No games in the NFL are easy. Even the best teams invariably have a weird slip-up or two, and bottom-feeders rise up and pull off surprises almost weekly across the league.
Having said that, some games do appear easier than others. That is certainly true for the nine remaining games on the Detroit Lions regular season schedule. The playoff push is real for Detroit, and the relatively manageable schedule from Week 10 on out is part of the reason why the 6-2 Lions have a legit chance for a postseason bye in the NFC.
Theyโll need to take care of business, of course. Letโs look at the remaining nine games for Detroit, ranked from the easiest to the most difficult as they appear from Week 10.
The Bears are currently 2-7 and are dealing with an injured QB in Justin Fields. Chicago has a bottom-five scoring defense, the fewest sacks (10 in nine games) and the worst turnover margin in the league. Ford Field figures to be rocking for the first NFC North home date of the season, too.
Thanksgiving in Detroit means the Lions host the 3-5 Packers. The Packers are getting worse the more they play in 2023, and their only reprieve was playing the hapless, Stafford-less Rams in Week 9. The first meeting wasnโt as close as the final score would indicate in Detroitโs 34-20 win in Lambeau Field back in Week 4.
No team allows more points per game, yards per game or yards per carry than the Broncos through Week 9. While theyโve been better of late, Sean Paytonโs first year in Denver has sputtered to a 3-5 start. Denver hasnโt played indoors yet all season, so the raucous Ford Field energy and Detroit team speed could be huge advantages for the Lions.
The regular season finale brings the NFC Northโs second-place team to Ford Field. Even after losing QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota has remained dangerous enough to currently hold a winning record and the final playoff spot in the NFC. If this game carries postseason implications for both teamsโand it mayโitโs unchartered waters for Dan Campbellโs young Lions.
The only outdoor, cold-weather game left on the Lionsโ schedule comes withย Detroit being on the road the week before, too. Chicago will be coming off the bye week, so this is no gimmie game, even if the disparity in team records looks huge.
Detroit visits SoFi Stadium on Sunday. Coming out of the bye week and facing a Chargers team that wasnโt all that impressive in victory on Monday night in New York is less formidable than it could be, but the 4-4 Chargers are dangerous. The L.A. offense can do the same things that the Seahawks and Ravens did in beating Detroit this year, though theyโre less reliable about it.
If the Lions hold serve from here to this Christmas Eve date in Minnesota, Detroit could wrap up the division title with a win here. Division road games are never easy, and the Vikings offense at home is one of the NFLโs best. Any team with NFL sack leader Danielle Hunter and the WR tandem of All-Pro Justin Jefferson and impressive rookie Jordan Addison can make trouble for Detroit.
Although theyโre a bit under the national radar, New Orleans is 5-4 and in first place in the NFC South. The Saintsโ top-10 defense is adept at taking the ball away and creating pressure. This might be the next game where the Lions are underdogs and could be more important to the Saints in the playoff picture than Detroit.
Dallas is not an easy place to play; Detroit has lost four in a row in Jerry World. This yearโs Cowboys team is 5-3 and unbeaten at home, but theyโve lost both games to teams with current winning records. Theyโre good enoughโon paperโto beat anyone, but their high-variance defense is tough to predict. It might be a major challenge for the Lions, though it might also be a lot easier than it looks, depending on the Dallas team that shows up on December 30th.