The Detroit Lions' 2015 schedule was announced on Tuesday night, and it quickly produced numerous interesting tidbits. Here's a rundown of them:
- The Lions have an amazing six nationally televised games this year, including four in prime time:
Hello, prime time: Week 3: vs. DEN (NBC) | Sun. Week 4: at SEA (ESPN) | Mon. Week 13: vs. GB (CBS/NFLN) | Thu. Week 15: at NO (ESPN) | Mon.
— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) April 22, 2015And two more on national television: Week 8: at KC in London (FOX) Week 12: vs. PHI on Thanksgiving (FOX)
— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) April 22, 2015
- When the Lions ended their Monday night drought in 2011, it was a big deal. Now, though, Monday night games are commonplace for the Lions.
.@Lions return to @ESPNMondayNight for 5th consecutive season (at SEA, at NO). Last time team had 5 consecutive MNF appearances was 1971-75.
— Eamonn Reynolds (@Eamonn_Reynolds) April 22, 2015
- As noted by Tim Twentyman, the Lions' game against the Philadelphia Eagles will mark these teams' first matchup on Thanksgiving since 1968.
- It's been a while since the Lions had back-to-back prime-time games:
With SNF in Week 3 and MNF in Week 4, the Lions will play in consecutive primetime games for the first time since 1990.
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) April 22, 2015
- It's also been a while since the Lions had a Sunday night game at home:
Week 3 against the #Broncos will be the #Lions first Sunday Night home game since 1999.
— SideLion Report (@SideLionReport) April 22, 2015
- The Lions will open and close the season with three of four games on the road, but they have two three-game homestands in between. On top of that, after opening with three of four on the road, the Lions have three straight home games before a neutral-site game in London. Their bye follows the London trip, and then the Lions will go to Lambeau Field for their first real road game in more than a month.
- The Lions won't have to deal with much questionable weather at the end of the regular season.
A sneaky bonus for #Lions -- of their December road games, two are in domes (St. Louis, New Orleans) and the only cold weather game is CHI
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) April 22, 2015
- Finally, this should be a fun day in Detroit:
Sunday Sept. 27 big sports day in downtown Detroit. Lions vs. Broncos at Ford Field at 8:30 on NBC. Tigers-Twins at Comerica at 1.
— Mike O'Hara (@MikeOHaraNFL) April 22, 2015