Detroit Lions 2016 Schedule
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced today their 2016 regular season schedule, which includes two nationally-televised games. Detroit opens the season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 (Sunday, September 11) and begins the 2016 home slate in Week 2 (Sunday, September 18) with a matchup against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field.
By traveling to Indianapolis in Week 1, the Lions will open the season on the road in back-to-back years for the first time since 2010-11 (2010 at Chicago, 2011 at Tampa Bay). Detroit played at San Diego to begin the 2015 season.
In Week 16, Detroit heads to Dallas to take on the Cowboys on ESPN's Monday Night Football (December 26), marking the sixth-consecutive season the Lions will play on Monday Night. The only previous time the Lions appeared on MNF in six-consecutive seasons occurred during the 1970-75 seasons. Detroit and Dallas have met three times on the MNF stage, with the Lions winning the most recent meeting 20-17 in overtime on September 19, 1994.
Detroit's 77th Thanksgiving Day Classic will take place Thursday, November 24 at 12:30 p.m. ET as the Lions host the Minnesota Vikings. This year's game marks only the fourth time the Lions and Vikings have met on Thanksgiving, and the first time since 1995 when Detroit defeated Minnesota 44-38. Detroit is 36-38-2 all-time on Thanksgiving Day, including wins in each of the past three seasons. For the fourth time since 2011 (2011 Green Bay, 2013 Green Bay, 2014 Chicago) the Lions will clash with an NFC North foe on Thanksgiving.
CBS will broadcast nationally the Lions-Vikings Thanksgiving Day matchup as part of the NFL's "cross-flex" scheduling.
For the sixth-consecutive season, the Lions will play on national television in at least two games. Since 2011, the Lions have played in 19 nationally-televised games (seven Monday Night Football, four Sunday Night Football, five Thanksgiving Day, one Thursday Night Football, two International Series).
When the Lions host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 (Sunday, October 16), the game will mark the first time in 45 years that an NFL team from Los Angeles will play in the City of Detroit. The Lions and Rams met at Tigers Stadium November 14, 1971.
Detroit concludes the 2016 regular season with a home contest against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17. The last time the Lions finished the season at home against Green Bay came in 1993 when the Lions defeated the Packers 30-20 to clinch the NFC Central Division title. Since that 1993 finale, the Lions and Packers have met four times to end the regular season, with all four games occurring on the road.
The Lions Bye Week occurs Week 10 (Sunday, November 13) of the NFL season.
Sep. 11, at Indianapolis Colts, 4:25 PM, FOX
Sep. 18, Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM, CBS
Sep. 25, at Green Bay Packers, 1:00 PM, FOX
Oct. 2, at Chicago Bears, 1:00 PM, FOX
Oct. 9, Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 PM, FOX
Oct. 16, Los Angeles Rams, 1:00 PM, FOX
Oct. 23, Washington Redskins, 1:00 PM, FOX
Oct. 30, at Houston Texans, 1:00 PM, FOX
Nov. 6, at Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 PM, FOX
BYE
Nov. 20, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 PM, CBS
Nov. 24, Minnesota Vikings (Thu), 12:30 PM, CBS
Dec. 4, at New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM, FOX
Dec. 11, Chicago Bears, 1:00 PM, FOX
Dec. 18, at New York Giants, 1:00 PM, FOX
Dec. 26, at Dallas Cowboys (Mon), 8:30 PM, ESPN
Jan. 1, Green Bay Packers, 1:00 PM, FOX