Detroit Lions’ 2025 schedule has HUGE rest differential advantage

The Detroit Lions have one more significant advantage with their 2025 NFL schedule.

While the Detroit Lions are entering the 2025 NFL season with a historically-challenging road schedule, they do have an underlying advantage: they lead the league in net rest differential. According to ESPN’s Brian Burke, the Lions boast a +13-day net rest edge over their opponents. This means that, cumulatively, Detroit will have 13 more days of rest than the teams they face throughout the season. That number is tied for the second-most net rest difference against opponents going into each game since the league’s realignment in 2002.

This favorable rest differential is largely attributed to the number of Thursday games the Lions are scheduled to have, including three Thursday games within a five-week span: the traditional Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 13, a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, and a Christmas Day game at the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17. These Thursday games provide the team with extended rest periods following each contest, contributing to their overall rest advantage.

Such an advantage can be crucial in a grueling 17-game schedule, potentially aiding in both player recovery and game preparation. This favorable rest differential is particularly noteworthy given the gauntlet of a schedule Detroit is up against. The Lions are set to face a formidable lineup, including matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Minnesota Vikings—all teams that made the playoffs in 2024. In total, 12 of their 17 games are against teams with winning records from the previous season.

On another positive note, the Lions will benefit from minimal travel in 2025. Detroit is slated to cover only 11,411 miles throughout the season, the fourth-lowest total among all NFL teams. Most of their games are situated in the Eastern and Central time zones, with only one game scheduled outside of this region—a trip to Los Angeles to play the Rams in mid-December. This limited travel could help mitigate some of the fatigue associated with the rest disadvantage.

So while the Lions’ 2025 schedule poses a test in terms of strength of opponent and a tough slate of games on the road, their advantageous rest differential, reduced travel demands, and a Week 8 bye may help offer a reprieve and offset some of those challenges.