The Detroit Lions will not be playing on Sunday, October 18, because they have a bye week in Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season. Detroit is one of four teams taking a scheduled week off, alongside the Cincinnati Bengals and more.
The break comes after they wrapped up their fifth game with a convincing 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on October 11. Unlike an injury-related absence or a postponed matchup, a bye week is built into the NFL schedule to give teams time away from game action during the regular season.
Dan Campbell‘s team will not have a game to prepare for this Sunday, allowing the coaching staff and players to recover, evaluate their performance and address areas that need improvement before returning to the field.
When do the Detroit Lions play next after their Week 6 bye?
The Detroit Lions will return to action on Sunday, October 25, 2026, against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7 of the NFL regular season. The divisional matchup is scheduled for 4:25 PM ET at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
Malcolm Rodriguez #44 of the Detroit Lions (Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
They will have a full weekend off before beginning preparations for one of its most important divisional matchups of the season. They enter their bye week with a 3-2 record after defeating the Arizona Cardinals 45-21 on October 11.
The victory gave Detroit momentum heading into the break, following a 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. The upcoming game will be the Lions’ first of two consecutive home matchups against NFC North opponents.
After hosting Green Bay, they will welcome the Vikings to Ford Field on Sunday, November 1, at 1 PM ET. Those games will give them an opportunity to strengthen their position in the division as the regular season progresses.
Game details
- Matchup: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
- Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Kickoff: 4:25 PM ET
- Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- TV channel: FOX
- NFL week: Week 7
