10 Takeaways from Lions' 2023 Schedule

All Lions provides its early takeaways from the Detroit Lions' 2023 schedule.

The Detroit Lions are viewed as the team to beat in the NFC North. 

A strong finish to the 2022 season, paired with an offseason of upgrades, has created plenty of hype. Detroit general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell are committed to building a winner. 

On Thursday, the road in front of them, on their path to the playoffs, was laid out. The season begins on Sept. 7, in primetime, against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

It will end with a divisional matchup against the reigning NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. 

Here are 10 takeaways from the schedule release. 

On the national stage

When the 2022 schedule was released, the Lions didn't have a single primetime slot. The regular season finale was flexed, so Detroit ultimately wound up with one night game slot. 

A year later, the Lions will play in the first game of the season against the defending champions. The Thursday matchup will air on NBC and kick off the NFL season. 

It marks the Lions' first trip to Arrowhead Stadium since 2003. The last time the Chiefs were scheduled to host the Lions, the game was played at Wembley Stadium in London.

Detroit will be heavily featured on the national slate. The schedule features five standalone games, with four in primetime. Among them is a return to Monday Night Football in Week 8, when the Lions host the Las Vegas Raiders.

Three Thursday showdowns

In addition to their annual Thanksgiving day game, the Lions will make two other appearances in nationally televised Thursday games.

The first is the season opener against the Chiefs. The second comes three weeks later, on Sept. 28, at the Green Bay Packers.

Televised on Amazon Prime, it will be the Lions' first game against Green Bay's new starter, Jordan Love. Traveling to Lambeau Field is never an easy task, but the Lions won their last game at the venue in the 2022 season finale.

The Week 5 matchup will mark the first time the Lions have played on Amazon Prime, which acquired the rights to Thursday Night Football prior to the 2022 season. 

Finale to carry high stakes

Two of the Lions' last three games will come against the reigning division champions. 

Detroit and Minnesota, considered to be the two best teams in the NFC North, will face off in Week 16 and Week 18, respectively. 

The first meeting between the two teams is set for Christmas Eve in Minneapolis. The second will be in the regular season finale at Ford Field. 

Assuming both teams play to their expectations, each of these two matchups could decide the division title. 

Low on travel

The Lions' travel will be among the lighter of the league. They rank 27th in miles to travel at 13,923, according to ESPN. 

Detroit will change time zones only eight times throughout the course of the season, which is the least in the league.

The team's farthest road trip will be to Los Angeles. Detroit visits the Chargers in Week 10. 

Campbell vs. Payton

Campbell and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton spent five seasons together on the New Orleans Saints' coaching staff. 

In Week 15, Payton's Broncos will travel to Ford Field. Campbell will have the opportunity to face off against his mentor for the first time. 

Denver is looking to rebound after a disastrous 2022 season. Russell Wilson didn't live up to expectations in his first season with the Broncos, but hopes are high with Payton taking over the reins.  

Bye week

The Lions will get their bye week in Week 9, following a Monday Night game against the Raiders. 

Before the bye, Detroit will play four games at home and four on the road. Following the week off, the team will play five road games and four home games. 

Top pick to visit Ford Field

Detroit will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 5, giving fans an opportunity to see Bryce Young in action for the first time. 

The Alabama product was the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He enters the league with high expectations, after a stellar college career.

However, there are concerns about how well his small stature will translate to the professional ranks. Lions fans will get their first look at the young passer on Oct. 15.

Return to Dallas highlights late-season road swing

The Lions will travel to Dallas for the second straight season. It will be a Saturday primetime matchup when Detroit heads back to "Jerry World" to face the Cowboys. 

It will be the end of a stretch that sees the Lions play four road games in five weeks. The road swing begins with a game at New Orleans on Dec. 3, and is interrupted only by a home tilt with Denver.

Playoff opponents

The Lions will play eight games against teams which qualified for the playoffs last season. Six of these games will be on the road, as they visit the Chiefs, Vikings, Chargers, Ravens, Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens. 

Seattle and Minnesota are the two playoff opponents that Detroit will host. 

Division dominates second half

Five of the Lions' six divisional games will be played after Week 10. Only the Week 5 matchup with Green Bay will be played before the second half of the season. 

Detroit plays three divisional games in a four-week stretch, beginning with a home date with Chicago. It hosts Green Bay on Thanksgiving, just four days later.

The Lions travel to New Orleans before heading to Soldier Field to play the Bears on Dec. 10.