Lions have one great advantage to soften blow of difficult 2025 schedule

The Detroit Lions' 2025 schedule is among the toughest in the league, with a lot of tough road games (especially early) a particular highlight of the difficulty. Based solely on that, a repeat of last season's 15-2 record is, dare it be said, not going to happen.

On the flip side, the Lions will travel the fourth-fewest miles in the league (11,411) this season, with by far the longest road trip a jaunt to Los Angeles to take on the Rams and former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. The bye week would also be regarded as well-placed by coaches and players, not too early and not too late--Week 8.

The Lions will play on Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time since 1999. As a mark of their rise to success, and expectations they will continue to be one of the best teams in the league, they have just five games scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on a Sunday afternoon.

Lions have a notable advantage amid the gauntlet of their 2025 schedule

In the layers of the schedule, certain advantages can be revealed. Facing teams coming off a bye week when you're not doing the same is a disadvantage, as example. Facing a team on a Sunday after they played on Monday night is advantage. Playing on a Thursday night and having a "mini-bye" afterward is an advantage when facing a team that's going Sunday-to-Sunday the following week.

Of course rest advantage is a zero-sum game, with teams on both ends of the scale.

According to ESPN's Brian Burke, the Lions have a net rest advantage of 13 days over their opponents this season. Since NFL divisions were realigned in 2002, when the Houston Texans debuted as the league's 32nd team, that is the second-best rest differential a team has had.