Detroit Lions: 5 Most Important Games in 2015

Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks to pass against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Lions defeated the Bears 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

2014 was a successful season for the Detroit Lions. They reached double-digits in the win column for just the second time since 1995, had a legitimate chance to win the NFC North on the last day of the regular season, and nearly upset the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Game.

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Is 2015 the year the Lions put it all together and win their first playoff game in over two decades? If they can survive their brutal opening stretch, Detroit should at least be in position to return to the postseason. With their bye week coming in Week 9, the Lions’ schedule is split perfectly into two halves – eight games before the bye and eight games after the bye.

Although Detroit doesn’t face the Green Bay Packers until Week 10, their toughest part of the schedule is the first half. Their first eight opponents had a combined 2014 record of 72-56 compared to the final eight which had a record of just 63-65  (which includes the 24-8 record by the Packers). With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five most important games for the Detroit Lions in 2015.

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