NFL schedule 2024: Way-too-early Detroit Lions game-by-game predictions

ALLEN PARK -- It’s that time of year again. The NFL unveiled its schedule for the 2024 season, and the Detroit Lions are heavily featured with five prime-time game and seven in front of a national audience.

After winning the NFC North and making an NFC title game appearance, expectations are sky-high around these parts. So, without wasting more time, let’s get into our way-too-early game-by-game predictions from Kyle Meinke and Ben Raven of MLive’s Detroit Lions beat.

Week 1 – vs. Los Angeles Rams 8:20 p.m. Sept. 8 on NBC

Kyle: Kelly Stafford complained that fans booed her children when the Rams came to Detroit for the wild-card game in January. She never explained how she knew her children were being booed and not, you know, her. Alas, Ford Field figures to be mental once again for a blockbuster rematch that is oozing in Stafford-Goff-McVay storylines. Detroit navigated the distractions in a 24-23 wild-card thriller that sent Stafford and McVay back to some beach in Mexico, and I wouldn’t bet against them doing it again on Sunday Night Football to open this season. But Stafford and Puka Nacua against a reworked Lions secondary is going to affect Aaron Glenn’s REM cycles the next few months. WIN

Ben: Won’t somebody please think of the children? But on a more serious note, under the lights to open another season, and Detroit welcomes back Matthew Stafford for his and LA’s first game since last year’s wild-card round defeat from Ford Field? Sign me up. The Lions aren’t losing this game, I feel that in my bones. This roster is better, and while the Rams are positioned to compete for another playoff berth, losing Aaron Donald is about as big of a loss as a defense can take. And no rookies or second-year players are going to be able to fill that hole, no matter how talented they are. WIN

Week 2 – vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m. Sept. 15 on Fox

Kyle: The Lions have won six of their last nine matchups against Tampa, including sweeping two games this past year, the last of which was a divisional game at Ford Field. “This is a great atmosphere,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said that day. “You can tell this city has had a lot of pent-up emotion and been waiting a long time for this. ... Dan Campbell has done a helluva job turning this around. I’m happy for Jared, and they have a lot of good players.” They do. And they still do, one of whom is Carlton Davis, the former Bucs No. 1 corner who was traded to Detroit this offseason. Two weeks into his debut season, Davis will have a chance to tee off against Mayfield. WIN

Ben: The NFL sending the Lions through the gauntlet to open the season, facing the two teams they sent into vacation during last year’s playoffs. There might be some revenge on LA and Tampa’s mind here. And props to the Bucs for spending a ton of resources on retaining its roster, including on quarterback Baker Mayfield, wideout Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. But it’s not enough to get them into Detroit’s league, who happened to beat this Bucs team twice in 2023. WIN

Week 3 – at Arizona Cardinals 4:25 p.m. Sept. 22 on Fox

Kyle: I love what the Cardinals did in the draft, adding an incredible receiver talent in Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4, then a versatile pass rusher in Darius Robinson at No. 27. Robinson is a native Detroiter too, and would have looked good in Honolulu blue. I just don’t think he’s going to be enough to slow down a Lions offense that is simply too deep and diverse. WIN

Ben: Arizona could be a sleeper team in the NFC this season. Kyler Murray is healthy again, and the Cardinals have injected a ton of enviable youth into their roster in short time. Marvin Harrison Jr. might be as Day 1 ready as receivers get, so that’ll be a challenge for Detroit’s new-look secondary, especially with Murray buying time and making plays. These trips west can be tricky, no doubt. But the Lions were built to handle games like this and have already proven that. I have respect for what the Cardinals are building and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But the Lions should win this game without too much resistance. WIN

Week 4 – vs. Seattle Seahawks 8:15 p.m. Sept. 30 (Monday) on ABC

Kyle: The Lions have broken a lot of curses over the last couple years, although their bad luck against Seattle persists. Detroit has lost six straight games in the series, including a wild 48-45 barnburner two years ago, then a 37-31 overtime bummer in the home opener at Ford Field last year. They’ve been fileted for an average of 45.3 points in their last three games in the series overall. Their luck has to change at some point, right? On Monday Night Football, in front of one of the loudest crowds in the game, seems like a pretty good point to do it. WIN

Ben: When these Seahawks see Dan Campbell and the Lions on the other side of the field, they always seem to bring their best. The Lions haven’t beat the Seahawks since 2012, including three losses in Campbell’s tenure as head coach. And while I’m tempted to call for the team’s first loss here, that crowd from Detroit on Monday Night Football is going to make life hell for the Seahawks in Year 1 post Pete Carroll. WIN

Week 5 – Bye week

Week 6 – at Dallas Cowboys 4:25 p.m. Oct. 13 on Fox

Kyle: At 4-0, the hype train will be off the rails heading into a revenge game in Dallas. Make no mistake, that controversial loss against the Cowboys late last year -- and the way the NFL tried to blame them for an obvious officiating blunder -- burned hot inside the Lions organization. They’ll want blood. But the Cowboys have been a great team that plays even better at home -- in the regular season anyway! -- and Dak Prescott led the No. 3 passing game in the league last year, posing a significant test for a secondary that will feature at least two new starters, including potentially rookie Terrion Arnold. LOSS

Ben: Something always goes wrong or off the rails when the Lions head to Arlington, Texas. They should also be supremely motivated after getting the wrong end of a rotten deal near the end of last season. But coming off the bye, with Dak Prescott playing on a contract year and that coaching staff fighting for their lives? I’m leaning toward the Cowboys to take this one, with the bye week behind the Lions and this being their first stiff road test of the slate. Dallas has a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, and that’s not nothing. LOSS

Week 7 – at Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m. Oct. 20 on Fox

Kyle: There’s a lot to like about J.J. McCarthy. I just don’t know if I’m ready to buy into him in Year 1. The Vikings also used a first-round pick on edge rusher Dallas Turner, a tremendous talent who will have to grapple with one of the best 1-2 tackle combos in the league. All the way around, this matchup favors Detroit decidedly. WIN

Ben: J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold? Who cares. The Lions should be able to handle this Vikings team back at Ford Field. They took care of business against these Vikings twice last season, with the Lions wining four out of the last five in this series. Justin Jefferson is the type of player that can go out and win games. But the Lions have loaded their secondary with options, and the pass rush has the chance to play more of a factor in 2024. WIN

Week 8 – vs. Tennessee Titans 1 p.m. Oct. 27 on Fox

Kyle: The Lions haven’t beaten the Titans since the Titans were still called the Oilers, all the way back in 1995. That said, I don’t think it’ll take long for that organization to regret canning Mike Vrabel. Expect some turbulence in Year 1 under Brian Callahan, who once upon a time was the quarterbacks coach for some of Matthew Stafford’s best seasons in Detroit. WIN

Ben: The Titans are another team entering a new era, with a new head coach and no Derrick Henry powering their offense. Quarterback Will Levis is still unproven, and I don’t have a ton of optimism in his Year 2 growth due to that offense taking a step back by losing Henry this offseason. Get after Levis, stop the run and get Hendon Hooker some fourth-quarter snaps and kneel downs. WIN

Week 9 – at Green Bay Packers 4:25 p.m. Nov. 3 on Fox

Kyle: The Lions are the new kings of the North, but Green Bay showed it might not be down for long. Jordan Love was good in his first full season as a starter, and got better as that season went on, including beating the Lions on Thanksgiving. Detroit was rolling at the time, Ford Field was rollicking, and the kid was unfazed. And Aaron Glenn has yet to show the right touch for defending quarterbacks like him consistently. LOSS

Ben: Here we go. It’s not a prime-time game. But it might as well be one with that 4:25 p.m. start time from Green Bay. The Packers are the darlings of the football world once again (that took long, didn’t it?), with Jordan Love looking like an elite answer. They have a fully stocked defense and a new defensive coordinator to boot. But I’m liking the Lions, especially in this first matchup, to take care of business. They’re built and have proven able to handle Green Bay’s defense. And while Josh Jacobs is a nice addition to that backfield, there isn’t a dominant outside threat for the Packers, at least as of this writing. Give me the Lions to grab a commanding lead in the NFC North here. WIN

Week 10 – at Houston Texans 8:20 p.m. Nov. 10 on NBC

Kyle: By the time this game kicks off, the Lions will have gone 736 days -- more than two full calendar years -- since they were on a losing streak. But Houston will present a serious challenge, adding Stefon Diggs to an offense that returns C.J. Stroud, the reigning offensive rookie of the year, and Tank Dell. The Texans also supercharged their pass rush by signing Danielle Hunter, a longtime Lion killer. LOSS

Ben: The Texans proved to the world they were so much more than a cute story last season. C.J. Stroud is the real deal, and Houston has been aggressive with its win-now mentality while riding the quarterback’s rookie contract. Stefon Diggs is a drool-inducing pairing with Tank Dell and Nico Collins. And that Texans defense is no joke, with Will Anderson Jr. showing up to the NFL as advertised. The Lions drop another game in Texas here after an emotional win in Green Bay. LOSS

Week 11 – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 1 p.m. Nov. 17 on CBS

Kyle: I think Brian Thomas is headed for big things in Jacksonville, and will be a handful for Terrion Arnold. But taking Travon Walker over Aidan Hutchinson is proving to be a huge miscalculation, and you know Hutch is going to make them pay in this one. WIN

Ben: It’s hard to imagine the Jaguars not being in a better spot this year after their letdown 2023 campaign. They’ve done well to improve their offensive line, and Trevor Lawrence still has all the makings of an elite quarterback. Losing Calvin Ridley wasn’t ideal. But they were wise to grab Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis to try and fill that void. This won’t be an easy game for the Lions, even back at home. But I’m sticking with them to get back on the right track against an AFC team after their prime-time loss in Houston. WIN

Week 12 – at Indianapolis Colts 1 p.m. Nov. 24 on Fox

Kyle: Anthony Richardson is a great talent, but can he stay healthy? I don’t know if it will matter either way in this one. WIN

Ben: Anthony Richardson showed some fleeting fun flashes in his limited action as a rookie. The Colts have a solid roster from top to bottom, wisely retaining Michael Pittman and some of their defensive backs in the offseason. But it feels more like a work in progress heading into this season, with Richardson likely to suffer from some bumps along the way. The Lions know the short trip south to Indianapolis well and should be able to take care of business in another AFC matchup. WIN

Week 13 – vs. Chicago Bears 12:30 p.m. Thanksgiving on CBS

Kyle: The Bears are back in town for the fourth time in seven Thanksgivings. The Lions lost all three of those games, and seven in a row on the holiday overall. That has to end some time. Right? Right? Bueller? WIN

Ben: Chicago has gifted top pick Caleb Williams with perhaps the most enviable wide-receiver situation for a rookie in league history. Keenan Allen has more than enough left in the tank. D.J. Moore is an all-around killer and one of the more overlooked talents at his position. And there just aren’t too many holes in top-10 wideout Rome Odunze’s game, with the pressure taken off thanks to those two names in front of him. The Bears have already done for Williams what they never did for Justin Fields through that receiver room and by actually fielding an NFL-level offensive line. That said, the Lions are the kings of the North for a reason, and they need to defend their home on Thanksgiving with the football world watching. And I think they will. WIN

Week 14 – vs. Green Bay Packers 8:15 p.m. Dec. 5 (Thursday) on Prime

Kyle: Short weeks are hard. Lucky for the Lions, their only Thursday night game comes after Thanksgiving, allowing them a full week of rest before their rematch against short-rested Green Bay. At Ford Field. In prime time. Yeah, gimme the WIN.

Ben: Back-to-back Thursday games with the football spotlight on Ford Field? Props to Campbell and Brad Holmes getting this franchise to this point in such a hurry. I think the hottest take of my side of MLive’s way-too-early game-by-game predictions is that I’m going to have the Lions run the table in the much-improved NFC North (spoiler alert). This division will hit new levels in competition, but I think that comes in 2025, and not this year. The Lions are built to handle these divisional rivals, including the Packers and Love. It won’t be an easy task, don’t get lost in that. But I have a hard time seeing this team losing more than once, if at all, in the division from this stage of the game. WIN

Week 15 – vs. Buffalo Bills 4:25 p.m. Dec. 15 on CBS

Kyle: Remember when the Lions almost beat Buffalo on Thanksgiving two years ago? They were 4-7 at the time. They’re 19-7 since. While Buffalo seems to be trending the other way, struggling to figure out how to build around Josh Allen. WIN

Ben: Josh Allen is one of the most talented football players on the planet. He’s one of the true wild cards of the game who can make you pay in a number of ways. Stefon Diggs is a major loss. But honestly? After how last season played out with all the drama and bellyaching, this might be an addition via subtraction for these Bills, and that has nothing to do with Diggs’ talent, for the record. These Bills are built for a deep postseason run, and I think this is the year they hit that potential. LOSS

Week 16 – at Chicago Bears 1 p.m. Dec. 22 on Fox

Kyle: The Bears are headed in the right direction with their young nucleus on offense, but rookie quarterbacks usually go through growing pains, and Caleb Williams will need time before he’s capable of taking over cold-weather games against powerhouses like the one Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have built. WIN

Ben: Whew, let me call the Moxy hotel in Chicago ahead of time and tell them to get the heat running in my room. These outdoor games in Chicago can be tricky (see last season). And there is a threat of brutal wind and snow just by the mere fact that this game is taking place late in December. But the Lions are built to pound the rock, and that’s what they should do with David Montgomery making his second return to his old stomping ground. Lean on the run, protect the ball and welcome Caleb Williams to winter football in the black and blue division. WIN

Week 17 – at San Francisco 49ers 8:15 p.m. Dec. 30 (Monday) on ESPN/ABC

Kyle: It took Dan Campbell weeks to work up the courage to watch that second-half collapse against San Francisco in the NFC title game -- and then he watched ONLY the second half of that game. Expect to hear a lot about how that loss is fueling the Lions to do more this season. It also doesn’t guarantee victory against perhaps the most complete team in the NFC on the road. LOSS

Ben: Well, well, well. The Lions head back to San Francisco after blowing a three-score lead at halftime in the NFC title game for another taste of the Faithful in the Bay. Listen, I understand it’s easy to see seven months out and talk about the motivation ahead of this matchup. But the 49ers are the one of the best teams in football led by one of the best coaches in the game. I love what the 49ers did for their defense this offseason. And say what you will about Brock Purdy. But the quarterback is a gamer and another season (and offseason) in Kyle Shanahan’s control is only going to help him and the 49ers get better. LOSS

Week 18 – vs. Minnesota Vikings TBD on TBD

Kyle: Thirteen wins is a big number. If it makes you feel any better, I picked them to go 12-5 last season, and 9-8 the year before that. Dumb luck? Perhaps. But this team has been on an obvious rise for years, and now everyone is back, the roster is seasoned with experience in big-time games, and the most glaring holes have been filled in free agency (Carlton Davis and Kevin Zeitler) and the draft (Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw). Detroit will play nine times on national TV overall, and looks poised for its moment in the sun. WIN

Kyle’s final record: 13-4

Ben: I already spoiled my way-too-early predicted outcome for this game. But the Lions are going to close the division with an unblemished record and win their second-straight NFC North title, starters resting or not. WIN

Ben’s final record: 13-4