Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Dan Campbell
Offensive Coordinator: John Morton
Defensive Coordinator: Kelvin Sheppard
Special Teams Coordinator: Dave Fipp
2024 Summary (W-L Record: 15-2)
For most of the 2024 season, the Lions were the best team in the NFL. They finished the year 15-2 and did so while playing in the toughest division in football. Unfortunately, injuries ravaged the defense, and over their final 6 games including the playoffs, they allowed more than 30 points per game. A once promising season ended with a shocking 45-31 home loss to the Commanders in the Divisional Round:
We’ll start with the offense, which finished #1 in scoring and #2 in total yards. Great scheme and play-calling were at the center of their success. Detroit was one of the most balanced teams in the league, throwing the ball 52.2% of the time and running it the other 47.8%.
Their running game was not only one of the best in the NFL (6th in rushing yards per game, 9th in yards per attempt, 6th in runs of 10 yards or more), it was the foundation of the offense.
It was versatile, attacking with a variety of schemes, motion, and two different styles of backs in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. But it also took on the personality of head coach Dan Campbell. It was a physical running game that bullied opponents up front. They ranked just 24th in the NFL in 11-personnel usage according to Sumer Sports, leaning on larger personnel to push defenses around.
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And all of that helped set up the their play-action passing game, which was arguably the best in the NFL. They ranked 1st in play-action frequency and 44.8% of their passing yards come on play-action, which was more than any other team according to data from PFF.
But this wasn’t just a passing game reliant on scheme. Jared Goff had an exceptional season and had the highest passer rating in the NFL against the blitz, when success is more dependent on the quarterback’s execution than scheme.
Detroit had the versatility in personnel (think Amon-ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta) and scheme to control the game through the air (4th in 3rd down %) and create explosive plays (3rd in completions of 20+ yards).
There was nothing this offense couldn’t do.
The defense kind of started out that way too. Entering Week 13, they had the #2 ranked scoring defense. Around that time, however, the injuries started to become too much to overcome. As mentioned above, they struggled down the stretch, allowing more than 30 points in 4 of their final 6 games. And their season ultimately ended in a performance against the Commanders where they couldn’t stop a nose bleed.
Key Additions
WR Isaac TeSlaa (3rd Rd, 70th Overall)
RG Tate Ratledge (2nd Rd, 57th Overall)
DL Tyleik Williams (1st Rd, 28th Overall)
DL Roy Lopez
EDGE Tyrus Wheat
LB Grant Stuard
CB D.J. Reed
CB Avonte Maddox
Key Losses
WR Tim Patrick
C Frank Ragnow
RG Kevin Zeitler
LT Dan Skipper
EDGE Za’Darius Smith
CB Carlton Davis
CB Kindle Vildor
Did They Address Their Holes?
The Lions really didn’t have many holes entering this season. Their biggest holes on defense were largely filled just by getting their players back from injury last season. Aidan Hutchinson’s return in particular will be huge.
They also drafted defensive tackle Tyleik Williams in the first round to shore up the inside and then they signed cornerback D.J. Reed to help out on the back end. They should have the talent at all 3 levels to be very good on defense once again.