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The Detroit Lions are being talked about as a great fit for one of the biggest games of the next NFL season.

The Detroit Lions had high hopes to make it to the Super Bowl this year, but those hopes were dashed early with a 54-31 loss to the Washington Commanders at Ford Field. Well, say misery loves company, and after seeing the Chiefs fall so hard to the Eagles in the big game, the Lions are suddenly not looking so bad after all.

Now, the Detroit Lions are being talked about as favorites to try to take down the Eagles in the first game of the 2025 season.

Detroit Lions Against Philadelphia Eagles May Kick the Season Off

Now that the Super Bowl is over and the Philadelphia Eagles have been crowned the winner, as tradition holds, the Eagles will host the opening game of the 2025 NFL regular season on the first Thursday evening of the season. As soon as the Eagles were named champions, NFL experts and analysts started talking about which team might be selected to take them on for the opening game.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter took to X on February 9 to share some options, including the Commanders, Cowboys, Giants, Bears, Raiders, Rams, Broncos and, yes, Lions.

One thing that could help, or hurt, the Lions’ chances to snag the opening game is the fact that the team kicked off the 2023 season by taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. On the downside, it could be too soon for the team to repeat that experience, but on the upside, since that game was so well-received, it could entice the NFL to repeat the Lions’ appearance.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com is also talking about the opening game. He discussed four possible Eagles’ opponents for that first night of the season, and he was hot on the Detroit Lions.

“The NFC matchup we didn’t get to see in the 2024 postseason after the Lions’ disastrous loss to the Washington Commanders,” he stated in a February 10 feature.

He added that, “Even losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit should still boast an explosive offense led by Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Facing the Eagles’ No. 1 passing defense would make for an intriguing opening-game matchup.”

Patra also noted that “Vic Fangio suffocated the Chiefs” and asks if the Eagles could do the same to the Lions, who have a “better offensive line.”

Lions Draw Big Viewership Numbers

Patra also talked about how the current Lions team, under coach Dan Campbell, have brought big numbers for NFL viewership, which certainly doesn’t hurt in this situation. In fact, per Anthony Crupi of Sportico, the Detroit Lions were the most-watched NFL team in the 2024 regular season.

Brad Berreman of SideLion Report agrees that the Lions could be a good fit against the Eagles, stating that “the NFL rarely misses an opportunity to maximize an audience, and its bottom line.”

“Putting one of the Eagles’ NFC East rivals in the season-opening game would be fine,” he added, “but the Lions traveling to Philadelphia to kickoff the 2025 season would be immeasurably more interesting.”

We’ll find out who kicks off the NFL season against the Eagles in the middle of May, when the NFL schedule usually arrives.