The Detroit Lions are having quite a lot of trouble looking like the same team on a weekly basis. After their latest defeat to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, the Lions have alternated wins and losses for eight straight games.
Now the Lions’ (7-5) playoff chances are getting shaky and it doesn’t look like there’s one big issue holding the team back.
Following last week’s 82.8 overall Pro Football Focus grade in an overtime win over the New York Giants, the Lions logged a 73.1 overall grade against the Packers (8-3-1). While not the lowest of the season, it was a sharp regression in another crucial game.
Without numerous starters available and an injury to top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown early in the game, the Lions offense did manage a 74.4 overall grade, but struggles to get the run game going and the offensive line having a poor performance in run and pass, it sank Detroit’s grade quite a lot.
For the second straight week, the Lions defense saw their grade go down, this time to 64.2. For a unit that was surprising teams early on and kept the Lions around in some games where the offense really struggled, it’s been consecutive weeks of being a let down.
Detroit allowed 359 yards of offense and a rough 9-of-15 conversion rate to the Packers on late downs.
See below for more on the PFF grades and rundown of the snap counts:
*PFF evaluates every player on every play in multiple facets of the game, such as passing, rushing, receiving, pass blocking, run defense, etc. It is important to note that PFF doesn’t base its grade on the outcome of the play, but rather what a player attempts to do on a given play.
Five highest-graded defenders (with at least 10 snaps): S Brian Branch (83.6), LB Derrick Barnes (73.8), EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad (71.7), EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (69.9), DL Tyleik Williams (69.5)
Five-lowest graded defenders (with at least 10 snaps): DL Roy Lopez (39.3), S Thomas Harper (45.5), CB Amik Robertson (46.9), LB Alex Anzalone (52.1), EDGE Marcus Davenport (56.2)
Five highest-graded offensive players (with at least 10 snaps): WR Jameson Williams (91.2), QB Jared Goff (81.0), OL Penei Sewell (75.0), OL Tate Ratledge (71.8), WR Tom Kennedy (69.4)
Five lowest-graded offensive players (with at least 10 snaps): TE Ross Dwelley (44.4), OL Dan Skipper (45.8), OL Trystan Colon (49.6), TE Anthony Firkser (51.1), OL Kayode Awosika (51.1)
*The Lions offense was depleted and the backup performances were a mixed bag. In place of the injured Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright, Ross Dwelley and Anthony Firkser didn’t inspire much, recording two of the worst offensive PFF grades for the team. Dwelley did have a top-five pass-blocking grade, but suffered in run blocking and only catching 1-of-3 targets. Trystan Colon and Kayode Awosika filling in along the interior O-line also had rough performances, each allowing a pair of pressures on quarterback Jared Goff. The good came from their receivers Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa and Tom Kennedy. While Williams is a regular contributor, he exploded for 144 yards on seven catches to earn a career-best 91.2 offensive grade. Kennedy and TeSlaa came up with some big catches as well. And Kennedy notched a 69.4 overall grade, the highest for the long-time practice squad player since 2021.
*For the second straight game, the secondary was a real let-down for the Lions despite the return of cornerback Terrion Arnold. The team’s coverage grade of 55.1 was the fourth-lowest of the season and sixth time the Lions have been under 60 this season. Safety Brian Branch was the only player with a coverage grade above 70 — with a 79.8 — with cornerback Amik Robertson (42.2) and safety Thomas Harper (51.1) being the real disappointments. The pair played crucial roles in the Lions’ “Legion of Whom” earlier this season, but they’re starting to get caught out and the Detroit secondary is struggling.
*The pass rush for the Lions hit a real low point with a 57.0 grade, the worst of the season. PFF credits the Lions with 17 pressures, but that number seems somewhat deceptive as they failed to actually get Packers QB Jordan Love off his mark all that often and didn’t register a sack. Star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson had a particularly rough outing as his 56.5 pass rush grade was the lowest since his rookie season. Most of the pressure, according to PFF, came from interior D-lineman Alim McNeill as he earned a win rate of 18.8% to Hutchinson’s 6.7%.
OFFENSE (Out of 63)
OL Trystan Colon — 63 (100%)
OL Kayode Awosika — 63 (100%)
OL Tate Ratledge — 63 (100%)
OL Taylor Decker — 63 (100%)
OL Penei Sewell — 63 (100%)
QB Jared Goff — 63 (100%)
WR Jameson Williams — 59 (94%)
WR Isaac TeSlaa — 58 (92%)
TE Ross Dwelley — 47 (75%)
RB Jahmyr Gibbs — 44 (70%)
WR Tom Kennedy — 41 (65%)
RB David Montgomery — 24 (38%)
TE Anthony Firkser — 15 (24%)
OL Dan Skipper — 15 (24%)
TE Zach Horton — 8 (13%)
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown — 4 (6%)
DEFENSE (Out of 63)
LB Jack Campbell — 63 (100%)
LB Alex Anzalone — 63 (100%)
DL Alim McNeill — 60 (95%)
DB Brian Branch — 60 (95%)
CB Amik Robertson — 60 (95%)
DE Aidan Hutchinson — 60 (95%)
S Thomas Harper — 59 (94%)
CB D.J. Reed — 55 (87%)
LB Derrick Barnes — 46 (73%)
DL DJ Reader — 39 (62%)
DL Tyleik Williams — 34 (54%)
DE Marcus Davenport — 24 (38%)
DL Roy Lopez — 22 (35%)
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad — 19 (30%)
CB Terrion Arnold — 18 (29%)
CB Rock Ya-Sin — 9 (14%)
DB Avonte Maddox — 1 (2%)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Daniel Thomas — 20 (83%)
Grant Stuard — 20 (83%)
Malcolm Rodriguez — 20 (83%)
Trevor Nowaske — 20 (83%)
Tyrus Wheat — 16 (67%)
Sione Vaki — 15 (62%)
Jacob Saylors — 15 (62%)
Khalil Dorsey — 14 (58%)
Rock Ya-Sin — 13 (54%)
Anthony Firsker — 12 (50%)
K Jake Bates — 9 (38%)
Tom Kennedy — 8 (33%)
Zach Horton — 6 (25%)
LS Hogan Hatten — 6 (25%)
P Jack Fox — 6 (25%)
Jack Campbell — 5 (21%)
Alim McNeill — 5 (21%)
Marcus Davenport — 5 (21%)
Roy Lopez — 5 (21%)
Al-Quadin Muhammad — 5 (21%)
Kayode Awosika — 4 (17%)
Penei Sewell — 4 (17%)
Trystan Colon — 4 (17%)
Tate Ratledge — 4 (17%)
Ross Dwelley — 4 (17%)
Dan Skipper — 4 (17%)
Brian Branch — 4 (17%)
Michael Niese — 4 (17%)
Isaac TeSlaa — 2 (8%)
Derrick Barnes — 2 (8%)
Avonte Maddox — 2 (8%)
Thomas Harper — 1 (4%)