What Is Wrong with the Detroit Lions' Failing Offense?
A three-play series in the first half of the Detroit Lions' 34-9 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 12 summed up most of the club's failures on the offensive side of the football this season.
The mostly nondescript possession began roughly halfway through in the first quarter with the Lions up 3-0.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford took a sack on first down. Running back Joique Bell rushed for a minimal gain on second down. And Stafford's third-down attempt sailed high and incomplete, intended for receiver Calvin Johnson.
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A chance to pad an early lead was lost. The Lions punted the football back to Tom Brady and the Patriots, who proceeded to march down the field and take a lead they wouldn't vanquish the rest of the game.
Detroit hasn't scored a touchdown since running back Theo Riddick caught the game-winning score with 29 seconds left back in Week 10. The touchdown drought is now up to two games—representing a full eight quarters without putting the ball in the end zone. Detroit has scored a total of 15 points in back-to-back losses to the Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.
The reasons why are fairly evident.
The Lions have an offense that can't capitalize on opportunities, can't protect its quarterback and can't run the football. Add it all up, and the result is an ugly unit that is threatening to torpedo Detroit's once promising season.
The numbers help frame the struggles.
Through 11 games, the Lions have just 19 offensive touchdowns, which is tied with the Oakland Raiders for 30th in the NFL and better than only the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. Detroit is 28th in points per game (17.9), 30th in rushing yards per game (80.8), 22nd on third downs (39.1 percent), 27th in total red-zone trips (26) and yards per play (5.1) and 24th in red-zone scoring percentage (touchdowns, 50 percent). Look up just about any significant offensive statistic, and the Lions will be found in the bottom third of the league.
The buck often stops at the quarterback. And Matthew Stafford, who finished his eighth straight game with a passer rating under 100.0 Sunday in New England, rightfully shoulders some of the blame. He hasn't been good enough. But the quarterback in Detroit also isn't getting much help.
Lions receivers missed at least three chances at touchdowns against the Patriots. Tight end Joseph Fauria couldn't bring down a third-down attempt in the end zone in the second quarter, receiver Corey Fuller let a touchdown go right through his hands on a free play in the first half and receiver Jeremy Ross failed to corral a contested catch in the end zone late in the game.
All three plays need to be made, especially on the road against a team like the Patriots.
Fauria got two hands on his chance:
Fuller's didn't even make contact on his over-the-shoulder attempt:
Ross momentarily had possession before letting the touchdown get away:
It wasn't just scoring plays that were missed. First-round tight end Eric Ebron was wide open when he blew his chance at a big play in the second half, and all-world receiver Calvin Johnson also had a drop on third down. Both miscues thwarted potential scoring drives.
Ebron ran a great route and got behind cornerback Darrelle Revis, but then he flat-out dropped the throw:
Johnson's chance wasn't easy, but he's a receiver expected to make the difficult catch:
Miss that many opportunities, and it's no wonder the Lions can't put seven points on the board.
Stafford completed just 18 of 46 passes, but he was once again under heavy pressure for most of the afternoon. He took two more sacks (a third was negated by penalty), raising his season total to 33. Only Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers (34) has been sacked more in 2014.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Stafford faced pressure on 19 of his 50 dropbacks against New England. He completed only 35.3 percent of his passes under pressure, with one interception and a passer rating of 33.2.
Stafford has been under pressure on 152 dropbacks this season, or roughly once every three times he is asked to throw. He is completing 39.5 percent of his passes and averaging 6.6 yards per attempt in those situations, with a passer rating of just 69.0. Essentially, for every three passing plays the Lions call, Stafford is dealing with one disruption from the offensive line, and Detroit is then receiving an inefficient and occasionally reckless result.
| Dropbacks/Pressured | 462/152 | 50/19 | 34/17 |
| Cmp/Att | 45/114 | 6/17 | 7/13 |
| Cmp % | 39.5 | 35.3 | 53.8 |
| Yards/Att | 6.6 | 6.3 | 7.5 |
| TD/INT | 6/3 | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| Passer Rating | 69.0 | 33.2 | 46.0 |
The pressure is unlikely to stop. The Lions are without guard Larry Warford, and starting left tackle Reily Reiff left Sunday's game with a knee injury. Per PFF's grading system, Warford and Reiff are the only two members of the Lions offensive line with a positive grade this season (minimum 100 snaps).
Unless Reiff can make a quick recovery, Detroit will likely line up a patchwork offensive line Thursday against the Chicago Bears. Two undrafted free agents would start at tackle (Corneilus Lucas, LaAdrian Waddle), a third-round rookie (Travis Swanson) would start at right guard and two struggling veterans (Dominic Raiola, Rob Sims) would start at center and left guard.
Last season, Reiff, Warford, Raiola and Sims each played more than 1,100 snaps. The health and cohesion of the line is simply lacking in 2014.
The offense's inability to run the football isn't helping matters.
| Yards | 889 | 30th |
| Yards/Game | 80.8 | 30th |
| Yards/Rush | 3.3 | 31st |
| Rushing Attempts | 271 | 25th |
| Rushing TDs | 6 | 21st (tied) |
Through 11 games, the Lions have just two weeks with more than 100 yards rushing. Detroit ran for 91 against the Patriots, but 18 came from Stafford and another 13 from receiver Golden Tate. Joique Bell, the primary running back, carried 19 times for just 48 yards.
Four Lions running backs have carried at least 15 times this season. None have a per-carry average above 4.0. Bell is averaging 3.5, Reggie Bush 3.6, George Winn 3.9 and Theo Riddick 2.5.
As a team, the Lions are averaging 3.3 yards per carry, which ranks 31st in the NFL. And Detroit has as many fumbles by backs as 20-yard runs (three).
Not surprisingly, Detroit has graded out as the fourth-worst run-blocking offense at PFF (subscription required).
Play-calling from first-year offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi remains an easy target, but the opportunities were there in New England. And when an offense can't win up front, in either the passing or running game, play-calling naturally becomes limited. Lombardi certainly needs to get more out of his playmakers—he has far too many at his disposal—but the failings up front have handcuffed him to a certain degree.
Complex problems—like Detroit's struggles on offense—often require complex explanations. Not in this case.
Plays aren't being made when opportunities present themselves, the quarterback isn't playing well behind a shaky offensive line with moving parts and the run game has contributed next to nothing for most of the season.
It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. Skill players need to make plays. And blockers need to block. Football 101. Right now, the Lions offense is failing the course.
Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report.
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