3 Hardest Games on the Lions Schedule in 2022

Every team in the NFL already knows which teams they will be facing during the 2022 season, just not the specific dates and start times. That will be revealed at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network on May 12. The Detroit Lions have surely already circled a couple of daunting matchups on their schedule.

A Lions squad that just added a pair of first-round talents to the mix will aim to take a step forward in their rebuild this fall. Finishing with a winning record is going to be no easy task for head coach Dan Campbell, so let's take a look at the three hardest matchups Detroit will have in 2022.

Detroit Lions 2022 Schedule

1. @ Green Bay Packers

The Lions were able to pull off the upset over the Green Bay Packers to cap off the 2021 season, but it's important to note that quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not play in that game. The back-to-back NFL MVP owns an impressive 18-6 record against Detroit in his career and has beat the Lions by an average of 19.5 points in his last two home contests against them. If the Lions cannot stop Rodgers from picking apart the secondary, they could be in for a long day. Keep in mind Detroit finished with the sixth-worst pass defense DVOA rating in 2021 and allowed an opponent completion percentage of 66.0% (No. 23 in NFL). Major improvement is needed.

2. vs Buffalo Bills

All three of the Lions' wins last season came at home as players fed off the energy of the fans at Ford Field. They played much better on both sides of the football on their home turf, but that can be all thrown out the window when the Buffalo Bills come to town. Head coach Sean McDermott's team averaged the most points (31.3) and third-most total yards (403.8) per away game in 2021. No matter who the Lions end up putting on wide receiver Stefon Diggs, it is going to be a mismatch that doesn't go in their favor. Keeping him in check would be the key to pulling off a massive upset.

3. @ New England Patriots

One of the scariest teams for a young rebuilding roster to run into over the last couple decades has been the New England Patriots. Head coach Bill Belichick has settled into running his team a certain way and the veterans out of the field convey that strategy every single week. That could mean anything from powering through tackles for a few extra yards on offense or playing physical coverage on defense. When it comes down to it, New England is 7-3 straight up in its last 10 games against Detroit and has the personnel to shut down tight end TJ Hockenson and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. That is not a recipe for success for the Lions.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.