2021 Detroit Lions 17-game schedule will include 9 playoff opponents

In Early January the Detroit Lions wrapped up their 2020 season with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. With the loss, the Lions finished 5-11, good enough for last place in the NFC North.

Now, the Super Bowl is in the books, the first wave of free agency is a wrap, and it is time to look towards the 2021 NFL Draft and the 2021 NFL schedule release.

With the NFL announcing that the regular season will now consist of 17 games for each team, and how the formula will work to determine that 17th opponent, we can now look at the Lions opponents for the 2021 season.

Obviously, the Lions will play a home and away game against their NFC North counterparts but as you can see below, they will also square off against teams from the NFC West (Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks) and teams from the AFC North (Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, and Browns). In addition, the Lions will play their equal in the final standings from the NFC East (Eagles) and the NFC South (Falcons). The Lions’ 17th opponent will be the Denver Broncos, as they finished in last place in the AFC West in 2020.

Though we do not yet know the week-by-week schedule (generally comes out in April but did not know until May in 2020) below is a full look at the teams the Lions will play in 2021. As you can see, nine of the Lions 2021 opponents are in the playoffs this season.