By Sunday 
The NFC North gauntlet and a slate of heavyweight road games set the stage for Detroit’s biggest test yet.
If you thought last year’s Lions were battle-tested, buckle up. The 2025 Detroit Lions are gearing up to prove that lightning can strike twice — even through a meat grinder of a schedule.
Fresh off a stellar 15-2 regular season, expectations are sky-high in Detroit. But as Dan Campbell made crystal clear during OTAs: “Just to get through our division is going to be brutal. But it’s the right kind of brutal.”
Heavy Hitters on the Road
Detroit’s schedule reads like a Super Bowl highlight reel. In Week 3, they visit Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Ravens. In Week 6, it’s off to Arrowhead to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. And don’t forget back-to-back road showdowns in Weeks 10 and 11 against the Commanders and reigning Super Bowl champs, the Eagles.
Oh — and if that wasn’t enough? Toss in trips to play the Bengals and Rams for good measure.
Luckily, the Lions thrive on road games. They were the only NFL team to go 8-0 on the road last season, and Campbell clearly believes this season’s road gauntlet is tailor-made for his squad’s evolution.
“I think it’s perfect,” he said. “Exactly what we’re going to need.”
NFC North: No More Gimme Games
Last year, three NFC North teams made the playoffs. And this season? The division might be even nastier.
- Chicago brought in former Lions OC Ben Johnson as head coach, signed top linemen, and loaded up on offensive weapons to protect Caleb Williams.
- Green Bay added explosive rookie wideouts and patched their O-line to give Jordan Love better chances.
- Minnesota is banking on a finally healthy J.J. McCarthy — with a stacked defense and arguably the league’s best receiving corps.
It’s no wonder Campbell’s already prepping for the warpath. His words? Confident, if not downright prophetic: “To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.”
Final Stretch May Decide the Crown
The season ends with away games in Minnesota and Chicago — two teams hungry for revenge and armed to the teeth. It’s poetic, really. Everything the Lions have built over five seasons could come down to those last few brutal weeks.
But this isn’t a team that blinks.
They built through the draft. They grew through losses. And now, they stare down the NFL’s most punishing schedule not with dread — but with swagger.
Because for Detroit?
Brutal is beautiful.