Lions vs. Commanders: How to watch and stream today's preseason game

The Detroit Lions make their 2026 Ford Field debut today in week two of the preseason. 

Last week, the Lions lost to the Bengals in Cincinnatti. But as camp rolls on, the internal competition for roster spots and playing time heats up.

Lions vs. Commanders

Big picture view:

The Lions open Ford Field today against the Washington Commanders.

Dig deeper:

FOX 2 has you covered from pregame to postgame and the game in-between. 

• At 11:30 a.m., watch Home of the Lions Pregame for the latest news out of camp, heading into the preseason home opener.
• 12 p.m. is kickoff. We'll have all the action as the Lions host the Commanders in Detroit.
• After the game, watch Home of the Lions Postgame. Lomas Brown joins us to break down the game.

You'll also hear from Lions Coach Dan Campbell and from some of the players after the game. 

How to watch

Big picture view:

Those in WJBK FOX 2's demographic area can watch or stream the game:

• On your TV on FOX 2
• On your TV via the FOX LOCAL app
• On your phone via the FOX Local app or FOX2detroit.com
• In the video player above

What's next:

The Lions will have one more preseason game, playing at the Colts next Saturday, Aug. 29.

The NFL regular season kicks off for the Lions on FOX 2 against the Saints at 1 p.m. Sept. 13 at Ford Field. 

Trouble watching the game? Check your location settings

If you’re inside the viewing area but still getting a "stream not available in your location" message, try the following:

On Web Browsers (Desktop or Laptop):

1. Allow Location Access – Make sure your browser is allowed to share your location with our site.
2. Disable VPN or Proxy – Virtual Private Networks, proxies, or other tools can hide your true location. Turn them off and refresh the page.
3. Check IP Accuracy – If your internet provider is routing traffic through another city, your IP address may appear outside the DMA. Restart your modem/router to refresh your connection.

On Mobile Apps (iOS & Android):

1. Enable Location Services – Go to your device’s Settings and confirm that location permissions for our app are set to "While Using the App" or "Always."
2. Disable VPN or Private Relay – On iOS, go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Private Relay and turn it off. On Android, disable any active VPN.
3. Switch to Mobile Data – If Wi-Fi is showing the wrong location, try using cellular data instead.

On Connected TVs (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Smart TVs):

1. Restart Your Device – Sometimes a reboot helps update location info.Check Your Internet Connection – If using Wi-Fi from a different market, location may be incorrect.
2. Disable VPN or Network Tunneling – Connected TV devices using VPNs or tunneling services may not pass accurate location.
3. If you’ve tried these steps and still cannot view the game, please contact our support team with your IP address, ZIP code, and the device you’re using so we can help. You can find your IP address by searching "what is my IP address" in the Google search bar

Lions vs. Bengals preseason

The backstory:

The Lions fell to the Bengals last week in a sloppy affair with plenty of penalties and third-down drive-killing plays. 

Campbell said after the game that there was plenty to improve on.

"We played really sloppy, particularly on offense," he said. "We shot ourselves in the foot and we were not good on third down. And that was primarily because of drops-slash-penalties. So we got to clean that stuff up. 

"We've got to clean that stuff up. It's the first one, we'll learn from this, the guys will get better."

Lions players to watch

Dig deeper:

Despite the defeat, there were some bright spots with some players making a splash. Among them:

Defensive end Ahmed Hassanein: The second-year edge had four tackles and two sacks – including one against Bengals starter Joe Burrow.

Running back Jacob Saylors: The onetime UFL standout with the St. Louis Battlehawks was arguably the team's top offensive weapon last Thursday. Saylors had 83 total yards, including eight carries for 55 on the ground. 

Offensive tackle Blake Miller: The first-round pick had a solid showing in his first game action, starting at right tackle – especially given that the Bengals played starters for the first few drives of the game. 

Cornerback Keith Abney II: The fifth-round rookie had five total tackles with a solo game-high of four, with a fumble recovery, one catch allowed and one pass deflection.