Week 6
Bye
After games against the Patriots, the Cowboys in Dallas, and the Green Bay Packers, this is a good time for a bye. That’s a tough gauntlet of NFC teams to kick off the year, especially if the San Francisco 49ers take the step forward that many anticipate them to. Going into the bye week at 3-2 would be a good start for Detroit. It may not feel that way, but winning three of those first five games would be big. Winning four of those games would be huge.
I think 3-2 is probably likely. It is just as possible that that the Lions win the game against Dallas and lose the game to the Packers the following week.
Either way, it is a tough schedule out of the gate, and three wins is about what I am expecting before the bye week.
Week 7
At Miami Dolphins
Like the New York Jets, Miami has one of the worst overall rosters in the league. We don’t know what Ryan Tannehill is going to look like in his return to the field. The team found some success with Kenyan Drake last year on the ground, but it is tough to say whether that success will continue. Defensively, the Dolphins lost talent in the offseason from a unit that couldn’t afford to lose talent.
This should be an easy win for Detroit, despite being on the road. Talent-wise, the Dolphins are simply over-matched, Patricia has now had six weeks to get his system rolling, and the Lions had an extra week to prepare after the bye week.
This is a win for Detroit.
Detroit Lions 2018 Record : 4-2
Week 8
Vs. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle fell apart this offseason. They still have Russell Wilson, and Wilson continually finds ways to produce, despite lacking talent on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense is now a problem.
Seattle lost a ton of talent on defense, and it can no longer compensate for the lack of talent on the offenseive side of the ball. Wilson will still be running for his life behind that offensive line. While the addition of Rashaad Penny to the backfield should help solidify the backfield, it isn’t enough to make up for the talent lost on the defensive side of the ball.
Stafford should have no problem with the new Seattle defense, and the Detroit defensive line should be able to generate pressure against Russell Wilson. The Lions’ talented secondary should be able to capitalize on that pressure.
Lions should win this one against a talent-depleted Seattle team in Detroit.
Detroit Lions 2018 Record : 5-2
Week 9
At Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, and this is a divisional game on the road. I think that this is probably the toughest game that the Lions play all year. Anything can happen in divisional games, so there is hope for the Lions, but this Viking’s roster is improved, and it was one of the strongest rosters in the NFL last year.
There is always the possibility that Kirk Cousins doesn’t fit with his new system. It’s not something that I’m counting on.
This game was a 14-7 victory for Detroit last year. It was one of Keenum’s first games as a starter for the Vikings, and it was the game that Dalvin Cook went down with a season ending injury. The quarterback situation is improved, and Dalvin Cook should be back and healthy. The Lions probably won’t have the Vikings at a disadvantage this time around.
Detroit Lions 2018 Record : 5-3
Week 10
At Chicago Bears
Doesn’t matter whether it is in Detroit or in Chicago, Detroit is the more talented roster and they have had little issue with the Bears in recent history. The Bears’ roster is certainly on the rise, but their entire franchise is depending on Mitchell Trubisky taking a big step forward in his sophomore season. That is never something that you want to hang the success of a franchise on.
The Lions secondary will give Trubisky trouble from the get-go, and the Bears will have to rely on their running game to move the ball. The Lions’ offense simply has more firepower than the Bears will be able to keep up with.
Despite taking place in Chicago, this game should be an easy victory for the Lions.
Detroit Lions 2018 Record : 6-3
