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2018 Detroit Lions schedule: What we know before tonight's reveal

One report says the Detroit Lions will open the season on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets; schedule reveal at 8 tonight.
A general view of the NFL shield logo on the field before Super Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

The NFL will unveil schedules officially at 8 p.m. tonight, but of course the leaks and rumors are underway now.

So here's what we know so far. And keep checking back for more updates:

No Pats on Thanksgiving

Lions president Rod Wood said last month that he hoped to get an NFC North opponent for the team's annual Thanksgiving day game, and that he didn't want to play the Patriots that day because "that’s going to be a big game no matter when it’s played."

It looks like the NFL bought into at least some of Wood's logic.

Boston radio station WBZ-FM reported that the Patriots will not play a Thanksgiving game this year. That, coupled with the Lions playing their opener against the Jets, means the Lions will play an NFC team on Thanksgiving for the sixth consecutive season.

"I think Thanksgiving’s kind of, division opponents are fun," Wood said last month. "We’ll see what the schedulers give us."

Along with the Jets and Patriots, the Lions play home games against the Packers, Bears, Vikings, Rams, Seahawks and Panthers.

Bye week matters most

Offensive guard T.J. Lang said he doesn't get too caught up in schedule release day. In fact, Lang said he only focuses on one thing when the schedule comes out.

"For me, the only thing I look at to be honest with you, is the bye week," Lang said. "That’s just trying to plan on, hopefully it’s in the middle of the season, hopefully you can split it up a little bit.

"I know you guys get a big kick out of it this time of year and start making predictions, but as a player we’re five months away from playing a football game. So a lot can change from here till then and right now my focus is just on the present, making sure I’m ready to go."

The Lions have had a bye week around the middle of the season for five consecutive years. In 2013, the last year they didn't, they had a Week 5 bye and closed the season with eight straight losses.

Lions cornerback Darius Slay (23) and guard T.J. Lang (76) pose during NFC practice for the 2018 Pro Bowl at ESPN Wide World of Sports on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. (Photo: Kirby Lee USA TODAY Sports)

As for the Lions' reported Monday night opener, Lang said he'll "get excited (about that) in September."

"I’ve never been a guy that really cares if we play at 1 o’clock or Thursday or Monday," Lang said. "Obviously, I think it gets portrayed to be bigger in the media, but it’s just a football game. And like I said, I’m not even in the mindset to start thinking about playing games yet. Just doing what I can now to try to stay healthy and get stronger."

Lions open on MNF vs. Jets

Matt Patricia's debut as Detroit Lions coach will come on Monday Night Football, coincidentally just like Jim Caldwell did four years ago.

The Lions will host the New York Jets on Sept. 10 at Ford Field, according to the New York Post. That game would mark not only Patricia's first regular-season game as Lions coach, but perhaps the start of a new era of Jets quarterbacks as well. The Jets are expected to take a quarterback with their first-round pick, No. 3 overall.

While one rumor surfaced early Thursday that the Lions would host the Jets on Thanksgiving, the tweet reporting that matchup was later deleted.

Lions president Rod Wood said last month that he expected the Lions to open on the road because of the Ed Sheeran concert that's scheduled Sept. 8 at Ford Field.

But with nearly half the league hosting Sheeran at some point this fall, the league apparently decided it was worth a quick stadium turnaround to put the Lions and Jets in prime time and take advantage of the New York media market.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!

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