At times, the Detroit Lions were nearly impossible to stop on offense. Their array of talent was tough to contain, and quarterback Jared Goff was steady leading the group.
Defensively, the Lions were also apt to get after the quarterback, as Aidan Hutchinson was a frequent presence in opposing backfields. The team also got a strong performance from Al-Quadin Muhammad, who has a career-best 10 sacks.
However, those scenarios were far too inconsistent over the final two months of the season, and as a result the Lions won’t be participating in the postseason for the first time since 2022.
They will finish the regular season with a matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 18, looking to earn a win and notch a fourth straight winning season under head coach Dan Campbell.
While the Lions’ descent from a 15-win season in 2024 to becoming a non-playoff team has been puzzling, there are ways to quantify why they were successful and why they weren’t. Here are three trends that emerged in games where the Lions were victorious over the course of the 2025 regular season.
Getting Gibbs going
One of the biggest factors of the Lions’ success in 2025 has been getting running back Jahmyr Gibbs going. Over their first 16 games, the Lions have benefitted greatly when Gibbs has been able to get into a productive groove.
Gibbs has scored 17 total touchdowns this year, 13 rushing and four receiving. However, he’s scored in all eight of the Lions’ wins and in just one of their losses. The lone touchdown in a losing effort came in the loss to Pittsburgh, when he had a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter.
It’s been a stark difference in wins versus losses for the third-year back in terms of his production. In games the Lions have won, Gibbs has averaged 105.8 yards on the ground and scored all 13 of his rushing touchdowns. In losses, the running back has averaged a staggering 37.8 rushing yards.
Defensive dominance
The Lions’ defense has also been a key determining factor in the team’s overall success. There are notable trends that have emerged in the team’s wins, notably the overall production of the pass-rush and the team’s ability to create takeaways.
For starters, the Lions sacked the quarterback 28 times in wins, and 19 times in losses. Of those 28 sacks in win, team sack leader Aidan Hutchinson was responsible for six. This means that the team’s pass-rush production was much more well-rounded in wins than in losses.
Muhammad added seven of his 11 sacks in wins, including 5.5 total in wins over Baltimore in Week 3 and Dallas in Week 14. His emergence gave the Lions a secondary option to help Hutchinson get after opposing passers.
Additionally, there is a stark difference in the team’s performance when they are able to generate takeaways. Of the team’s 12 total interceptions, 10 came in wins and two came in losses. Detroit did not lose a game in which they created more than one takeaway, and they were 6-3 in games where they generated at least one.
Starting strong
How the Lions started games often played a major role in whether they were ultimately able to be successful. When the offense sputtered, it was difficult for them to overcome. However, when the group was humming, they were able to mask defensive issues and earn wins.
A big tell for Detroit was whether or not they were able to put points on the board early. In games where they scored a touchdown in the first quarter, they were 8-1. The lone loss came against the Los Angeles Rams, a game that turned into a 41-34 shootout.
Also of note, during the Lions’ last seven games, in which they’ve gone 2-5, they have scored just two first quarter touchdowns. Contrast that number with the Lions’ 5-2 start to the season, where they scored six first quarter touchdowns. Early success has often led to their overall success.
