PHILADELPHIA -- The Detroit Lions are nine games into their 17-game schedule, so we’ll call this the midpoint and offer our grades on how things stand.
Detroit is 6-3, leading the NFC North while right back in the thick of things among the conference’s best. Heading into last week’s game against the Washington Commanders, there were some major questions about the offense. Then, Dan Campbell took back control of his offense to call the plays, and the Lions were back to looking like themselves.
Detroit has already lost more games (three) than it did in all of last season. After running the table in the NFC North on its way to consecutive division titles, they have already lost two divisional games.
Ahead of Sunday night’s tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles, let’s dive into our midseason grades:
#### **Quarterbacks**
It’s hard to put any of the offensive hiccups on the shoulders of Jared Goff. He’s had some elite days and a couple of ho-hum ones sprinkled in there. But the case remains the same; if Goff has at least decent protection, he’s the master of precision while leading the way. He’s on track for the best completion percentage of his career (74%) while throwing 20 touchdowns to only three interceptions.
Goff is on track to take the most sacks of his career, going down 18 times in nine games. While he isn’t known for his dual-threat ability to escape pressure, Goff’s pocket presence and fearlessness to stand in there to make a play are truly elite. With Campbell calling the offense again, Goff looks primed for another top-five MVP finish type of season as he leads the high-powered attack. **Grade: A**
#### **Running backs**
Much like with Goff, it’s hard to pin some of the struggles on the running backs. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have each enjoyed a couple of big games. But the numbers have been down, and they were at their worst in the Campbell era before the duo’s big day against the Commanders last week.
The Lions moved from 14th to ninth after last week’s showing, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
Montgomery’s usage and early-game role were down with John Morton calling the offense. But Campbell found an even share (15 carries apiece) in his first game calling the offense, with Montgomery seeing a role on the first drive for the first time in a bit.
Gibbs has 693 yards with a 5.4-yard average to go with eight touchdowns. He’s also caught 32 passes on 35 targets for 227 yards and another two scores. Montgomery has 466 yards and five touchdowns.
Gibbs is sixth in the NFL with 34 forced missed tackles, with a long rush of 78 yards highlighting his top-flight speed. Montgomery has found success despite seeing more stacked boxes than most running backs in the league to this point.
It’s been the same case for Goff as it is for the running backs. When the offensive line struggles, this group feels it, as they have been held in check in each of the team’s three losses. **Grade: B+**
#### **Wide receivers**
Amon-Ra St. Brown remains one of the best all-around wide receivers in the game. St. Brown ranks fourth in the NFL in catches (64), eighth in targets (82), fifth in yards (693) and second in touchdowns (eight). The two-time first-team All-Pro is on track to set a new career-best mark in touchdowns, with last year’s 12 within reach with eight games left.
Pro Football Focus ranks St. Brown fifth among receivers, with 52.2% of his work coming from the slot and 47.1% coming out wide, showcasing his ability to win wherever.
Jameson Williams’ usage was down before last week, too. But another change with Campbell calling the shots is an emphasis on getting the ball into the hands of one of, if not the league’s fastest player. Williams has 27 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns. He’s averaging 17.6 yards per reception, which would top last year’s figure that happened to lead the NFL among those with at least 40 receptions. Williams has five games with two or fewer catches, so it’s been an up-and-down ride.
Outside of those two, there hasn’t been much to go around for the other receivers. Kalif Raymond was largely used as a fast-motion decoy before Campbell took over. Isaac TeSlaa’s role has been inconsistent. But he’s flashed some big-play vertical ability with four catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. **Grade: B+**
#### **Tight ends**
Sam LaPorta was quietly enjoying a very productive season before landing on injured reserve. He has 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns, riding a hot streak over the last month with all of his scores coming in the previous five games.
Brock Wright has two touchdowns while remaining reliable in his dirty work role. Ross Dwelley has filled in the gaps on special teams after the team lost Shane Zylstra and Kenny Yeboah to injuries. **Grade: B+**
#### **Offensive line**
Listen, it feels strange to talk about this team’s offensive line this way. On the bright side, they still have some of the top talent in the league, led by Penei Sewell. But there have been many more bumps along the way than expected, even when considering the mammoth loss of Frank Ragnow -- while working in two young guards and a new starting center.
Tate Ratledge has continued to grow alongside Sewell, looking like a force to be reckoned with as a run blocker. The second-round pick has surrendered 14 pressures and two sacks, dealing with some growing pains along the way.
Injuries have played into stunting this group’s growth. Taylor Decker has missed two games and a ton of practice time while managing a lingering shoulder injury. Christian Mahogany is on injured reserve and not expected back until late December.
Sewell remains a world-beating stud, though. Decker is battling through the pain while still being one of the more underrated pass-blockers in the NFL. Those two are the furthest thing from the issue. When the Lions have been at their worst, it’s been paired with brutal days from the interior line.
As this group continues to mesh, while hoping Decker’s shoulder heals, they have shown the ability to hold their high standards. But it’s taken a little longer than many expected or hoped, and they’ll need Kayode Awosika to hold things down like he did last week as Mahogany works his way back.
PFF ranks the Lions as the second-best run-blocking unit in the NFL. But their pass-blocking metrics have slipped to 20th from the analytics site, a drop from where they’ve been. **Grade: C+**
#### **Defensive line**
Aidan Hutchinson has been all the way back, and then some. Hutchinson leads the NFL with 57 pressures despite seeing a constant barrage of double teams, chips and extra attention. Hutchinson is four sacks off the league lead, with his seven quarterback takedowns ranking 10th. He ranks third overall among pass rushers from PFF and sits second in terms of his pass-rushing grade.
Al-Quadin Muhammad has also filled the hole left by the injured Marcus Davenport very admirably. Muhammad has 32 pressures, and that’s nothing to scoff at, because that would have ranked him third on the team last season.
Alim McNeill’s return has bolstered the interior defensive line in recent weeks. McNeill has played most of his reps with DJ Reader at his side, while Tyleik Williams has seen a decreased role in recent weeks. Williams has already knocked down three passes at the line and has been a lane-clogging defender doing things not shown in a box score.
Roy Lopez has also fit the defensive line like a glove. The Lions love his ability to add another flavor at nose tackle, while he’s made the most of his 10-15 snaps each game.
The Lions rank 10th, allowing only 4 yards per rush, and rank sixth with their 35.5% third-down conversion rate allowed. They are also fourth with 30 team sacks through nine games, only seven sacks shy of the 37 they posted as a team in 2024. **Grade: B+**
#### **Linebackers**
Jack Campbell has been awesome. Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes have been right there, too. Seriously, the linebackers are right there with Goff in leading the way for these Lions through nine games. And Detroit has leaned on this trio to get them through its banged-up secondary, playing a ton of base defense with three linebackers.
Jack Campbell was handed the keys to the defense, and he’s been driving that thing like he’s Jeff Gordon in the prime of his career. He’s gone from promising first-round pick to solid starter to one of the best linebackers in the league in the blink of an eye. The 25-year-old already has a career-high four sacks and six tackles for loss, paired with 82 tackles, with 44 of those coming as solo ones.
PFF ranks Jack Campbell as the third-best linebacker in the league through 10 weeks, with his marks against the run leading the league. His 12 pressures also rank him 10th among linebackers.
Anzalone remains one of the best coverage backers around. Barnes is a Swiss-Army knife defender doing a touch of everything, who, along with Anzalone, has handled work all over the field as they have lived in base defense with all three on the field. **Grade: A**
#### **Secondary**
Go figure, mounting injuries have severely impacted Detroit’s secondary. Entering the year, it felt like the Lions had a chance to have one of the better -- or at least, most improved -- secondaries around.
Kerby Joseph has been dealing with a knee injury since camp, missing three games. Terrion Arnold has missed two games while exiting five of the seven he’s played due to injuries. DJ Reed has been an absolute home-run free-agent addition when on the field. However, he’s been on injured reserve since late September and might not be back on the field until December. Brian Branch missed one game due to suspension, so the Lions have been forced to rely on their depth once again this season.
Detroit’s defense allows 5.7 net yards per passing attempt, good enough for ninth in the league. They have also intercepted eight passes, with three of those by Joseph, to rank seventh. This group has the makings of being a great unit if they could get on the field. Still, the “Legion of Whom” deserves major props for holding things down. **Grade: B**
#### **Special teams**
Jake Bates has made 12-of-16 field goals and 33-of-34 extra-point attempts. He hit a long of 58 yards, matching his high from last year. But he’s had a low kick blocked in back-to-back weeks, and that’s something the Lions want to see improved. Bates has been money on kickoffs, though, regularly putting the ball where it needs to be between the 5-yard line and end zone.
Jack Fox sits ninth in the league with 42.7 net yards per punt. He’s dropped 16 inside the 20-yard line with no touchbacks, though.
Raymond has remained elite as a punt returner. He swung the game against the Browns with an electric punt-return touchdown. There hasn’t been much explosion from the kick-return unit, with Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors, Dominic Lovett, Craig Reynolds, Grant Stuard and Raymond all getting shots. **Grade: B**
#### **Coaching**
Major points to Dan Campbell for taking over on offense when it felt like it got to a needed point. And Kelvin Sheppard has put his name on the national radar in a big way, showing supreme flexibility and the ability to match up well with any opponent or any style.
Even with last week’s showing sitting fresh on my mind, it’s still hard to ignore the offensive slip to open the year. But it’s even harder to ignore the tough decision made by Campbell to replace John Morton as offensive play-caller. When you hear us talk about Campbell’s finger on the pulse of this franchise being one of its greatest strengths, look to decisions and results like that one.
To Morton’s credit, coaches, players and the man himself have taken the demotion in stride. They have made it about the team and Campbell wanting control of his baby -- his offense. It definitely wasn’t what the offensive coordinator envisioned when he signed on to replace Ben Johnson.
But the Lions are leaving the door open for him to learn Campbell’s offensive ways and expectations and reclaim the job. It seems unlikely based on the offensive results and Campbell’s words of “I know what I want to do and how I want to do it.” Detroit has a true leader and offensive strategist in Campbell, who continues to find new ways to take his coaching and this franchise to new heights.
With Campbell’s attention being pulled further to the offense, he is trusting Sheppard to shoulder an even bigger load. The 37-year-old, first-time coordinator has been an A+ new coordinator and is sure to get calls about head-coaching vacancies. **Grade: B+**
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