For the Detroit Lions, playing in Germany on November 15, 2026, will mark the franchise's first game in Deutschland. The Lions will be facing off against the New England Patriots at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena in Munich.

The game will headline a tripleheader on FOX. First of its kind for the last 10 years. The last time FOX broadcast a tripleheader was back in 2016. Here are the five key storylines to watch out for when the Lions and the Patriots take the field.

1. Drew Petzing Is Running The Show In Detroit

Detroit’s offense received a top-five rank from 2022 to 2024 and led the league in 2024 under Ben Johnson before he left. But it again dipped to the fourth rank last year under John Morton. With Drew Petzing now entering as the new offensive coordinator, the 39-year-old coach has some fresh tools, too.

They brought in Isiah Pacheco to replace David Montgomery and shifted star Penei Sewell over to left tackle.

Paired with Petzing’s background working across nearly every offensive position, it enables him to offer strong leadership to the coaching staff and help the unit operate at its best.

2. Drake Maye Looking To Build On Following A Huge Season

Drake Maye was exceptional last season for the Patriots and arguably the biggest reason they found themselves at the Super Bowl. He had 31 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions to his name. And ended up finishing as the MVP runner-up as they lost against the Seahawks at the Super Bowl.

Now, the Patriots have handed him a $68 million weapon in wide receiver Romeo Doubs. Doubs posted 55 receptions for 724 yards and six scores last season.

That level of production would offer Maye a trustworthy weapon in the passing attack. Fans will be eager to see how that connection translates into results on the field.

3. Super Bowl Teams Have A Great Record Overseas

History shows that teams fresh off a Super Bowl trip generally perform well internationally. Over the past decade, those squads have held a solid 4-1 record in overseas games the following year.

New England fits that exact mold right now. The Patriots even contributed to that stat when they beat the Raiders in an international game in 2017 in Mexico City.

4. Detroit Lions Hold A Mediocre International Record

Compared to New England, the Lions rarely played outside the US. They have only played two international games in their entire franchise history. Back in 2014, they managed to beat the Atlanta Falcons in London. But then lost to the Chiefs there in 2015.

In contrast, the Patriots have played five international games, winning three of them. However, their last time out resulted in a narrow loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. With New England already having prior experience in playing in Germany in 2023, Detroit is already under pressure to play at a new site, which they will be playing internationally 11 years later.

5. Carlton Davis Knows Both Teams And The Venue

Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis has a coincidental connection to this specific fixture taking place at this specific venue. He already won a game at this exact stadium in Munich with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, playing every snap and securing four tackles.

Furthermore, he started 13 games for Detroit in 2024 before signing with New England and grabbing two playoff interceptions last year. So, all eyes are going to be on him to see whether he can once again deliver a standout performance on a familiar stage against his former team.

Which storyline out of these would you be following closely come November 15th? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar