An early look at Lions ticket prices for 2013 season

The following post is from TiqIQ:

The 2013 NFL season is unofficially under way with the draft out of the way, which means it's time for TiqIQ to break down the Detroit Lions' schedule, as well as some of the most and least expensive Detroit Lions tickets for the season.

The Lions were a bit of a surprise in 2012, as they went from a potent offensive team that made the playoffs for the first time in a decade right back to a cellar dweller. Nothing seemed to click, as Detroit couldn't run the ball consistently, Calvin Johnson couldn't find the end zone (just 5 touchdowns) and the defense had issues stopping the opposition all season.

You know it's bad when the Minnesota Vikings finish above you, and it's even worse when they're in the playoffs and you're not. The Lions are not a team lacking talent, though, and they'll enter 2013 with a huge chip on their shoulder. With Stafford leading a still explosive offense, backed by new running back Reggie Bush, Detroit could easily find itself back into playoff talk.

For now, though, we'll take it easy on any bold predictions and analyze Detroit's highest priced 2013 home games, as well as their cheapest home contests:

Lions top-priced home games for 2013

(12/22) vs. New York Giants | Avg: $248 | Get-in: $41

The Giants come to town in Detroit's most expensive home game of the year. New York is a pretty good draw, but it's fair to say it's a surprise they're in the top spot for Detroit's home battles. With that said, this one will show the NFL world if the Lions are the real deal. Both sides pack a mean punch on offense and should make for a high-scoring affair.

(10/27) vs. Dallas Cowboys | Avg: $198 | Get-in: $59

This is more of a middle-ground matchup from the perspective that neither of these teams were playoff reps last season, but both do boast a ton of talent. Dallas will be led by Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray, but it will be interesting to see if the Cowboys' rock-solid corners can handle Calvin Johnson. My guess is no.

(11/28) vs. Green Bay Packers | Avg: $185 | Get-in: $45

In what should be the top-priced home game for the Lions as the season draws closer, Green Bay visits Detroit in late November. This is a huge game for the Lions, as the Packers have wiped the floor with them for years, and if they're going to take the next step they need to take care of business at home against one of their fiercest competitors in the division.

Lions top value home games for 2013

(10/20) vs. Cincinnati Bengals | Avg: $96 | Get-in: $26

Cincinnati coming to town is Detroit's best home bargain of the year, as Andy Dalton and A.J. Green march into the dome trying to push the Lions around. Cincinnati has a troubling defense that could give the Lions fits, but these two teams actually match up quite well on paper. The Bengals were in the playoffs the past two years, so Detroit fans are getting a pretty good contest for under $100 on average.

(11/24) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Avg: $100 | Get-in: $29

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers march into Detroit in late November for what is clearly a pretty underrated battle. Both of these teams are young and very talented across the board, which could easily allow this one to be a high-scoring barnburner. The best part about this one, though, is the grueling matchup between the game's top receiver (Megatron) and the game's top cover corner (Darrelle Revis). And fans get to see it for just $100 on average.

(9/8) vs. Minnesota Vikings | Avg: $108 | Get-in: $32

It's hard to believe a bitter divisional rivalry featuring the electrifying Adrian Peterson is one of Detroit's bottom priced home games. If Peterson weren't enough of a reason for fans to race to the stadium, then perhaps Minnesota's drafting of raw but freakishly talented wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson could do the trick. But beyond the draw of the opponent, this is the season home opener. You can't get a better deal than that.

Ultimately, I think Lions fans are getting a pretty nice bargain in 2013, as their team has the firepower to put on quite a show in any given week, and at $147 per home ticket on average, you really can't complain.

If the Lions' defense can start raising its level of play and Bush can make the offense more balanced, Detroit could seriously make some noise in the NFC North.

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• Track the Lions' picks in our draft StoryStream

• An absurdly early Lions 53-man roster prediction

• Grade the Lions' 2013 draft class

• Lions sign 11 undrafted free agents