Could this be the year?

[Edonidd]

From the looks of it, there are only two teams on our schedule that could be named as Thanksgiving day games. Before the.offseason started it looked to almost definitely be Houston Texans at Detroit, they were the better of the two teams, and another young upcoming team that made the playoffs for the first time last year. But they have looked like poo this offseason, losing quite a handful of players. Which brings up the possibility of us playing Indianapolis Colts on Turkey day.

For the past 10 years or so, the NFL has done us the favor of giving us pretty much the best team on our schedule, and.usually one of the top 3-4 teams in the league as our opponent. Could this be the year we repay the favor and they judge watching us win (an expected) blowout would be good enough for the TV audience?

Seems like a good way to keep Indy from playing a different Prime Time game (every team gets at least one game every year) while still letting everyone get a chance to see Andrew Luck in a big game. Plus with the Lions probably having a bad pass defense again, and it being later in the year, that could set up nicely for Luck to have one.of his best games of the year, which the NFL could feed to their hype machine and start marketing another superstar.

Which team do you guys see us getting this year?

[FamousWordz]

The Bears

[Edonidd]

It's gotta be an AFC team this year, this is the year that Dallas gets on Fox (NFC) and we are on CBS (AFC).

[lionfan]

OK, so if it's AFC.....

Indy seems like a ratings killer, even with Andrew Luck.

So I'd probably say Houston.

BUT -- I don't think that CBS guarantees us an AFC opponent.

I'm saying Bears. That would be a great game.

May not even sell my tickets for that one. Usually I get my extortion money...er, preseason ticket money... back by selling that game.

[Edonidd]

Well I don't know the ins and outs of scheduling, but heard it had to be an AFC team, and obviously had to be a home game. So only Indy or Houston were options.

Another National game against the Bears wouldn't surprise me at all though. Probably at their house this year. But if they were gonna give us a division rival for Thanksgiving, it would be the Packers again. #1 overall seed last year, MVP QB, and more of a national fanbase than Chicago. They don't try and get the best games, but the most TV ratings, which they usually figure comes with the best teams and the best players.

[goblue42]

I have already speculated how are entire schedule will go as the home and away teams have been out for sometime. I would say we have a 90 percent chance of playing Houston on Turkey day with the Colts being the only other choice.

As far as national games I think besides the Turkey game I think the Lions will get at least one National Sunday game and one Monday game and perhaps even 3. They are an up and comming team and I think this is the year that the Lions will move to the upper echelon of the league. They are currently ranked 7th in the power rankings right now. The Packers are 3rd, the Bears 10th and the Vikes 31st.

I see National games that are most likely being the following:

San Fran at Detroit --Handshake part II
Green Bay at Detroit
Atlanta at Detroit

Detroit at Phila:
Detroit at Green Bay

I project the Lions to go 11-5 this year for what its worth!!!

Btw, heres how the schedule is put together each year:

Thanksgiving, one year we play the nfc the next we play an afc pretty cut and dry, this is our afc year. We rotate the divisions in each confernce on a yearly basis. This year its The nfc West and afc East. The other games are based on where you finish in your division. The Lions finished 2nd so they play the other 2nd place nfc teams For us that means the Falcons in the south, the Iggles in the East and then the whole nfc west.

[FamineGod]

As it is on CBS, who broadcasts AFC games, it has to be an AFC team. FOX airs the game between 2 NFC teams. The Lions and Cowboys rotate between FOX and CBS every year.

So, this year it is either Houston or Indy.