Detroit Lions game-by-game predictions: Can they really go all the way?

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions are facing perhaps the biggest preseason expectations in their history. They had some good teams in the 1990s, but this? Super Bowl favorites? This feels like like something else entirely.

Now the question is: Can they live up to the hype?

With that, here’s how we see it playing out.

Week 1 – vs. Los Angeles Rams 8:20 p.m. Sept. 8 on NBC

Kyle: I have concerns, chief among them Matthew Stafford teeing off against a totally remade secondary. The Lions will be much better against the pass this season, make no mistake. But they also feature new starters at four of the five defensive back positions, one of whom is a rookie (Terrion Arnold) who will be making his first NFL start. And he’ll be doing it in prime time, in front of a frenzied crowd, against one of the craftiest quarterbacks in the league. But if the Lions can mitigate that, they should win this game. Detroit is loaded up on offense, won’t have to see Aaron Donald ever again and Ford Field will be an overwhelming spectacle. WIN

Ben: My ears are already buzzing when thinking about the environment awaiting at Ford Field this Sunday night. The outside NFL world might be underestimating the Rams this season. They’ve altered their approach with a downhill running scheme to take some pressure off the still ultra-talented Matthew Stafford, with Kyren Williams and third-round rookie Blake Corum forming an enticing one-two punch. And while we all know about the retirement of world-eater Aaron Donald, LA has second-year pro Kobie Turner and wisely spent back-to-back picks on Florida State studs Braden Fiske and Jared Verse. Still, I’m taking these Lions at home to open the season against the team they sent packing in last year’s wild-card round. Detroit’s defense should be much better than it was last season, and if they can clamp down the rushing attack, they have a better chance at stopping the pass. WIN

Week 2 – vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m. Sept. 15 on Fox

Kyle: The Lions swept both games against Tampa last year, including a playoff game that was somehow louder than the wild-card win against Los Angeles. “This is a great atmosphere,” Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said that day. “You can tell this city has had a lot of pent-up emotion.” Yeah, no kidding Baker. If the Lions are as good as everyone believes this season, Ford Field could be the most hostile territory in the league. Will be hard to pick against them at home this season. WIN

Ben: This opening slate for the Lions, while at home, is no easy task for a team starting down monumental expectations. The NFL sends the Rams and Bucs, the two teams the Lions eliminated in last year’s NFC bracket, to Ford Field in Weeks 1 and 2. Tampa brought back Baker Mayfield, paid wideout Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and should be in the mix for a playoff spot once again, but this Lions team is much improved than the one that beat these Bucs twice last year. WIN

Week 3 – at Arizona Cardinals 4:25 p.m. Sept. 22 on Fox

Kyle: Marvin Harrison Jr. versus Terrion Arnold could be one of the marquee one-on-one rookie matchups this season. The Cardinals, on the other hand, still seem like a work in progress. WIN

Ben: Back in these way-too-early predictions, I mentioned Arizona being a sleeper team in the NFC, and that’s not changing. Kyler Murray is healthy entering the campaign, and Marvin Harrison Jr. is arguably the most Day 1 ready you can expect from a rookie wideout. These trips out west are never easy, especially after back-to-back playoff rematches, but these Lions are built for games like this. WIN

Week 4 – vs. Seattle Seahawks 8:15 p.m. Sept. 30 (Monday) on ABC

Kyle: So many good things happened to the Lions last season, it’s easy to forget they allowed 48 points in an overtime loss against Seattle last season. That’s six straight losses against the Seahawks overall, and they’ve been fileted for an average of 45.3 points in the last three. Now that he finally has the horses to run his defense, expect Aaron Glenn to deliver his very best in this one. WIN

Ben: Back at home ahead of the bye week with a chance for Dan Campbell to finally beat the Seattle Seahawks. And on Monday Night Football against a first-year head coach? I think the time is now for the Lions to shake this Seattle slump. WIN

Week 5 – Bye week

Week 6 – at Dallas Cowboys 4:25 p.m. Oct. 13 on Fox

Kyle: With so much focus on the playoff rematches against the Rams and Bucs to open the season, it’s easy to forget, hey, the Lions have a rematch in Dallas too. You know, site of a blatant officiating error that cost the Lions a shot at the No. 1 seed last year, and forced them to go to San Francisco for the NFC championship game. I’ve never seen Dan Campbell that mad before (or since), and vengeance will be on that man’s mind when he heads back to his home state. I just don’t know if he’ll find it. Dallas looks like one of the best teams in the NFC, and with a new contract on the books for CeeDee Lamb -- while Dak Prescott is playing for a new one himself -- I think this could be the first trap game of the season for Detroit. LOSS

Ben: Don’t hate me, but I’m sticking with the post-bye trip to Dallas as Detroit’s first loss. Dak Prescott is in a contract year with something to prove, and he’s the type of player and quarterback where I think that’s a very real thing to take account of. Dallas has a ton of talent across every phase of the game, and two of the best game-changers in the league in Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb. LOSS

Week 7 – at Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m. Oct. 20 on Fox

Kyle: The Vikings just can’t catch a quarterback break, eh? They’ve spent three Day 1-2 picks on quarterbacks since 2014, and have now lost two of them to major preseason injuries (J.J. McCarthy and Teddy Bridgewater), while the other was Kellen Mond. Sam Darnold has taken McCarthy’s place under center, and while there’s a lot to like about that roster, it’s going to be hard to beat elite teams with that quarterback situation. WIN

Ben: These Minnesota Vikings don’t concern me too much from Detroit’s perspective this year. We can sit here and talk about how Sam Darnold could be an ideal fit for this offense and how Justin Jefferson has the ability to win a game by himself. And while those things can and might be true, I’m trusting this improved defense to handle the task and the elite offensive line to keep Minnesota’s blitz-happy defense at bay. WIN

Week 8 – vs. Tennessee Titans 1 p.m. Oct. 27 on Fox

Kyle: Canning Mike Vrabel is going to haunt the Titans more than they think. Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins will be a tough 1-2 punch, but Terrion Arnold is going to grow up fast, and if training camp is any indication, he should be in good shape by now. WIN

Ben: Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins, with Treylon Burks potentially offering more, are intriguing for the Titans. But I don’t take much stock in this version of this team with no Derrick Henry or Mike Vrabel and Will Levis under the center running the show. No amount of love I have for Tyjae Spears can make me say nice things about the Titans. WIN

Week 9 – at Green Bay Packers 4:25 p.m. Nov. 3 on Fox

Kyle: The Lions were very good last year, but had some deep struggles against Green Bay and dropped a tough game on Thanksgiving. And that was before Jordan Love really got the Packers going. Detroit has struggled with quarterbacks like that under Aaron Glenn, and a road trip into Wisconsin for a potentially cold-weather game could be tough. LOSS

Ben: The one major change I’m making from my way-too-early predictions is right here. I had the Lions rolling through the division unblemished; maybe that was due to the annoyance of watching the national media talk about Jordan Love and Green Bay with every passing breath in the offseason, ignoring the roster-building here in Detroit in the process. But I will say this: Love is for real, and the Packers are, too (ducks). Green Bay has one of the more overlooked young receiver rooms in the NFL, and the addition of Josh Jacobs probably isn’t getting enough love. LOSS

Week 10 – at Houston Texans 8:20 p.m. Nov. 10 on NBC

Kyle: The Lions haven’t had a losing streak since 2022, their longest stretch ever without consecutive losses. But all good things must end eventually, and Houston is one of the best up-and-coming teams in the AFC. Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Nico Collins could be one of the best receiver units in the league, while there’s no telling what C.J. Stroud is capable of in Year 2. LOSS

Ben: And with that, here comes a little adversity for this team to work and learn through. C.J. Stroud and Love in back-to-back weeks on the road is no easy task, especially with this one coming in prime-time action from what is sure to be a rowdy, fired-up crowd in Houston. Stroud gets Stefon Diggs to pair with Tank Del and Nico Collins, with Joe Mixon joining the backfield and Will Anderson Jr. entering Year 2. Texas has not been friendly to the Lions this season and I have them losing back-to-back games here for the first time in a minute, but don’t fret! LOSS

Week 11 – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 1 p.m. Nov. 17 on CBS

Kyle: I know a lot of people think Jacksonville could be sneaky good this year, but I’m just not buying it. Detroit is simply better, deeper and will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak in front of blood-thirsty home crowd that hasn’t seen their team in three weeks. WIN

Ben: Can Jacksonville bounce back after last year’s disappointing year? Probably. Franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence has the ability to take that step forward, and trying to fill the void with physical, vertical killers on the outside in Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis was wise. And while this isn’t an easy task, being back at home with the taste of blood in their mouth should have the Lions at their absolute best. WIN

Week 12 – at Indianapolis Colts 1 p.m. Nov. 24 on Fox

Kyle: Anthony Richardson has started 17 games since he was in high school. Jared Goff started that many games in the regular season last year, then three more in the playoffs. I really like the idea of Richardson, but he’s just such an unproven commodity, and there’s no telling what kind of shape he’ll be in by late November. WIN

Ben: It’s easy to look at Indianapolis and see some of those pieces coming together, especially if Jonathan Taylor is 100% entering the year and Anthony Richardson can stay on the field. But this Colts team still feels like more of a work in progress, and the Lions should be able to attack their defensive backfield, setting up the run to pound it down the field on their way to a victory in Indy. WIN

Week 13 – vs. Chicago Bears 12:30 p.m. Thanksgiving on CBS

Kyle: The Lions have dropped six straight Thanksgiving games, half of which came against the Bears. Chicago looks like an ascending team too, linking top overall draft pick Caleb Williams with a receiver rotation that features D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. Then again, Williams will have never played in a stadium as hostile as Ford Field will be this season. On Thanksgiving, the bricks are going to rattle out of the joint. WIN

Ben: What was said back in the spring remains true – The Bears have built an impressive offense for rookie top-pick quarterback Caleb Williams. Keenan Allen, D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, with Cole Kmet, D’Andre Swift and an improved offensive line, is nothing to scoff at. But these Lions are the reigning kings of the north for a reason, and they need to prove it on Thanksgiving. I’m sticking with them against these upstart Bears. WIN

Week 14 – vs. Green Bay Packers 8:15 p.m. Dec. 5 (Thursday) on Prime

Kyle: Green Bay will be playing on short rest, while the Lions will be fully rested thanks to the holiday break. With Detroit on a three-game winning streak and its eyes on the top seed in the NFC, the Packers are going to run into a buzzsaw in prime time at Ford Field. WIN

Ben: The Lions aren’t losing two games to anyone this season. Back at home, with Ford Field in the national spotlight, is exactly where they want to be for this second meeting with the Packers. WIN

Week 15 – vs. Buffalo Bills 4:25 p.m. Dec. 15 on CBS

Kyle: Josh Allen is always a tough out. Then again, the Lions almost took him out in their last meeting in 2022. You know, when the Lions were just 4-6 and only starting to figure themselves out. They’re a monster now, while Buffalo is facing major question marks around Allen, notably the loss of Stefon Diggs. WIN

Ben: Yeesh, consider this the game I forgot about in terms of existing on the schedule. Josh Allen is a freak of nature at quarterback, and while the Bills haven’t hit on his window (yet), there is a lot to believe in when looking at potential AFC contenders on the other side of the bracket. Stefon Diggs is as talented as they come, but I think this fresh start without each other was a best-case scenario for the Bills and for the disgruntled wideout. LOSS

Week 16 – at Chicago Bears 1 p.m. Dec. 22 on Fox

Kyle: Like I said, the Bears are an ascending team. That offense could be scary good soon, and the defense is already there. And as any Jared Goff doubter can tell you, the Lions quarterback has been at his worst in the cold. LOSS

Ben: The Lions have a chance to right some wrongs from last year back in the cold, windy conditions of Chicago in December. So long as they pound the rock with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs behind that offensive line, I don’t fear these Bears (in 2024). Also, this is a chance to show Caleb Williams what winter football in this division is all about. WIN

Week 17 – at San Francisco 49ers 8:15 p.m. Dec. 30 (Monday) on ESPN/ABC

Kyle: There’s nothing more to say about that stunning loss in San Francisco last January. They had that game won, a ticket to the Super Bowl was punched, then they just kind of fell apart in an unwatchable second half. Retribution will be on their mind this week. Problem is the 49ers have the NFC’s best roster outside of the 313, and while major questions loom about their future -- including figuring out how to pay Brock Purdy after paying so many other guys already -- their present remains pretty damn good. The West Coast trip after a wintry game in Chicago is a tough stretch to navigate, too. LOSS

Ben: The Packers, Bills and 49ers in three out of four weeks down the stretch, whew, we’re going to know a lot about these Lions and their prospects ahead of the postseason this year. San Francisco is so loaded on both sides of the ball, and say what you will about Brock Purdy, but that successful franchise has stuck with him for a reason. Another offseason in Kyle Shannahan’s control should have him feeling even more comfortable as the leader and on-field decision-maker for this sturdy team. LOSS

Week 18 – vs. Minnesota Vikings TBD on TBD

Kyle: Before you scream homer at me, please remember that I picked Detroit to go 9-8 in 2022 and then 12-5 last season. Spoiler alert: Detroit went 9-8 and then 12-5. Chalk that up to dumb luck if you want, but there is something inevitable about the trajectory of this team. There’s nothing dumb or lucky about them. They developed young players during the rough early days of the rebuild, then continued to grow as waves of high-end players were acquired in free agency and the draft. And it has all built to this moment. The depth and talent was unmistakable during training camp. This team is loaded, and destined for the one or two seed in the NFC. And if they’re playing games at Ford Field in the playoffs, well, you saw what happened last year. You heard it, too. Anything is possible. Even, yes, the Super Bowl. WIN

Kyle’s final record: 12-5

Ben: Not much is changing here. The Lions close the regular season and NFC North with a sweep of the Minnesota Vikings, finishing 5-1 against the Bears, Packers and Vikings. And they might even get to clinch the crown in front of the faithful this year, depending on how things fall into place. WIN

Ben’s final record: 12-5

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