It has been a decade since the Detroit Lions last were a part of Monday Night Football, but it appears the drought is set to come to an end in 2011. Mike O'Hara of FOXSportsDetroit.com reports that the Lions will host the Bears as part of Monday Night Football on Oct. 10, 2011.
Although the schedule isn't going to be released until 7 p.m. Tuesday night, there have already been quite a few leaks involving when teams are set to play certain games. It's no surprise this news is part of the leaks, as this is by far the biggest schedule story for the Lions. They have not been shown much love when it comes to getting primetime games (Thanksgiving doesn't count) in the last decade, so this would signify a shift in the perception of the team. It was already a good sign last week when it came out that the Lions' preseason game against the Patriots would be nationally televised, but hosting a Monday Night Football game would be the icing on the cake for sure.
The full 2011 NFL schedule is set to come out at 7 p.m., but stay tuned for more leaks. A year ago, the Lions' full schedule came out before the NFL intended, and based on this news already being reported, I would expect the same this year.