2019 Detroit Lions Schedule
Detroit opens 2019 NFL Preseason at home vs. New England
The Detroit Lions announced the team’s 2019 NFL Preseason opponents, which includes a nationally-televised game against the Buffalo Bills on Friday, August 23 (Week 3, CBS). The Lions 2019 Preseason schedule also features a Week 1 home game against the New England Patriots, as well as road contests against the Houston Texans (Week 2) and Cleveland Browns (Week 4).
2019 PRESEASON OPPONENTS
Preseason Week 1 Thursday, August 8 vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 7:30 p.m.
The Lions welcome the defending Super Bowl Champions in the 2019 NFL Preseason opener, marking the 10th time Detroit and New England have faced off in the Preseason. The game will mark the teams’ third meeting in the last seven years (2013, 2017), with the Patriots winning the most recent matchup 30-28 in 2017. Detroit leads the all-time Preseason series 6-3-0.
Preseason Week 2 Saturday, August 17 at Houston Texans 8:00 p.m.
In Preseason Week 2, Detroit travels to Houston for the team’s first-ever Preseason clash with the Texans. Detroit last played a Preseason game in Houston against the Houston Oilers in 1996 before the team moved to Tennessee.
Preseason Week 3 Friday, August 23 vs. BUFFALO BILLS 8:00 p.m.
The Lions conclude their Preseason home schedule in Week 3 when they welcome the Buffalo Bills back to Ford Field. The contest, which will be broadcast nationally on CBS, will mark the 38th time the two clubs have met in the Preseason. The Lions lead the all-time Preseason series 24-12-1.
Preseason Week 4 Thursday, August 29 at Cleveland Browns. 7:30 p.m.
Detroit closes out the 2019 NFL Preseason on the road against the Cleveland Browns. The Lions and Browns have squared off in the Preseason more than any other Lions opponent with 47 meetings dating back to 1951. Detroit leads the Preseason series with a record of 25-21-1.
2019 DETROIT LIONS SCHEDULE
(*** DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***)
Wk Gm DATE OPPONENT TV TIME (ET)
1 1 Sunday, September 8 at Arizona Cardinals FOX 4:25 p.m.
2 2 Sunday, September 15 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CBS 1:00 p.m.
3 3 Sunday, September 22 at Philadelphia Eagles FOX 1:00 p.m.
4 4 Sunday, September 29 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FOX 1:00 p.m.
5 — Sunday, October 6 ***BYE WEEK***
6 5 Monday, October 14 at Green Bay Packers ESPN# 8:15 p.m.
7 6 Sunday, October 20 MINNESOTA VIKINGS FOX 1:00 p.m.
8 7 Sunday, October 27 NEW YORK GIANTS FOX 1:00 p.m.
9 8 Sunday, November 3 at Oakland Raiders FOX 4:05 p.m.
10 9 Sunday, November 10 at Chicago Bears CBS 1:00 p.m.
11 10 Sunday, November 17 DALLAS COWBOYS FOX 1:00 p.m.
12 11 Sunday, November 24 at Washington Redskins FOX 1:00 p.m.
13 12 Thursday, November 28 CHICAGO BEARS FOX# 12:30 p.m.
14 13 Sunday, December 8 at Minnesota Vikings FOX 1:00 p.m.
15 14 Sunday, December 15 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOX 1:00 p.m.
16 15 Saturday, Dec. 21/Sunday, Dec. 22 at Denver Broncos TBD TBD
17 16 Sunday, December 29 GREEN BAY PACKERS FOX 1:00 p.m.
All times Eastern Time (ET); Home Games in BOLD CAPS; # Nationally Televised
NFL Flex Schedule for Dummies
“Flexible scheduling” will again be used in Weeks 11-17. In Weeks 11-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. A flexible scheduling move would be announced at least 12 days before the game.
For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to December 29. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.
Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday or Monday nights.