Morris wasn't always loved either—numerous sites like Joe Bucs Fan.com and Pewter Report once had lengthy discussion threads about how incompetent Morris is. 

Facebook even had a group dedicated to a "Fire Morris" petition although the members of that group left en masse this season.

The two teams had similar rebuilding plans as well, drafting Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft; and Matthew Stafford and Josh Freeman in 2009.

It should be a great game as well—the Lions beat the Buccaneers in overtime at Raymond James last December.

Carolina Panthers

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 02: David Clowney #87 of the Carolina Panthers against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on January 2, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Just kidding.

Green Bay Packers

Leon Halip/Getty Images

DETROIT - DECEMBER 12: Aaron Rogers #12 of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass as DeAndre Levy #54 and Cliff Avrill #92 of the Detroit Lions rush the passer during the second quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 12,

Remember these guys?

The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, but more importantly (for Lions fans) they were the beginning of the four-game winning streak to close out the 2010 season.

That 7-3 victory on December 12 has been seen as a fluke to some. It wasn't a pretty game. Matt Flynn and Drew Stanton did the heavy lifting under center and the Packers leading rusher was Aaron Rodgers who was knocked out of the game in the second quarter.

That game was no fluke.

On October 3, the Shaun Hill-led Lions nearly defeated the Packers, losing 28-26 at Lambeau Field when the Lions dominated the second half but were unable to reach the end zone—kicking four field goals in the process.

Those 26 points represent the second biggest point total against the Packers all season (bested only by 27 by the Patriots.) While the three Packers points in the Lions loss represents their lowest total all season.

A primetime contest between the Super Bowl champs and a team that clearly matches up well?

Sign me up.

Michael Schottey is an on-call editor for the Bleacher Report College Writing Internship, as well as an NFL Featured Columnist and an NFL Labor/Draft Expert. A member of the Pro Football Writers of America, he has professionally covered the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, as well as NFL events like the Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl. Follow him on  Twitter.