Lions have unique advantage thanks to 2024 schedule

The NFL announced its schedule for the 2024 regular season on Wednesday night. The schedule has several positives and negatives for teams to take away, but the Lions may be the biggest beneficiaries.

Fourteen of Detroit's first 15 games will be played indoors. The only game the Lions will play outside during the stretch is in Week 9 when they go on the road to face the Packers in Green Bay.

Two of Detroit's final three games are outdoors, but one is on the West Coast at San Francisco. So, theoretically, the only game the Lions could face extremely cold elements in will be at the Chicago Bears in Week 16.

There is also a bit of an asterisk over two games that will be played at venues that have roofs that open: Week 3 at the Cardinals and Week 12 at the Colts. However, it's fair to assume it will still be too hot in Arizona in September and too cold or rainy in Indianapolis in late November.

Some may question why this is an advantage for the Lions, who have been built on grit and toughness under head coach Dan Campbell.

Detroit is fundamentally a dome team. In 2023, the team had the second-best offense in passing yards per game (258.9), a stat that can be replicated or even improved without any interference from the outside elements.

If the Lions can secure the NFC's No. 1 seed by season's end, their playoff run could be entirely indoors since the Super Bowl will be played in the New Orleans Saints' Superdome.

Detroit has to earn that right, but it proved to be nearly good enough last season, falling just three points short (34-31) to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.

The Lions aspire to finally make it to the Super Bowl this year, and their schedule gives them a great chance to do just that.