Now that the 2017 NFL regular season is over, the Detroit Lions’ 2018 opponents are completely set.
The Lions—and the rest of the NFC North—will face off against all four teams in the NFC West and the AFC East. Because the Lions finished the season in second place in their division, they will also face off against the two teams that finished in second place in the NFC South (Panthers) and the NFC East (Cowboys).
Here’s a full look at their 2018 schedule:
Home: Bears, Vikings, Packers, Rams, Seahawks, Patriots, Jets, Panthers
Away: Bears, Vikings, Packers, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, Cowboys
Overall, that puts the Lions’ strength of schedule (based on 2017 records) at .535, a moderately difficult outlook. Things look especially bad at home, where the Lions are scheduled to face four playoff teams, and that doesn’t even include the Packers or Seahawks.
Of course, it’s way too early to start counting wins. Just look at least year’s schedule, when we thought the Cardinals - Giants - Falcons - Vikings would be one of the toughest four-game stretches for Detroit.
What are your early thoughts on the Lions’ 2018 schedule?