Detroit Lions Schedule Leak: Week 18 Opponent Revealed

Another piece of the Detroit Lions’ 2026 schedule puzzle may have just fallen into place. While the NFL has yet to officially release the full regular season schedule, a report involving another NFC North team appears to have indirectly revealed who Detroit will face in Week 18. According to a report from Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune , the Minnesota Vikings are expected to host the Chicago Bears in their regular season finale.

Because the NFL now schedules all Week 18 games as divisional matchups, that leaves only one remaining NFC North pairing for Detroit. The Lions are now expected to close out the 2026 regular season against the Green Bay Packers . Lions vs Packers could decide NFC North again At this point, it is still unknown whether the game will be played at Ford Field or Lambeau Field.

However, the matchup itself feels fitting. Detroit and Green Bay have consistently battled near the top of the NFC North standings in recent years, and there is a very real possibility the rivalry game could carry playoff or division title implications by the time Week 18 arrives. The Lions and Packers have also developed one of the NFL’s more heated modern rivalries under Dan Campbell.

Physical games, emotional finishes, and postseason stakes have become common whenever the two franchises meet. NFL schedule leaks continue pouring in The Lions have already surfaced in multiple reported schedule leaks ahead of the NFL’s official announcement. Earlier reports suggested Detroit will host the Bears on Thanksgiving Day in a matchup that would feature former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson returning to Ford Field as Chicago’s head coach.