December outside. Lions football inside. Keep this weekend simple.
Not every Lions game needs to become a giant trip. Tennessee comes to Ford Field for a 1:00 Sunday in December, which makes this a good fit for a straightforward Detroit weekend: stay somewhere convenient, enjoy the city Saturday and let Sunday be about football.
Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions
Sunday, December 13, 2026
1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Ford Field · Detroit, Michigan
FOX
The Titans were here in 2024 and Detroit won 52–14. This time Tennessee comes back with Cam Ward at quarterback after taking him first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Different Titans team, same building.
There isn't a long Lions-Titans rivalry to sell here. The more interesting part is how much Tennessee has changed since its last visit.
Detroit beat Tennessee 52–14 at Ford Field in October 2024.
Tennessee's young quarterback threw for 3,169 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a rookie in 2025.
The Titans will be looking for another step forward from Ward in Year 2 after making him the first overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Detroit and Tennessee don't meet every season, so this is a less familiar opponent than most of the teams that come through Ford Field.
If you're coming from out of town, a simple Saturday-to-Monday trip can work just fine.
Arrive, check in, spend some time in Detroit and have a good dinner. That's enough.
Breakfast, downtown and Ford Field for the 1:00 game. Don't pack the morning with things that have you watching the clock.
An afternoon game leaves time for dinner afterward without the late finish that comes with a primetime game.
Head home without trying to turn the fourth quarter into an airport departure plan.
Once you're inside, December doesn't matter much. Getting to Detroit, driving downtown, parking, walking and flying home are different. That's where I'd leave a little flexibility instead of planning everything down to the minute.
This is exactly when an indoor downtown stadium starts looking pretty good.
2000 Brush Street · Detroit, Michigan
2002
Approximately 65,000 for Lions games.
Fixed indoor roof.
Ford Field sits in downtown Detroit near restaurants, hotels and other entertainment, which makes it easier to keep a winter weekend compact.
A cheaper hotel isn't automatically cheaper once you add driving, parking and transportation every time you want to go somewhere.
The simplest choice if you want Ford Field, restaurants and most of the football weekend within a manageable area.
Being able to leave the car alone can have a little more value in December than it does in September.
A lower hotel rate near the airport may still work, but compare the savings with the extra driving and parking it creates.
If you're coming from Michigan, Ohio or another nearby area, decide whether staying downtown is worth avoiding a second game-day drive.
“It's December” doesn't mean the weekend has to consist of the hotel lobby and Ford Field.
A Detroit-specific stop and an easy way to put something besides football into the weekend.
A strong option if you have most of Saturday available and want a larger indoor attraction.
Another indoor option if art and museums are more your thing than spending December walking around outside.
Restaurants and nightlife that fit easily into a downtown stay.
A good place to spend part of Saturday if you want restaurants and bars outside the immediate stadium district.
Or don't overthink it. Walk around, eat somewhere good and enjoy being in Detroit for a Lions weekend.
A 1:00 kickoff doesn't leave much room for a slow morning once breakfast, transportation, crowds and stadium entry are included.
The game is indoors. The walk to Ford Field isn't. Dress for the parts of the day that happen before and after the stadium.
If you're staying Sunday night, there's no need to leave Detroit the second the game ends. Have dinner and let traffic clear out.
Not because of the game itself, but because December conditions can affect the drive or flight getting into and out of Detroit.
Tennessee is Detroit's last Sunday afternoon home game of the regular season. After this, the Lions head into three straight division road games around one final home game under the Monday night lights.
vs. Tennessee · 1:00 PM
at Minnesota · Sunday Night Football
vs. New York Giants · Monday Night Football · final regular-season home game
at Chicago · 4:25 PM
at Green Bay · date and time to be announced
Compare the downtown hotel with a cheaper room farther away after parking and transportation are included.
If you're flying or driving a long distance, don't build a schedule with absolutely no margin for December conditions.
Pick one attraction if you want one, have dinner and enjoy the city. You don't need six reservations to justify a football weekend.
That's why you're coming. Let the rest of the weekend work around it.
A 1:00 Sunday game, an indoor stadium and a downtown hotel can remove a lot of moving pieces. In December, fewer moving pieces isn't a bad thing.
I wouldn't try to turn Lions-Titans into something it isn't. If you want a December game at Ford Field, this can be a really easy weekend. Stay downtown if the numbers make sense, find something you want to do Saturday, have a good dinner and go watch the Lions Sunday. The stadium takes care of the weather during the game. Your job is just making sure the rest of the weekend still works if Michigan decides to remind everybody that it's December.
Tell me who's going, where you're coming from and how much of the weekend you want to spend in Detroit. I can help you look at the hotel, travel timing and the rest of the weekend around the game.
Start Planning My Lions Trip →This is an independent fan-focused travel guide from Rob Sturdy Travels. It is not an official Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, NFL or Ford Field page. Game and travel information can change; verify current details before travel.