Some Detroit Lions fans were hoping for a blockbuster Week 1 showdown against the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles. A chance at revenge. A primetime spotlight. A statement. But instead, the NFL gave that Thursday Night Football opener to the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry — and maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
Sure, a Lions-Eagles matchup to kick off the season would’ve been electric, especially after Detroit’s surprising playoff loss to the Commanders last year. But coming off that sting, with two brand-new coordinators in place — John Morton on offense and Kelvin Sheppard taking over the defense — there’s a silver lining in easing into the season.
Let the Cowboys take the spotlight (and possibly a beating). Meanwhile, Detroit can fine-tune its new schemes, stay out of the early-season chaos, and focus on building momentum without the intense Week 1 pressure. Plus, a Week 1 game against the Bears would bring some serious juice — Ben Johnson’s head coaching debut against Dan Campbell? Sign us up.
The Lions are still very much contenders. They’ve got one of the league’s most explosive offenses and are retooling their defense. Missing out on opening night just might be the quiet setup they need to make a loud statement later in the season.
Detroit Avoids Primetime Pressure in Week 1, Thanks to Eagles-Cowboys Opener
