The 2023 season is the Detroit Lions' 94th season in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL), their 90th In Detroit, and their third under the

head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

tandem of

Dan Campbell Daniel Allen Campbell (born April 13, 1976), nicknamed "Motor City Dan Campbell", or "MCDC" for short, is an American football coach and a former tight end who is the head coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He pr ...

and

Brad Holmes Brad Holmes (born July 29, 1979) is an American football executive who is the general manager and executive vice president for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Holmes previously served with the St. Louis / Los Angeles Ra ...

. The Lions improved upon their 9–8 record from the previous season, after a win against the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...

in Week 15. The Lions started 8–2 for the first time since

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wor ...

. The Lions finished the regular season with a 12–5 record, tying a franchise record for wins and ending up in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC with the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

and the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...

, they would lose both tiebreakers against the 49ers and the Cowboys which would make them end up with the third seed in the NFC. After a Week 16 win against the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

, the Lions won their first division title since

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, and their first ever under the division's name as the

NFC North The National Football Conference – Northern Division or NFC North is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed the "Black and Blue Division" for the rough and tough r ...

following the NFL's division realignment in 2002. This also marks their first playoff appearance since

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

. The win assured them of no worse than the third seed in the NFC, and with it their first home playoff game since 1993 and only their third since winning their last NFL title in

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year ...

. It will be their first playoff game at Ford Field.

Player movements

Free agents

Additions

Releases

Draft

Staff

Current roster

Preseason

Regular season

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs

To open the regular season, the Lions visited the defending Super Bowl champion

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...

in the annual

NFL Kickoff Game The National Football League Kickoff game, along with related festivities, marks the official start of the National Football League (NFL) regular season. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. This first game of the se ...

. The Lions took advantage of the Chiefs not having

Travis Kelce Travis Michael Kelce (; born October 5, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and later won Super Bowl LIV ...

, their star tight end, due to a knee injury sustained in their practice just two days prior to this game. The Lions started off hot, scoring in the first quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from

Jared Goff Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, where he set the Pac-12 Conference season records for passi ...

Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra Julian Heru J. St. Brown (born October 24, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was drafted by the Lions in the fourth round of ...

. The Chiefs scored 14 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from

Patrick Mahomes Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes, he initially played c ...

Rashee Rice Rashee Rice (born April 22, 2000) is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU. Early life and high school Rice grew up in North Richland Hills, Tex ...

and a four-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Blake Bell, which made the score 14–7 in favor of Kansas City at half-time. The Lions responded with a 50-yard interception return by

Brian Branch Brian Branch (born October 22, 2001) is an American football safety for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Early life and high school career Branch grew up in Fayetteville, Georgia, and attended Sandy Creek High School. He was named the Georgia 5A Ironm ...

in the third quarter to tie the game. The Chiefs regained the lead via a 35-yard field goal by

Harrison Butker Harrison Butker (born July 14, 1995), nicknamed Butt Kicker (a play on words on his last name and position), is an American football kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia ...

. The Chiefs extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 39-yard field goal by Butker. The Lions scored the final points of the game via an eight-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery, making the final score 21–20 in favor of Detroit. With the upset win, the Lions started the season 1–0 for the first time since

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

. They also won their first game at Arrowhead Stadium since

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Bicenten ...

, which, coincidentally, was also won by a mere point.

Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks

In week 2, for their home opener, the Lions hosted the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Walker III. The Lions responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass from

Josh Reynolds Josh Reynolds may refer to: * Josh Reynolds (American football) (born 1995), American football wide receiver * Josh Reynolds (rugby league) (born 1989), Australian rugby league player * Josh Reynolds (rugby union) (born 1998), Welsh rugby union pla ...

to tie the game. The Lions scored the only points of the second quarter via a 36-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Kalif Raymond, which made the score 14–7 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Seahawks scored 10 points in the third quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from Walker III and a 25-yard field goal by

Jason Myers Jason Myers (born May 12, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Marist Red Foxes football, Marist. Professional career Arena Football League In th ...

. The Lions responded with a four-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Seahawks extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from

Geno Smith Eugene Cyril "Geno" Smith III (born October 10, 1990) is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at West Virginia, leading the Mountaineers to multiple bowl game ...

Tyler Lockett Tyler Deron Lockett (born September 28, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college f ...

and a 40-yard interception return by

Tre Brown Tre Brown (born September 24, 1997) is an American football cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma. Early life and high school Brown was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklaho ...

. The Lions responded with a four-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Reynolds and a 38-yard field goal by

Riley Patterson Riley Patterson (born September 7, 1999) is an American football placekicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Memphis. High school career Patterson played high school footbal ...

as time expired in the game to force overtime. During overtime, the Seahawks scored via a six-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Lockett, making the final score 37–31 in favor of Seattle. With the loss, the Lions fell to 1–1. They once again failed to beat the Seahawks, not having done so since

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons

In week 3, the Lions hosted the Atlanta Falcons. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 37-yard field goal by

. The Falcons responded with a 48-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo in the second quarter to tie the game. The Lions scored 10 points in the quarter via a 45-yard touchdown pass from

Sam LaPorta Sam LaPorta (born January 12, 2001) is an American football tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was named the Kwalick–Clark Tight End of the Year in 2022. High school career LaPorta attended Highland High School in Highland, Illinois. He pl ...

and a 24-yard field goal by Patterson, which made the score 13–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from Goff. The Falcons scored the final points of the quarter via a 24-yard field goal by Koo, making the final score 20–6 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions improved to 2–1.

Week 4: at Green Bay Packers

In week 4, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 34-yard field goal by Anders Carlson. The Lions scored 14 points via a 34-yard touchdown pass from

and a three-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Lions scored 13 points in the second quarter via a 33-yard field goal by

, a two-yard touchdown run from Montgomery and a 37-yard field goal by Patterson, which made the score 27–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Packers scored the only points of the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from

Jordan Love Jordan Alexander Love (born November 2, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was drafted by the Packers in the first round of th ...

Christian Watson Christian Justus Watson (born May 12, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Dakota State, and was selected by the Packers in the second ro ...

and a two-point conversion pass from Love to

Jayden Reed Jayden Reed (born April 28, 2000) is an American football wide receiver. He played college football at Western Michigan before transferring to Michigan State in 2019. Early life Reed grew up in Aurora, Illinois. He initially attended Metea Val ...

. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, first a nine-yard touchdown run from Love for the Packers, then a one-yard touchdown run from Montgomery for the Lions. The Packers scored the final points of the game via a 50-yard field goal by Carlson, making the final score 34–20 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions improved to 3–1 and extended their winning streak against the Packers to four games.

Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers

In week 5, the Lions hosted the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...

. The Lions scored 14 points in the first quarter via a 42-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery and a four-yard touchdown pass from

. In the second quarter, the Panthers responded with a one-yard touchdown pass from

Bryce Young Bryce Christopher Young (born July 25, 2001) is an American football quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He holds the record for most passing yards in a single game by an Alabama quarterback (559) and was the recipient of the 2021 Heisma ...

to Tommy Tremble. The Lions scored 14 points in the quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

and a 31-yard touchdown pass from Goff to LaPorta. The Panthers scored the final points of the half via a 33-yard field goal by

Eddy Piñeiro Eddy Piñeiro Jr. (born September 13, 1995) is an American football placekicker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida, and signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent ...

, which made the score 28–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Lions scored 14 points in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Goff and a five-yard touchdown run from Craig Reynolds. The Panthers scored 14 points in the quarter via an 18-yard touchdown pass from Young to D. J. Chark and a one-yard touchdown pass from Young to

Adam Thielen Adam John Thielen (born August 22, 1990) is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota State and signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free age ...

, making the final score 42–24 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions improved to 4–1, maintaining their spot at first place in the NFC North. This marked the first time they've won at least four of their first five games since 2011, and the fourth time in 50 seasons.

Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In week 6, the Lions visited the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 30-yard field goal by

. The Buccaneers scored in the second quarter via a 33-yard field goal by

Chase McLaughlin Chase Joseph McLaughlin (born April 9, 1996) is an American football placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Illinois. After going undrafted in 2019, McLaughlin spent time on ...

to tie the game. The Lions responded with a 27-yard touchdown pass from

, which made the score 10–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. In the third quarter, the Buccaneers scored via a 36-yard field goal by McLaughlin. The Lions extended their lead via a 45-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

Jameson Williams Jameson Demetri Williams (born March 26, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama in 2021, where he was nam ...

. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 36-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 20–6 in favor of Detroit. They are on a 13–3 streak (dating back to last season) for the first time since the

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

–

seasons.

Week 7: at Baltimore Ravens

In week 7, the Lions visited the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...

. The Ravens scored 14 points in the first quarter via a seven-yard touchdown run from Lamar Jackson and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to

Nelson Agholor Nelson Efamehule Agholor (born May 24, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first ro ...

. The Ravens scored 14 points in the second quarter via an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Mark Andrews and a two-yard touchdown run from Gus Edwards, which made the score 28–0 in favor of Baltimore at half-time. The Ravens extended their lead in the third quarter via an eight-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Andrews. The Lions finally got on the board in the fourth quarter via a 21-yard touchdown run from

Jahmyr Gibbs Jahmyr Gibbs (born March 20, 2002) is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Tech with one year at Alabama and was selected by the Lions in the first r ...

. The Ravens scored the final points of the game via a 32-yard field goal by

Justin Tucker Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012 ...

, making the final score 38–6 in favor of Baltimore. With the upset blowout loss, the Lions fell to 5-2.

Week 8: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

In week 8, the Lions hosted the

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 44-yard field goal by

. The Lions extended their lead in the second quarter via two field goals by Patterson from 31-yards, and 33-yards, respectively. The Raiders scored via a three-yard touchdown run from

Josh Jacobs Joshua Jacobs (born February 11, 1998) is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NFL ...

. The Lions scored the final points of the half via an 18-yard touchdown pass from

, which made the score 16–7 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a 75-yard interception return by

Marcus Peters Marcus Peters (born January 9, 1993) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft and was also a member of the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Raven ...

for the Raiders, then a 27-yard touchdown run from

for the Lions. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 52-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 26–14 in favor of Detroit. With the win, the Lions headed into their bye week at 6–2 atop the NFC North.

Week 10: at Los Angeles Chargers

Following their bye week, in week 10, the Lions visited the

Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 33-yard field goal by

. The Chargers responded with a 48-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker to tie the game. The Lions regained the lead via a one-yard touchdown run from

. The Lions scored 14 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Gibbs and a 75-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. Montgomery's 75-yard run was the longest touchdown run by a Lions player since an 88-yard touchdown run by

Jahvid Best Jahvid Andre Best (born January 30, 1989) is an Olympic track and field athlete, a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at California, set ...

in 2011. The Chargers scored 14 points in the quarter via a 29-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to

Keenan Allen Keenan Alexander Allen (born April 27, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California before leaving after his junior year. He was draft ...

and a two-yard touchdown run from

Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler ( ; born May 17, 1995) is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Colorado Mountaineers and signed with the Chargers as an und ...

, which made the score 24–17 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first an 18-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to

Jalen Guyton Jalen Guyton (born June 7, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Texas. High school Guyton attended Allen High School in Allen, Tex ...

for the Chargers, then a 20-yard touchdown pass from

for the Lions. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, first a one-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to

Quentin Johnston Quentin Johnston (born September 6, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at TCU and was selected by the Chargers in the first round of the 202 ...

for the Chargers, then a 25-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Brock Wright for the Lions. The Chargers responded with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Allen to tie the game. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 41-yard field goal by Patterson as time expired, making the final score 41–38 in favor of Detroit.

Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears

In week 11, the Lions hosted their divisional rival, the Chicago Bears. The Bears opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

D'Onta Foreman D'Onta Foreman (born April 24, 1996) is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas, and was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2017 ...

. In the second quarter, the Lions tied the game via a two-yard touchdown run from

. The Bears responded with a 31-yard field goal by Cairo Santos to regain the lead. The Lions scored the final points of the half via a seven-yard touchdown pass from

, which made the score 14–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Bears scored 10 points in the third quarter via a 53-yard field goal by Santos and a 39-yard touchdown pass from

Justin Fields Justin Skyler Fields (born March 5, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Georgia, he played college football at Ohio State, where he twice won Graham–G ...

to D. J. Moore. The Bears extended their lead in the fourth quarter via two field goals by Santos from 40-yards, and 39-yards, respectively. The Lions responded with 17 unanswered points in the final three minutes of the quarter. They scored first via a 32-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

. After the defense forced Chicago into a three-and-out, the Lions scored again on a one-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery and a two-point conversion pass from Goff to

. On the Bears' next possession, a fumble forced by

Aidan Hutchinson Aidan Hutchinson (born August 9, 2000) is an American football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan, where he won several awards as a senior in 2021, such as the Ted ...

led to a

safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...

, making the final score 31–26 in favor of Detroit. Detroit won despite the fact that Chicago had a win probability of 98.8% (according to ESPN) with four minutes remaining in the game. With the win, the Lions improved to 8–2 on the season, their best record through the first ten games since

Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers

For their annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions hosted their divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers, in a rematch of week 4. The Packers scored 20 points in the first quarter via a 10-yard touchdown pass from

, a nine-yard touchdown pass from Love to Tucker Kraft and a 27-yard fumble return by Jonathan Owens. The Lions scored six points in the quarter via a seven-yard touchdown pass from

. The Packers scored the only points of the second quarter via a 43-yard field goal by Anders Carlson, which made the score 23–6 in favor of Green Bay at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a six-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery and a two-point conversion run by Montgomery for the Lions, then a 16-yard touchdown pass from Love to

. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter with 41 seconds remaining in the game via a 12-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

, and a two-point conversion pass from Goff to LaPorta, making the final score 29–22 in favor of Green Bay.

Week 13: at New Orleans Saints

In week 13, the Lions visited the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

. The Lions scored 21 points in the first quarter via a two-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery, a 13-yard touchdown pass from

and a 25-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

. The Saints got on the board in the second quarter via a six-yard touchdown pass from

Derek Carr Derek Dallas Carr (born March 28, 1991) is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fresno State, where he twice received first-team All- MWC honors, and w ...

Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played only one year of college football at University of Miami after playing four years of basketball. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in ...

. The Lions scored the final points of the half via a 26-yard field goal by

, which made the score 24–7 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Saints scored 14 points in the third quarter via a two-yard touchdown run from

Alvin Kamara Alvin Mentian Kamara (born July 25, 1995) is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee after transferring from Hutchinson Community College and wa ...

and a one-yard touchdown run from Taysom Hill, reducing the Lions' lead to three points. The Lions responded with a 32-yard field goal by Patterson as time expired in the third quarter. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 19-yard touchdown run from

. The Saints scored the final points of the game via a one-yard touchdown run from Kamara, making the final score 33–28 in favor of Detroit.

Week 14: at Chicago Bears

In week 14, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the Chicago Bears, in a rematch of week 11. The Bears scored 10 points in the first quarter via a 16-yard touchdown run from D. J. Moore and a 46-yard field goal by Cairo Santos. The Lions scored 13 points in the second quarter via a 12-yard touchdown run from

and an eight-yard touchdown pass from

, which made the score 13–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Lions were held scoreless in the second half. The Bears scored nine points in the third quarter via a 25-yard field goal by Santos and a 38-yard touchdown pass from

to Moore to regain the lead. The Bears scored nine points in the fourth quarter via an 11-yard touchdown run from Fields and a 28-yard field goal by Santos, making the final score 28–13 in favor of Chicago.

Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos

In week 15, the Lions hosted the

. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions scored 21 points in the second quarter via a 19-yard touchdown pass from

, a nine-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

, which made the score 21–0 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Broncos scored ten points in the third quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to

Lil'Jordan Humphrey Lil'Jordan Humphrey (born April 19, 1998) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas. Early years Humphrey attended Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, Texas. He played running back an ...

and a 23-yard field goal by

Wil Lutz William “Wil” Lutz (born July 7, 1994) is an American football placekicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia State. Early life Lutz was born in Newnan, Georgia. Both his ...

. The Lions extended their lead via a three-yard touchdown pass from Goff to LaPorta. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter, first a 12-yard touchdown run from Gibbs for the Lions, then a one-yard touchdown run from Wilson for the Broncos. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 10-yard touchdown pass from Goff to LaPorta, making the final score 42–17 in favor of Detroit. Goff tied a career-high with five passing touchdowns in the game. With the win, the Lions improved to 10–4 on the season, their first 10 win season since

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings

In week 16, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the

on Christmas Eve. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Vikings responded with a two-yard touchdown run from Ty Chandler to tie the game. The Lions scored ten points in the second quarter via a 37-yard field goal by

Michael Badgley Michael Badgley (born July 28, 1995) is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami Hurricanes football, Miami and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the ...

and a 14-yard touchdown run from

. The Vikings scored the final points of the half via a 26-yard touchdown pass from

Nick Mullens Nicholas Clayton Mullens (born March 21, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Miss, where he surpassed Brett Favre's single-season r ...

to Justin Jefferson, which made the score 17–14 in favor of Detroit at half-time. In the third quarter, the Vikings took their first lead of the game via a six-yard touchdown pass from Mullens to K. J. Osborn. The Lions responded with a one-yard touchdown pass from

to regain the lead. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from Gibbs. The Vikings scored the final points of the game via a 26-yard field goal by

Greg Joseph Greg Joseph (born 4 August 1994) is a South African professional American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida Atlantic. He made his NFL debut in 2018 with ...

, making the final score 30–24 in favor of Detroit. Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepted a Mullens pass at the Lions' five-yard line with 58 seconds remaining in the game that sealed the victory. This was Mullens' fourth interception of the game. With the win, the Lions improved to 11–4 on the season, and won their division for the first time since

Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys

In week 17, the Lions visited the

for their final road game of the regular season. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 41-yard field goal by

. The Cowboys responded with a 92-yard touchdown pass from

Dak Prescott Rayne Dakota Prescott (born July 29, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State, where he twice received first-team All- SEC honors, a ...

CeeDee Lamb Cedarian DeLeon "CeeDee" Lamb (born April 8, 1999) is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma where he was a consensus All-American in 2019 and w ...

. After a scoreless second quarter, the Cowboys led 7–3 at half-time. The Lions regained the lead in the third quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery. The Cowboys responded with a 51-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey to tie the game. The Lions opened the scoring in the fourth quarter via a 30-yard field goal by Badgley to regain the lead. The Cowboys scored ten points in the quarter via an eight-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to

Brandin Cooks Brandin Tawan Cooks (born September 25, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State, where he received consensus All-American honors, a ...

and a 43-yard field goal by Aubrey. The Lions scored the final points of the game via an 11-yard touchdown pass from

with 23 seconds left in the game. The Lions then attempted a two-point conversion, as Goff completed a pass to

Taylor Decker Taylor Decker (born August 23, 1993) is an American football offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State. Early years Decker attended Butler High School in Vandalia, ...

to take the lead. However, Decker was controversially penalized for illegal touching after the referees said he failed to report as an eligible receiver; the Lions disputed this and said he had reported as eligible. The Lions attempted a two-point conversion again from the seven-yard line with Goff throwing an interception, but the Cowboys were penalized for offsides. On the final two-point conversion attempt, Goff's pass to James Mitchell was incomplete. In a last-ditch effort, the Lions attempted an

onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the ...

but failed to recover the ball, and the Cowboys ran out the clock, securing a 20–19 victory. Following the game, the NFL downgraded

Brad Allen Brad Allen is an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) since the 2014 NFL season, wearing uniform number 122. A native of Lumberton, North Carolina (and a graduate oThe University of North Carolina at Pembroke former ...

's officiating crew out of the playoffs for their performance.NFL expected to downgrade Brad Allen ref crew for playoffs after Lions-Cowboys questionable calls, per report
CBS Sports, December 31, 2023

Week 18: vs. Minnesota Vikings

To end the regular season, the Lions hosted their divisional

rival A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...

, the

, in a rematch of week 16. The Lions scored 13 points in the first quarter via a two-yard touchdown pass from

and a three-yard touchdown run from

. The Vikings scored six points in the second quarter via two field goals by

from 39-yards, and 43-yards, respectively, which made the score 13–6 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a one-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery for the Lions, then a 38-yard touchdown pass from

to Justin Jefferson for the Vikings. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 70-yard touchdown pass from Goff to

. The Vikings responded with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Mullens to

Jordan Addison Jordan Lee Addison (born January 27, 2002) is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he won the 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award before playi ...

. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 39-yard field goal by

. With the win, the Lions improved to 12–5 on the season, tying a single-season franchise record for wins.

Standings

Division

Conference

Postseason

Schedule

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) Los Angeles Rams

To start the playoffs, the Lions will host the Los Angeles Rams in the first ever playoff game at Ford Field.

References

External links

* {{2023 NFL season by team

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Detroit Lions seasons Detroit Lions 2023 in Detroit NFC North championship seasons