When the Lions begin their push to return to the playoffs in 2013, they’ll do so with a helping hand from an NFL scheduling formula that will see them face most of their tough games at home. The Lions’ list of 2013 non-divisional opponents features games against teams that combined to finish with a sub-.500 record in 2012. Detroit will need to get wins against those teams, because their six NFC North games come against rivals that finished 2012 with the NFL’s best divisional record (35-29 combined, 31-17 without Detroit’s 4-12 record).

Detroit will play the entire NFC East and AFC North divisions. The AFC North had the best combined record in the conference (33-31), but that’s not saying much when you consider that all three of the other AFC divisions combined for losing records. Both of Detroit’s intra-conference home games present interesting storylines. Cincinnati (10-6 in 2012) brings talented WR A. J. Green to Ford Field to match wits with Calvin Johnson. Detroit will also face Baltimore (10-6 in 2012) for the first time since the Ravens beat the Lions 48-3 in 2009.

The NFC East was the conference’s weakest division in 2012 (31-33 combined), and the Lions have the luxury of facing the Cowboys and Giants – who they have struggled against in past years on the road – in the friendly confines of Ford Field. Detroit’s trip to Washington offers an exciting matchup between the Lions’ potent front seven and mobile Redskins’ QB Robert Griffin III.

Arizona (5-11) and Tampa Bay (7-9) are the two fourth-place NFC teams that Detroit will play as part of the NFL’s parity-based formula to round out teams’ schedules. The Lions will have revenge on their minds when they visit University of Phoenix Stadium because of the 38-10 drubbing they took in the desert this season.

The combined record of the Lions’ 2013 opponents (counting NFC North teams twice) is 138-118.

Lions 2013 schedule

Home: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Dallas, NY Giants, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay

Away: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Arizona

Follow Lions reporter John Kreger on Twitter at @CBSLions and @JohnKreger.