The Detroit Lions (8-8) are eliminated from playoff contention, but they still have a Week 18 date remaining at the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field.
The Lions’ Week 18 trip to Chicago will have 2026 NFL draft ramifications. It could potentially have an impact on the Lions’ 2026 schedule, too.
If the Lions win at the Bears and the Minnesota Vikings lose versus the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, Detroit will finish in third-place in the NFC North and will face third-place finishers from the NFC East, NFC West and AFC South. A Lions win over the Bears combined with a Vikings tie against the Packers would also vault Detroit to third in the NFC North standings. Detroit could also tie Chicago and if Minnesota loses versus Green Bay, that would mean the Lions finish third in the NFC North.
If the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 18, Detroit is assured of a fourth-place schedule in 2026. Or, if the Lions lose at the Bears, Detroit is assured of a fourth-place schedule. If both the Lions and Vikings tie in their Week 18 games, Detroit would finish in fourth place as well.
So, even with the Lions eliminated from the playoffs in 2025, there’s still a fair amount to sort out for Detroit when looking ahead to the 2026 season.
Here’s what we know for sure about the Lions’ 17-game 2026 schedule:
Detroit Lions’ 2026 NFL schedule
Home
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- NFC East third- or fourth-place finisher
- AFC South third- or fourth-place finisher
Away
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Miami Dolphins
- NFC West third- or fourth-place finisher
Per the NFL schedule-creation process: Teams play six games against their own division (each team twice, home and away); four games against teams from a division within its conference (two at home, two away); four games against teams from a division in the other conference (two at home, two away); two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference (one at home, one away); and the 17th game is an additional game against a non-conference opponent from a division that the team is not scheduled to play.
This rotating schedule model ensures that every team plays each of the other 31 at least once in a four-year period.
Details about the Lions’ 2026 NFL schedule
- Detroit will play nine home games and eight road games
- One of Detroit’s home games will be played internationally, as part of the NFL’s international series
- Six games are against NFC North division rivals
- Four games against the entirety of the NFC South
- Four games against the AFC East
- One game each against the NFC East, NFC West and AFC South
