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Making predictions for the Detroit Lions’ 2020 schedule

Make your predictions for the Lions’ 2020 schedule in our fan polls.

NFL: NOV 22 Bears at Lions Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The NFL is releasing the full 2020 schedule on Thursday, so it’s time to make our predictions on how it’ll play out. We already know the usual: home-and-homes with Green Bay, Chicago, and Minnesota. The Lions will also face the NFC South, AFC South, Cardinals, and Redskins in 2020. Now, let’s take a stab at how things will play out.

Divisional Games

Poll

Who will be the Lions’ first divisional opponent

This poll is closed

  • 21%
    Vikings
    (103 votes)
  • 64%
    Bears
    (312 votes)
  • 14%
    Packers
    (68 votes)
483 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: The Vikings. Nothing behind this, just a hunch, but it usually is either the Vikings or the Bears.

Poll

Will the Lions’ first divisional game be home or away?

This poll is closed

  • 50%
    Home
    (231 votes)
  • 49%
    Away
    (222 votes)
453 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: Away. Again, just a shot in the dark here.

End of Year

The Lions have finished many of the last few seasons with games against the Green Bay Packers, whether it be home or away. Will that continue?

Poll

Will the Lions face a divisional opponent in Week 17?

This poll is closed

  • 35%
    Yes, Green Bay
    (167 votes)
  • 41%
    Yes, Minnesota
    (196 votes)
  • 14%
    Yes, Chicago
    (70 votes)
  • 7%
    No
    (34 votes)
467 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: Yes, Green Bay. This one’s sort of a gimme after the Lions have finished many of the last several seasons with games against the Packers.

Poll

Will the Lions finish the season home or away?

This poll is closed

  • 40%
    Home
    (175 votes)
  • 59%
    Away
    (257 votes)
432 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: Away. The Lions-Packers matchup was home in 2017, away in 2018, home in 2019... you seeing a pattern too?

NFC/AFC South

The Lions play all eight teams between the two divisions at some point in the season.

Poll

Who will the Lions play first?

This poll is closed

  • 79%
    An AFC South team
    (316 votes)
  • 20%
    An NFC South team
    (81 votes)
397 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: An AFC South team. Rumors are swirling that the NFL is planning exclusively AFC-NFC matchups for the first four weeks of the season.

Poll

Which NFC South team will the Lions play first?

This poll is closed

  • 23%
    Tampa Bay
    (90 votes)
  • 19%
    New Orleans
    (75 votes)
  • 33%
    Carolina
    (129 votes)
  • 22%
    Atlanta
    (87 votes)
381 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: New Orleans. Just a hunch.

Poll

Which AFC South team will the Lions play first?

This poll is closed

  • 21%
    Tennessee
    (75 votes)
  • 31%
    Jacksonville
    (113 votes)
  • 35%
    Indianapolis
    (125 votes)
  • 11%
    Houston
    (41 votes)
354 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: Houston. No real reason, just my gut feeling.

Potpourri

Poll

Will the Lions start the season home or away?

This poll is closed

  • 46%
    Home
    (159 votes)
  • 53%
    Away
    (184 votes)
343 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: Away. By the Lions’ luck, they’ll get the hot weather games against southern teams in the first weeks of the season and freezing away games in the last few.

Poll

How many Lions games will be in prime time? (TNF SNF, or MNF — Thanksgiving doesn’t count)

This poll is closed

  • 16%
    0
    (63 votes)
  • 54%
    1
    (209 votes)
  • 22%
    2
    (87 votes)
  • 5%
    3
    (22 votes)
381 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: 2. The Lions are an up and coming team this year (hopefully) after a flashy free agency and draft; that ought to land them at least one, and I’m hoping for a second.

Poll

Will the Thanksgiving game be a divisional game?

This poll is closed

  • 52%
    Yes
    (193 votes)
  • 47%
    No
    (173 votes)
366 votes total Vote Now

My prediction: No. Early rumblings are saying Tom Brady and the Bucs may be coming to town for Thanksgiving, but we’ll see if that comes to fruition.

It’s always a huge guessing game with these, but the NFL has taken a liking to certain patterns in recent years that allow us to have some idea of what to expect. Following Thursday’s schedule release, we’ll revisit the polls and see how you all fared in predicting what the Lions’ 2020 season will look like.

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