It’s the NFL schedule release day, which means the 2022 regular season schedule is slowly leaking out. While the NFL plans to announce the schedule at 8 pm, some games will be leaked throughout the day, including some Detroit Lions games.
This story will be updated as those games are revealed:
11:55 am: Week 17 vs. Bears
The Lions will ring in the New Year by hosting the Chicago Bears in a Jan. 1 game, According to the Chicago TribuneGeneral Chat Chat Lounge
The Lions will have multiple holiday games this season. Along with their New Year’s Day tilt at Ford Field, they host their annual Thanksgiving game, and Week 16 of the NFL season falls on Christmas weekend.
The NFL has already announced its Christmas Day game this year, against the Los Angeles Rams against the Denver Broncos, but most other games that will be played on Christmas Eve.
Last year, the Lions lost twice to the Bears, including 16-14 on Thanksgiving.
—Dave Birkett
10:33 am: Week 5 at Patriots
The Patriot Way has (thankfully) left town, but the Lions will have a reminder of what they don’t miss this fall when they visit former head coach Matt Patricia and the New England Patriots in early October, According to the Boston Herald.
Patricia came to Detroit from New England in 2018 and was fired after three miserable seasons. He holds a prominent but mysterious role on the Patriots coaching staff, serving as some combination of offensive line coach and offensive coordinator who signs his name to contract and is probably groomed to take over for Bill Belichick one day.
The Lions beat the Patriots in 2018, but lost their last trip to Foxboro four years ago.
—Dave Birkett
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9:05 am: Openers vs. Eagles
The Detroit Lions will open the 2022 season at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, According to the Philadelphia Inquirier.
The Lions, coming off a 3-13-1 season, are opening their season at Ford Field for the third straight year and fifth time in six seasons. They have not won their opener since beating the Arizona Cardinals, 35-23, in Week 1 of the 2017 season.
The Eagles, coming off a 9-8 season, are one of five playoff teams on the Lions’ schedule this fall. They handed the Lions their worst loss of the season last year, 44-6, at Ford Field.
According to PackersCentral.com, the Lions will be close to the Packers against Green Bay this season.
The Lions have played in the Packers’ final game of the regular season five of the past six years, going 3-2 in those games. The Lions beat the Packers in Week 18 last year, 37-30, when Green Bay rested MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and most other key starters in the second half.
—Dave Birkett
2022 Detroit Lions schedule
This will update as leaks come in. All times, TV information is available to be announced.
Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 2: TBA
Week 3: TBA
Week 4: TBA
Week 5: At New England Patriots
Week 6: TBA
Week 7: TBA
Week 8: TBA
Week 9: TBA
Week 10: TBA
Week 11: TBA
Week 12: TBA
Week 13: TBA
Week 14: TBA
Week 15: TBA
Week 16: TBA
Week 17: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 18: At Green Bay Packers
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NFL schedule leaks 2022 live updates: Lions-Bears in Week 17