Every year, the NFL schedule bring upon something new for the Detroit Lions. This year, it’s a trip to Germany, a rare “Sunday Night Football” game at Carolina, and an early bye week. Oh wait, scratch that last one. It happens all that time.

Another constant on the Lions’ schedule is their divisional opponents. Like every other team, Detroit’s six divisional games make up over a third of their entire schedule. That means Detroit’s record within the NFC North will likely be crucial toward their regular season success. And with all three of their road divisional games crammed into the final four weeks of the season, how Detroit fares in those contests will almost certainly decide where they land in the postseason picture.

Last year, Detroit was swept by both the Vikings and Packers, and even though they ended up sweeping the division-winning Chicago Bears, it wasn’t enough to punch their ticket to the playoffs. So today’s Question of the Day is:

How many division wins will the Lions pick up on their 2026 schedule?

My answer: I’m going with three.

First off, let’s get this straight. There is no universe where getting swept by the Vikings again in 2026 is acceptable. I understand their defense is a very tough matchup for an offense-heavy team like the Lions, but Minnesota’s roster just doesn’t compare to the rest of the division right now—especially with the questions at quarterback. Because the Vikings still always play the Lions tough, I’ll give them a split of the series.

And I’m going to be boring with the other two teams, too. I expect a split with each series. I think Ben Johnson will have a chip on his shoulder after getting swept by Dan Campbell last year and find a way to win one of those games. And while I’m really tempted to predict a sweep of the Packers, I’m just having a hard time seeing it given how well they tend to play against Detroit. The Lions will have the benefit of the bye week going into their first matchup, but a Week 18 game in Lambeau will be tough, even if the Lions managed to beat them in that exact scenario during the 2022 season.

How many division wins do you think the Lions pick up this year? Vote in the poll below and share your reasoning in the comment section.

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This week’s Thursday was a relatively crowded slate, with eleven games on the docket compared to the handful we usually see on this day. Though there was not much drama in terms of close games coming down to the wire, there were bunches of runs scored and plenty to talk about. Let’s get into it.

Today’s Headlines

Mets’ Power Bats Propel Them Past Detroit

The New York Mets completed a much-needed three game series sweep over the Detroit Tigers at home on Thursday with a 9-4 win behind a strong pitching performance from Nolan McLean (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 6 H, 3 BB) and a power explosion that saw five home runs leave the park off of Met bats. The day started off in Detroit’s favor, with newcomer Gage Workman taking McLean deep in the top of the first inning for a three-run homer to put the visiting team ahead 3-0. Rookie A.J. Ewing answered in the bottom of the third inning with a homer of his own, the first of his career, to put the Mets’ first run of the day on the board. Momentum continued to swing in the Mets favor in the bottom of the fourth, when Brett Baty smacked a two-run homer that just barely cleared the fence, tying the game at 3-3. The Mets would go up for good in the fifth after Juan Soto singled in a run to put the team up 4-3, and Mark Vientos added a two-run homer of his own before the inning ended. Soto and Marcus Semien would tack on homers before this one was through, and Citi Field was left in good spirits heading into a weekend Subway Series against the Yankees. Detroit, on the other hand, has been in a bit of a free fall since Tarik Skubal hit the IL, and will look to right the ship with a home series against Toronto.

Phillies Win a Low-Scoring Affair in Fenway

Stop me if you’ve heard this one already this week — Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in yesterday’s game, his 7th over the last seven games. Schwarber’s league-leading 18th home run helped propel the Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox, despite 5.1 scoreless innings from their former friend Ranger Suarez, who pitched quite well for Boston in this one. Jesús Luzardo was able to match Suarez, though, keeping Boston off the scoreboard over 6 scoreless innings of his own. The 0-0 deadlock wasn’t broken until the top of the 8th inning, when Kyle Schwarber got a hold of a pitch off of Boston reliever Tyler Samaniego for a 417-ft. two-run blast that put the Phillies up for good.

Philadelphia will now travel to Pittsburgh to take on their in-state rivals, while Boston has the unenviable task of traveling to Atlanta for a three-game series.

White Sox Win Fifth Straight and Move Above .500

Don’t look now, but the Chicago White Sox are above .500 for the first time this season after completing a three-game series sweep over the Kansas City Royals, extending their overall winning streak to five games. Anthony Kay (6 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, 6 H, 2 BB) improved to 3-1 on the year with a fine pitching performance, and the young bats continued to stay hot with two knocks from 2B Chase Meidroth, who improved his season average to a highly respectable .281. Chicago also got some help from veteran Randal Grichuk in this one in the form of a two-run homer, and the South Siders suddenly have reason for optimism.

By The Numbers

0 Per Elias Sports Bureau, no player in New York Mets‘ franchise history had started their big league career by recording a triple and a home run as their first two hits, prior to A.J. Ewing accomplishing the feat this week. 

3 Per Elias Sports Bureau, the sweep that the Mets just finished off against the Detroit Tigers was only the third time in Mets’ franchise history that the team completed a three-game series sweep despite trailing by multiple runs in each of the three games. 

19 Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Emmett Sheehan induced 19 swing and misses in yesterday’s win over the San Francisco Giants, the most of any pitcher on the day.

442 Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz drilled the most impressive long ball of the day yesterday at a massive 442 feet.  

Best Moments From Yesterday

Grandson of the Wind Whips Around the Bases

I always love an inside the park homer, and this season seems to be bringing more than usual so far, partly due to some questionable defensive plays in the outfield. It’s easy to criticize from the couch, but I think even Teoscar Hernández would admit that he should have played this ball a bit better especially considering that it’s in his own home park. Either way, enjoy watching San Francisco’s Jung-Hoo Lee (nicknamed ‘Grandson of the Wind’ due to being the son of KBO legend Lee Jong-beom, who was originally ‘Son of the Wind’) fly around the bases here on his inside the park homer during the Giant’s 5-2 loss to the Dodgers yesterday.

Will Smith…The Leadoff Hitter?

With Shohei Ohtani being given a rest on the day after another masterful pitching performance, Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith got his first career start in the leadoff role last night and he did not disappoint, taking Giants starter Landen Roupp deep in his very first at-bat.

What Can’t McGonigle Do?

As the Detroit Tigers‘ phenom rookie Kevin McGonigle continues to impress at the plate and on the base-paths, don’t forget about what the kid can do with the glove. He absolutely robbed the Mets’ Bo Bichette of a base hit yesterday with one of the more impressive catches you’ll see all year.

May the Force Be With You

With teams all around the league celebrating Star Wars lately, the Mets got in on the action on Thursday with a first pitch that involved Mr. Met dressed as The Mandalorian, throwing Grogu to Mrs. Met. And that was a sentence that I never anticipated typing this season.

Baseball Has a New No. 1 Prospect

With Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin (formerly No. 1) recently graduating from the prospect list, we now have a new No. 1 ranked prospect in the game. Congratulations to Milwaukee’s Jesús Made, a freakishly athletic shortstop who has all the tools to become the game’s next superstar.

Injuries and Other Moves

⚾ Seattle Mariners placed C Cal Raleigh on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain, which can typically linger longer than those minimum ten days. 

⚾ Colorado Rockies placed RHP Jimmy Herget on the 15-day IL (right shoulder impingement) retroactive to May 13.

⚾ Lots of unknowns here still, but keep an eye on a developing story involving Los Angeles Dodgers‘ reliever Edwin Díaz, who has been linked to cockfighting events in Puerto Rico based on photos found on social media by USA Today investigative reporters. 

Articles You Should Read

“George Kirby is Unrecognizable” — Nate Schwartz, Pitcher List 

“You’re Probably Underrating Dylan Lee” — Ben Clemens, FanGraphs

“Buy, Sell, or Hold These Three Struggling Starters?” — Corbin Young, FanGraphs

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