By Michael Stets
The Detroit Lions 2019 schedule was released on Wednesday night, including two nationally-televised games for the upcoming season.
The Lions will open their season in Week 1 on the road against the Arizona Cardinals before three consecutive games against teams that were in the playoffs last season. In Week 2, the Los Angeles Chargers come to Detroit, followed by a trip to Philadelphia in a Week 3 matchup vs. the Eagles, and in Week 4, the Lions host the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since 2011.
The bye week comes in Week 5 before the Lions’ lone primetime game of the season, a Week 6 matchup at Green Bay on Monday Night Football.
The traditional Thanksgiving Day Classic, which will be the 80th anniversary of the game, takes place on Thursday November 28 at home against the Chicago Bears. The Bears defeated the Lions in the Thanksgiving matchup last season 23-16. The two teams met in the inaugural Thanksgiving game back in 1934, and have played 17 times on that holiday with the Bears owning a 9-8 record in the series.
And for the fourth straight year, the Lions will conclude the season against the Packers. That game will be at home with a 1 p.m. start time.
Here is the complete 2019 Lions schedule:
- Week 1: @ Arizona Cardinals (September 8) FOX 4:25PM
- Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (September 15) CBS 1PM
- Week 3: @ Philadelphia Eagles (September 22) FOX 1PM
- Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (September 29) FOX 1PM
- Week 5: (October 6) BYE WEEK
- Week 6: @Green Bay Packers (October 14) ESPN 8:15PM
- Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings (October 20) FOX 1PM
- Week 8: vs. New York Giants (October 27) FOX 1PM
- Week 9: @ Oakland Raiders (November 3) FOX 4:05PM ET
- Week 10: @ Chicago Bears (November 10) CBS 1PM
- Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys (November 17) FOX 1PM ET
- Week 12: @ Washington Redskins (November 24) FOX 1PM ET
- Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears (November 28) FOX 12:30PM ET
- Week 14: @ Minnesota Vikings (December 8) FOX 1PM ET
- Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (December 15) FOX 1PM ET
- Week 16: @ Denver Broncos (December 21/December 22) TBD
- Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers (December 29) FOX 1PM