Lions schedule unveiled; open at home vs. Jets on MNF

Justin Rogers
DetroitNews-Unknown

Allen Park — The Detroit Lions will open the 2018 season at home, on national television, and close the year on the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field in a divisional showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

The schedule was released Thursday night.

The Lions kickoff the campaign with a Monday Night Football game at Ford Field against the New York Jets. It will be the first Monday night home game for the Lions since 2014, when the team hosted the Giants on the season opener.

Detroit will be back on national television two weeks later, this time Sunday Night Football, when the New England Patriots come to town. The game will mark the first meeting for general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia against their longtime former employer.

In between the primetime contests, the Lions head out to San Francisco to play the 49ers, led by up-and-coming quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is a perfect 7-0 as an NFL starter.

Detroit’s home-away rotation will continue through the team’s Week 6 bye, with a trip to Dallas in Week 4 and a home game against Green Bay in Week 5.

The Lions will be back on the road after the bye for the franchise’s first trip to Miami since 2010, then back home to face Seattle. That’s followed by back-to-back road trips against NFC North foes — Minnesota and Chicago — before three straight home games.

The Lions open that home stretch with Carolina Panthers before playing the Bears for a second time in 11 days. It will be the first time the rivals meet on Thanksgiving in five years. The Lions won the 2014 matchup, 34-17.

Detroit closes the three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Rams. The matchup will be Ndamukong Suh’s first game in Detroit since the former first-round pick departed in free agency three years ago.

The Lions play three of their final four games on the road. They’ll travel to Arizona to begin the schedule’s closing quarter, followed by a trip to Buffalo. The home slate will conclude with the Vikings on Dec. 23 before the finale against the Packers the following Sunday.

This is the third straight season, and fourth time in five years, the Lions and Packers have played each other to close out the season. The past two games have taken place at Ford Field.

Below is the full schedule:

Mon. Sept. 10, vs. New York Jets, 7:10 p.m. (ESPN)

Sun. Sept. 16, at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Sept. 23, vs. New England, 8:20 (NBC)

Sun. Sept. 30, at Dallas, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Oct. 7, vs. Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

BYE WEEK

Sun. Oct 21, at Miami , 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Oct. 28, vs. Seattle, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Nov. 4, at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Nov. 11, at Chicago, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Nov. 18, vs. Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Thurs. Nov. 22, vs. Chicago, 12:30 p.m. (CBS)

Sun. Dec. 2, vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Dec. 9, at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Dec. 16, at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Dec. 23, vs. Minnesota, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)

Sun. Dec. 30, at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)