About a month ago, heading into Week 5, Pro Football Network updated their strength of schedule from the beginning of the season to give the Detroit Lions the fifth-toughest remaining schedule in the NFL.
Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers will be the Lions' third road game in their last four, and it'll become four games out of five on the road when they play the Houston Texans on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 10.
It's also fair to say the easiest game that was left on the Lions' schedule a month ago is now done-Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans. From here on out, the Lions play one team that currently has a record below .500 (the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11).
Determining a team's remaining strength of schedule can take on many tentacles based on metrics that are used and how they're weighted, but any way you slice it the Lions have a tough schedule over the rest of this season.
The Detroit Lions will earn their lofty playoff seed
It's fair to say the Lions are the current favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and they are equally the perceived favorite to be the No. 1 seed in the conference for the playoffs. If they get that top playoff seed, they will have earned it.
Based on current win totals and thus remaining opponent's winning percentage entering Week 9, the Lions have the second-toughest remaining schedule in the league (47-30 remaining opponent's record, .610 remaining opponent's win percentage). Only the Chicago Bears have a tougher remaining slate, including the Lions twice. The Bears and Lions are the only two teams with a remaining strength of schedule over .600.
The Lions play three teams that are currently leading or tied for the lead in their division, and two of those may (the Texans in Week 10) or should/will (the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17) have an important piece of their offense back in the fold against them.
Of course having the Lions on a remaining schedule helps it be difficult too. Beyond the Bears, the Packers and 49ers also have one of the five-toughest remaining schedules by current win percentage going into Week 9.
