Detroit to open season on Monday Night Football vs. the New York Giants
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced their full 2014 season schedule today. Detroit will open the season at home as they host the New York Giants on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, marking the first time the Lions will begin the season on Monday night since 1971 (September 20 vs. Minnesota).
This season also marks the first time the Lions will host a Monday Night Football game in four-straight seasons since 1981-84.
The last time the Lions began the season in primetime was a Sunday matchup at the Washington Redskins September 1, 1991 on TNT. The Lions have opened the season on primetime three times since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger (1971, 1979 and 1991).
Additionally, the schedule features the Lions’ 75th Thanksgiving Day Classic Thursday, November 27 at 12:30 p.m. ET vs. the Chicago Bears on CBS. This year’s game marks the 16th all-time meeting between the Lions and Bears on Thanksgiving, with Chicago holding the all-time edge in the holiday series, 8-7-0. The Lions last faced Chicago on Thanksgiving Day November 25, 1999 as they defeated the Bears, 21-17. Detroit is 34-38-2 all-time on Thanksgiving Day.
In Week 8, the Lions will play the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the NFL’s International Series. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET. While this season’s game marks the first time Detroit will play an international regular season game, it is not the first time they have traveled oversees for a game. In 1993, Detroit played a preseason game as part of the American Bowl series in London against the Dallas Cowboys at Wembley Stadium. The Lions and Cowboys played to a 13-13 tie August 8, 1993. The Lions-Falcons game at London will air nationally on FOX.
The 2014 Lions’ regular season schedule features three nationally-televised games. Over the past three seasons (2011-13), the Lions have played in eight nationally-televised games, including at least two in each of those three seasons.
The Lions Bye Week occurs during Week 9 (Sunday, November 2) of the NFL season.
FLEX SCHEDULING
For the first time, flexible scheduling may be applied in Weeks 5-10. During that period, flexible scheduling can be used in no more than two weeks by shifting a Sunday afternoon game into primetime and moving the Sunday night game to an afternoon start time.
“Flexible scheduling” will be used in Weeks 11-17 as it has been in recent years. In Weeks 11-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights. A flexible scheduling move would be announced at least 12 days before the game. For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to December 28. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.
“Cross-Flex”
Also, for the first time, a select number of games are being “cross-flexed,” moving between CBS and FOX to bring potentially under-distributed games to wider audiences. The Lions’ home game vs. the Buffalo Bills (October 5) in Week 5 and the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game vs. Chicago in Week 13 were “cross-flexed.” Under previous, traditional broadcast patterns, the Lions-Bills game would have aired on CBS and the Lions-Bears game would have aired on FOX.
2014 DETROIT LIONS TICKETS
Season tickets for 2014 are now on sale
For information about season and single-game tickets, please visit DetroitLions.com/tickets or call 313.262.2222.
