If you’re waking up this Sunday morning, January 18, 2026, and scrolling through your phone to see what time the game starts, I have some news that’s gonna sting a little. You probably saw the Divisional Round matchups popping up on your feed. You might even see your friends in Chicago or Boston getting ready for their big games. But when it comes to the question of is the detroit lions playing today, the answer is a hard no.
The Lions are officially done for the season.
It feels weird, doesn't it? Especially after that magical run in 2024 that had the whole city of Detroit vibrating with energy. We all expected this team to be a permanent fixture in January football. But the 2025-2026 NFL regular season was a rollercoaster that eventually ran out of track.
Where the Lions stand on Sunday, January 18, 2026
Right now, while you’re looking for a kickoff time, the players are actually back home. Most of them are probably already deep into their offseason routines or nursing the injuries that defined their year. The Lions finished the regular season with a 9-8 record.
In a lot of divisions, 9-8 might get you a Wild Card spot or even a division title if things are messy enough. Not in the NFC North this year. The Chicago Bears took the North with an 11-6 record, and even the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings managed to squeeze past or sit right alongside Detroit in a tiebreaker nightmare.
Basically, the Lions finished 4th in the division. It’s a bitter pill.
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Who is playing today instead?
Since you’re probably looking for football to watch anyway, even if it isn't the Honolulu Blue, there are two massive games happening today. These are the Divisional Round matchups that the Lions were supposed to be in if they hadn't dropped those crucial games in December.
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: This kicks off at 3:00 PM ET. It’s on ESPN and ABC. Seeing the Pats back in the Divisional Round feels like a glitch in the matrix, but here we are.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: This is the one that really hurts for Lions fans. Kickoff is at 6:30 PM ET on NBC. Watching the Bears host a Divisional Playoff game at Soldier Field while the Lions sit at home is... well, it’s a lot.
The fact that the Bears are in this position shows just how quickly the NFC North flipped. Detroit won their Week 18 game against Chicago 19-16, which was a nice way to end the year, but the damage was already done by then.
Why the Lions aren't on the field today
If you want to know what went wrong, you have to look at the "middle" of the season. Honestly, the Lions were 9-8, which isn't a "bad" team, but they were inconsistent. They lost five games by a single possession. That’s the difference between being at home today and hosting a game at Ford Field.
Injuries were the biggest story. The secondary was a rotating door. When you lose guys like D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold for stretches of time, it doesn't matter how much pressure Aidan Hutchinson puts on the quarterback—the ball is going to find an open man eventually.
There’s also been a lot of talk about the coaching staff. Dan Campbell is still the heart of this team, don't get me wrong. But after losing key coordinators over the last year, the offense just didn't have that same "bite" we saw during the 2024 season. Jared Goff played every single game, which is impressive, but the offensive line struggled with its own health issues, and that trickles down to everything else.
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What happens next for Detroit?
So, if is the detroit lions playing today isn't the search result you wanted, let's talk about what is happening. The front office is already looking at 2026. Brad Holmes has some massive decisions to make because the roster is about to get expensive.
We have about 24 unrestricted free agents. Some of the names on that list are "culture" guys—the players who built this version of the Lions. Alex Anzalone is 31 and heading into free agency. He’s been the leader of that defense, but with Jack Campbell's emergence, the team has to decide if they can afford to keep the veteran around.
Then you’ve got Marcus Davenport and D.J. Reader. These were big-name additions meant to solidify the trenches, but injuries and cap space might make them "one-and-done" or "two-and-done" players in Detroit.
Looking ahead to the 2026 schedule
Even though they aren't playing today, we already know who they'll be facing next fall. Because they finished 4th in the NFC North, they actually get a "last-place" schedule, which sounds insulting but is actually a huge advantage for a bounce-back year.
They’ll be playing:
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- The usual NFC North suspects (Bears, Packers, Vikings) home and away.
- The entire NFC South and AFC East.
- The 4th place finishers from the AFC South (Titans), NFC East (Giants), and NFC West (Cardinals).
On paper? That’s a schedule that could lead to 11 or 12 wins if they stay healthy.
Actionable steps for Lions fans today
If you’re bummed out that there’s no Lions game, here’s how you can actually stay productive in your fandom today:
- Watch the Rams vs. Bears game: Keep an eye on Chicago. They are the new benchmark in the division. Understanding how they play helps you understand what the Lions need to do to take the North back in 2026.
- Check the Mock Drafts: Now that the Lions' pick is locked in (they'll be drafting in the middle of the first round), sites like PFF and The Athletic are already churning out mocks. Detroit desperately needs offensive line depth and another twitchy edge rusher to help Hutchinson.
- Monitor the Free Agency Rumors: Watch the veterans on the field today. Some of the guys playing for the Texans or the Rams might be cap casualties in March. Those are exactly the types of players Brad Holmes likes to snag on short-term, "prove-it" deals.
The Lions aren't playing today, and yeah, it sucks. But the window isn't closed. It’s just been a very long, very loud wake-up call. The standard in Detroit has changed. We aren't happy with 9-8 anymore, and that’s actually a sign of progress, even if it doesn't feel like it while you're watching someone else play in the Divisional Round.
Keep an eye on the injury reports and the scouting combine news coming up in February. That's where the 2026 Super Bowl run actually starts.