Author
Christopher Boan is a staff writer for BetMichigan.com. He has covered sports and sports betting for more than seven years and has worked for publications such as ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
Detroit Lions’ Toughest Stretch of 2024 NFL Season
The Detroit Lions’ most successful season in more than 30 years has expectations through the roof for fans, players and backers at Michigan betting sites. The state’s lone professional football franchise looks to go a step farther in 2024.
But after winning 12 games and reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2023, coach Dan Campbell and company will face a stronger schedule in the NFL 2024-25 season. But what is the hardest three-game stretch? After the full NFL schedule release on Wednesday, we devised a formula to come up with the answer, which we will explain below:
Hardest Stretch of Detroit Lions’ 2024 Regular Season
Week | Opponent | Points |
13 | vs. Chicago Bears | 6 |
14 | vs. Green Bay Packers | 7 |
15 | vs. Buffalo Bills | 3 |
How did we come up with this scoring system? Points were assigned to each game of the 2024 Detroit Lions schedule based on our formula below – and check out the BetMichigan.com Detroit Lions Super Bowl odds page too.
- 1 point – Divisional opponent
- 1 point – Road game
- 1 point – Prime-time game (TNF, SNF, MNF)
- 2 points – Short week
- 2 points – Team #11-20 on ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings
- 3 points – Team #1-10 on ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings
This chart is exclusive to BetMichigan.com but it might provide some insights for folks using the best Michigan sports betting promos before they place wagers.
Detroit Lions 2024 Schedule
The Lions are looking to do even more damage this fall, beginning with the team’s Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams at home on Sept. 8. Detroit’s downtown Ford Field also will host games against the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Titans, Jaguars, Bears, Packers, Bills and Vikings in that order. Road opponents are, in order: The Cardinals, Cowboys, Vikings, Packers, Texans, Colts, Bears and 49ers.
It seems like oddsmakers are riding high on the Lions’ chances. As of May 16, the best price among the biggest operators, with +1300 odds, on the Lions to win the Super Bowl is at Caesars Michigan Sportsbook. That’s fourth on the board.
Detroit has a preseason win total over/under of 10.5 (over is at -115 odds, under at -105) and the Lions have -200 odds of making the playoffs. Now you can fully grasp just how high the stakes are in Year 4 of the Campbell era for the Lions.
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What Is Detroit’s Toughest Stretch in 2024?
Based on our scoring criteria, Detroit’s toughest stretch during the NFL’s 17-game regular season is Weeks 13-15, when the Lions face a trio of teams at Ford Field, in the Bears, Packers and Bills. Interest at Michigan sportsbook apps is sure to spike during Lions season.
The first two NFC North contests could go a long way toward determining which franchise will capture the division in 2024. The upstart Bears, under rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams, will look to do damage after years of mediocrity. And the Packers will try to ride the wave under the leadership of second-year starter Jordan Love into the playoffs once again in 2024.
Throw in a Bills team that has won double digit games in five straight seasons and you have a fuller scope of the reasons why we determined that Weeks 13, 14 and 15 make up the hardest projected three-game stretch for Detroit.
By then we should know if the Lions are for real or a one-hit-wonder when it comes to regular season and postseason success in the 32-team league. We have Detroit Lions playoff odds already, for those who can’t wait for the 2024-25 NFL season to begin.
USA Today photo by Eric Seals
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