The Lions are back at Ford Field for a Sunday afternoon game against the New York Jets.
Detroit and New York both come into Week 3 at 1–1. For anyone traveling to Detroit, this is also a pretty easy game to build a weekend around: a 1:00 PM Sunday kickoff, downtown Ford Field, and a full Saturday available to actually enjoy the city.
New York Jets at Detroit Lions
Sunday, September 27, 2026
1:00 PM Eastern
Ford Field · Detroit, Michigan
FOX
Detroit 1–1 · New York 1–1
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit after spending four seasons as the Lions' defensive coordinator from 2021 through 2024. That gives Week 3 a little more of a storyline than a normal early-season AFC matchup.
Not every football trip needs to be complicated. This is one of the easier Detroit home games to turn into a simple weekend.
A 1:00 PM kickoff leaves Saturday completely open and still gives you time downtown after the game.
Ford Field's location makes it possible to keep your hotel, restaurants and game-day plans in the same general area.
Early fall is a good time to spend some time walking around Detroit before winter weather becomes part of the equation.
This can work as a quick two-night football trip or a longer Detroit visit if you want time for museums and other attractions.
Ford Field sits right in downtown Detroit, which is a big advantage when you're trying to turn a Lions game into more than just a few hours at the stadium.
Ford Field
2000 Brush Street · Downtown Detroit
2002
Approximately 65,000 seats for football.
Fixed indoor roof.
Comerica Park, Greektown, restaurants, bars and several downtown gathering areas are close to the stadium district.
A cheaper hotel isn't automatically the better deal if you spend the rest of the weekend driving, parking or paying for rides back and forth.
Stay downtown if being able to walk to Ford Field, restaurants and nightlife matters most.
A downtown hotel can still work well, but you may want a car if museums or attractions outside the immediate downtown area are part of the weekend.
Hotels outside downtown may cost less, but compare the room savings against parking, transportation and the convenience you're giving up.
If you're coming through Detroit Metro Airport, think about airport transportation before deciding whether you actually need a rental car for the entire trip.
With a Sunday afternoon kickoff, Saturday is what can turn this from a football overnight into an actual Detroit weekend.
Spend some time along the riverfront and get a different view of downtown, the Detroit River and Windsor across the water.
If music history interests you, Hitsville U.S.A. is one of Detroit's signature attractions.
If you have a car and want a larger attraction outside downtown, the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn can easily fill part of the day.
Restaurants, nightlife and an easy stop to include in a downtown weekend.
Leave yourself some unplanned time to walk around Campus Martius, the stadium district and the surrounding downtown area.
A 1:00 PM kickoff comes faster than people think once breakfast, downtown crowds and stadium entry are part of the morning.
If you're staying downtown, being able to leave the car alone on game day can make the whole morning easier.
You don't necessarily need to leave Detroit as soon as the clock hits zero. Dinner or another night downtown can make Sunday much less rushed.
If your schedule allows it, staying Sunday night gives you a much more relaxed end to the weekend than immediately heading for the airport or a long drive home.
This is the kind of Lions weekend I wouldn't overcomplicate. If you're coming from out of town, get the hotel location right, use Saturday to see some of Detroit and enjoy having Ford Field downtown on Sunday. You can make a really good trip out of this without scheduling every hour of the weekend.
Tell me which game you're considering, who's going and what kind of trip you want around it. I can help look at the hotel, transportation and the rest of the weekend instead of treating the game as the only part that matters.
Start Planning My Lions Road Trip →This is an independent fan-focused travel guide from Rob Sturdy Travels. It is not an official Detroit Lions, New York Jets, NFL or Ford Field page.