For a team that has not won on the road since Oct. 28, 2007, it probably doesn’t matter much where the Lions start the 2010 season. As luck will have it, it will be in Chicago, the site of their last road victory. The schedule was released Tuesday night. It will be a tough start to the season with three of the first four games on the road at division opponents — the Bears, Minnesota (where the Lions last won on Dec. 14, 1997) and Green Bay where Detroit has not won since Dec. 15, 1991. The Lions get a nice break weatherwise with a pair of games in sunny Florida — at Tampa Bay on Dec. 19 and at Miami on Dec. 26. Their last win in Tampa came on Oct. 19, 2000, and they have never won at Miami. They also play at the N.Y. Giants where they have not won since Oct. 24, 2004; at Buffalo where their last win was Dec. 22, 1991; and at Dallas where they have not won since Dec. 31, 2006. As expected, the Thanksgiving game will be at home against the New England Patriots.

2010 Lions schedule

Sept. 12 at Chicago; Sept. 19 Philadelphia; Sept. 26 at Minnesota; Oct. 3 at Green Bay; Oct. 10 St. Louis; Oct. 17 at N.Y. Giants; Oct. 31 Washington; Nov. 7 N.Y. Jets; Nov. 14 at Buffalo; Nov. 21 at Dallas; Nov. 25 New England; Dec. 5 Chicago; Dec. 12 Green Bay; Dec. 19 at Tampa Bay; Dec. 26 at Miami; Jan. 2 Minnesota. (All games at 1 p.m. except Thanksgiving game which kicks off at 12:30 p.m.)