The Detroit Lions hope to win their fifth straight game in Week 10 against the New England Patriots. They were able to turn their season around after a slow start, largely thanks to a massive defensive improvement. But this week, they have a unique challenge. Not only do they face the reigning AFC champions, but they are also headed to their first international game in over a decade.
The Lions are presumably not happy that they won't be able to go through their usual gameweek routine. They are also entering a difficult stretch. Upon their return from Germany, they are hosting the Bucs, followed by a quick turnaround ahead of the Thanksgiving Day clash against the Bears. Keeping their positive momentum with a win over the Patriots will help them in this difficult two-week stretch.
Time, location, how to watch
When: 9:30 am EST, Sunday, November 15
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
How to watch: FOX, DAZN (for international fans)
Lions' travel plans
Any time an NFL team has to go overseas to play a game, it's usually the most chaotic week of the season. Teams have to go out of their routine and navigate long flights, jet lag, and different schedules.
There have been different approaches to this. Some teams go as early as possible and spend more time in the country to adjust to the time difference. Some teams want to minimize their time spent away from home and keep their trip short.
The Lions will be somewhere in the middle. They aren't doing what the Los Angeles Rams did earlier in the season when they went to Australia, but they are still waiting until Thursday night to fly out.
Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports broke it down. Wednesday will be the first practice of the week in Allen Park. Then, the team will have another practice on Thursday, fly out that night, and have another practice in Germany on Friday. Saturday will be the time to see Munich and finish preparing for the Patriots.
Lions' record in international games
Detroit has played overseas twice before, but hasn't participated in the International Series since 2015. The last time they played was at Wembley Stadium in London, when the Chiefs beat the Lions, 45-10. It was the seventh loss in eight weeks for the Lions, who ended up finishing the season 7-9 and missing the playoffs.
The first game the Lions played abroad was the year before. In October 2014, the Lions beat the Falcons at the Wembley Stadium to improve to 6-2 for the season.
Previous games in Munich
This will be the third NFL game in Munich. The first-ever NFL game in Germany was at Allianz Arena in 2022, when the Buccaneers defeated the Seahawks. In 2024, the Panthers and the Giants played in the same arena. Since then, Frankfurt and Berlin have also hosted games. Currently, there is another Munich game scheduled for the 2028 season, and two Berlin games for 2027 and 2029.
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