Ranking the top 5 games on the Lions’ 2020 schedule

The 2020 NFL schedule is here! Here’s a look at the tentative schedule for the Lions in case you missed it:

A few things about the schedule immediately stick out. The Lions open the season with a divisional game. The bye week is, unfortunately, very early in the season. There will be only one game at Ford Field between September 14 and October 31. Weeks 15 and 16 could be Saturday games. The Lions knock out their game at Lambeau Field in a (hopefully) warm and sunny Week 2, while they travel to Soldier Field on December 6, which is less than ideal.

With that said, there are a number of interesting matchups. Let’s rank the top five games on the 2020 Detroit Lions schedule:

#5: Lions vs. Buccaneers, Week 16 (Dec. 26 or 27)

This one’s more fun in the moment as we haven’t seem Tampa Tom in a Buccaneers jersey. We really lucked out in being among the eight teams to see him in their home stadium this season. For Tom Brady, it’ll be his first regular season game in Detroit since getting shellacked by the Lions on national television in Kerryon Johnson’s first 100-yard rushing game.

#4: Lions vs. Bears, Week 1 (Sept. 13)

This one isn’t as exciting as it is simply noteworthy. It makes me nervous just as much as it excites me. Matt Patricia’s defenses are never near their best in Week 1, but If Mitchell Trubisky (or Nick Foles) struts into Ford Field and tears apart a completely overhauled Lions defense... you know what, let’s just not talk about that outcome.

#3: Lions vs. Vikings, Week 17 (Jan. 3)

This game is enticing on a more positive note. The Lions have, after all, completely overhauled their defense and return their borderline elite quarterback in Matthew Stafford—there’s no telling how dangerous they could be this season. The Bears are not good and the Packers failed to get any better this offseason, leaving the Vikings as the de facto favorite for the NFC North in 2020. If things play out for the Lions the way we all hope, this could be a very important game in Week 17 at Ford Field.

#2: Lions at Falcons, Week 7 (Oct. 25)

Games between the Lions and the Falcons never disappoint. In 2014, we saw Matt Prater fail the Lions and then save them as time expired in London. In 2017, we saw Golden Tate save and then fail the Lions as time expired ran off in Detroit. This time, the Lions will try their luck in the Falcons’ new Mercedes-Benz Stadium as they aim to avenge the 10-second runoff from years ago. It will also be Stafford’s first football game in Georgia since college.

#1: Lions vs. Texans, Week 12 (Thanksgiving)

Speaking of revenge games...

Here’s the play in question:

This has aggravated me for eight years. I can only hope the Lions can rectify the nationally-televised wrongdoing. That’s all I have to say about that. See you on Thanksgiving, Houston.