The Detroit Lions are enjoying their bye week this weekend, sitting pretty at the break with a 5-2 record.
The Lions are among a stacked group of teams near the top of the NFC standings with two losses, chasing the 4-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who have a primetime matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers and former quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Since most Lions fans would rather do anything else than watch that game on Sunday night, here’s a comprehensive, position-by-position check-in on Detroit’s roster, evaluating some of the key personnel and statistical trends that have shaped the first half of the team’s season.
Quarterback
Roster: Jared Goff, Kyle Allen
Practice squad: C.J. Beathard
In his 10th season, Goff continues to find ways to improve his efficiency. Through seven games, he’s completing a career-high 74.9% of his throws, and he’s on track to set new bests in passer rating (116.4) and QBR (66.7).
Goff leans heavily on a formula of quick, shorter throws that get his weapons into space. His average trigger time of 2.68 seconds ranks ninth, while the 6.55-yard average length of his passes is 26th among qualifying quarterbacks.
Goff has been the league’s best passer when blitzed this season, posting a stellar 129.0 passer rating in those situations. He also continues to be a monster when operating out of play-action, racking up a 127.4 rating after a run fake.
What’s missing this season is an effective deep ball. His 13 throws of 20 or more yards downfield are the second-fewest among QBs with at least 150 attempts. Goff has connected on just four of those shot plays, and none since Week 3.
Running back
Roster: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylers
Practice squad: None
Injured: Kye Robichaux
After a nearly even workload split prior to Montgomery’s knee injury last season, the balance has significantly shifted in favor of Gibbs. The younger back is outsnapping Montgomery by a margin of 268 to 173, and the distribution of touches is similarly askew. Gibbs has received 130, compared to Montgomery’s 90.