Let’s take a look at the Detroit Lions 2015 opponents and schedule highlights. The NFL will release schedule dates and games times later in April, but we do know who the Lions will have to play.

The Detroit Lions were one of the most-improved teams last season and came close to defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card game. They lost just one home game during the regular season and had a very impressive 9-3 record in the conference. They had an up-and-down season offensively, but their defense was one of the best throughout the year.

Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

Detroit's 2015 opponents had a 135-121 record last year, which puts them right smack in the middle of the strength of schedule rankings. Here are three of the matchups to keep an eye on:

Green Bay Packers: If the Lions want to take the next step this season, they will have to knock the Packers off of their perch. They will certainly have confidence going into those games after splitting a close series with them last season.

Seattle Seahawks: This is one of the toughest road games on the Lions' schedule while also being their toughest non-divisional opponent. They have only won one of their last four games against Seattle, but they haven't faced them since 2012. This should be a low-scoring game as these were two of the stingiest defenses in the NFL last season.

Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals, like the Lions, have improved in recent years and have given the Lions headaches for the last decade. They handed Detroit one of their five losses last season and have now beaten them six games in a row. Considering some of the other opponents on the Lions' schedule, they will want to win this road game to have a much better chance of going back to the playoffs.

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