The Lions preseason schedule will be announced about 4 p.m. today (Thursday).

  The 2013 NFL regular season schedule is expected to be released in about two weeks.

   In the 2013 regular season the Lions will play at home against the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 The Lions will hit the road to play Bears, Packers, Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

   No date has been announced for the regular season schedule release but it’s typically the week before the NFL draft which runs April 25-27.

  (Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her new book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)