Lions rank among the toughest schedules in 2025 (but you won't guess where)

After conquering the NFL's best division last season, the Lions will have another tough path to the Super Bowl this upcoming season.

The Lions played the 6th toughest strength of schedule in the NFL last season and still finished with a 15-2 record, only to lose in the divisional round due to a wealth of injuries. Detroit went 6-0 in the NFC North, a division that went 33-11 vs non-divisional opponents.

With the NFL schedule release happening this week, sportsbooks and publications are in the business of ranking the toughest schedules this season. The Lions keep finding themselves toward the top of these lists, but this one is particularly interesting.

FanDuel Research ranks Lions as the 4th toughest schedule in 2025

FanDuel Research ranked the top five toughest schedules in the NFL for this upcoming season. They ranked these schedules by how many losses they predict each team to gain from the difficulty of their schedule.

For example, the Giants were ranked No. 1 on this list, gaining 0.88 losses due to their schedule. The Lions find themselves at No. 4 on this list, gaining 0.53 losses.

Luckily, the Lions are a clear No. 4 on this list, as there is a big fall off in "losses gained" between Detroit and the top three, the Giants, Browns, and Bears. This should come as no surprise to fans, as the combination of winning your division and playing in the NFC North will lead to a hard schedule.

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The Lions' toughest games in 2025 come on the road. Detroit has to go to Kansas City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles in addition to their road divisional games.

This is an absolute gauntlet of a road schedule for Detroit. Luckily, the Lions were a perfect 8-0 on the road last season, and are 18-4 on the road since the start of this Lions run mid-way through the 2022-2023 season.

The schedule loosens up a bit at home for Detroit, playing the Browns, Giants, and Steelers at home in Ford Field. Unfortunately, they still have to face the Buccaneers for the fourth time in three seasons and the Cowboys, in addition to their three divisional opponents at home.

Due to this schedule, FanDuel has the Lions' win total at 10.5 for the 2025 season. The Lions have won 12 and 15 games in consecutive regular seasons, and arguably have the best roster in that stretch going into this season.

Overall, as much as it inconveniences the Lions, I think a difficult schedule may be good for this team. Having to play tough teams all year should prepare them for the playoffs, and if they can stay healthy, they should be a force to be reckoned with for Super Bowl LX.

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