The 2018 season was the Detroit Lions' 89th 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) and their first under a new coaching staff led by

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 ...

Matt Patricia Matthew Edward Patricia (born September 13, 1974) is an American football coach who is the senior football advisor and offensive line coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He has served 15 non-consecutive sea ...

. With their loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13, the Lions failed to improve on their 9–7 campaign from the season before. With their Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Lions clinched their first losing season since 2015, making this also their first losing season in the post-

Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...

era. They also missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season and finished last in 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 ...

for the first time 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 ...

with a 6–10 record. Despite the disappointing season, the Lions were able to upset the defending back-to-back AFC and eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots 26–10 during Week 3, marking their first win over the Patriots since

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...

, which was also the first year of the

Brady–Belichick era The Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era, also known as the Brady–Belichick era, the New England Patriots dynasty, or the Patriots dynasty, was a sports dynasty of the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL) that lasted from the ...

. The Lions were also able to sweep the Green Bay Packers for the second straight year.

Offseason

Coaching staff

* On January 1, the Lions fired head coach Jim Caldwell and assistant head coach/offensive line coach Ron Prince. * On February 5, the day after

Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...

, the Lions hired former New England Patriots defensive coordinator

as head coach. * On February 7, the Lions hired David Corrao as Director of Football Research,

Jeff Davidson Jeff Davidson (born October 3, 1967) is an American football coach who most recently served as the offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) and is also a former player. He has also spent time as offensive ...

as offensive line coach,

George Godsey George Robert Godsey (born January 1, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who is the tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Miami Dol ...

as quarterbacks coach, Al Golden as linebackers coach,

Paul Pasqualoni Paul Lucian Pasqualoni (; born August 16, 1949) is an American football coach. He most recently was the defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers. Pasqualoni has served as the defensive coordinator of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and Detroit L ...

as defensive coordinator, Brian Stewart as defensive backs coach and Chris White as tight ends coach.

Re-signings

Additions

Departures

Trades

* On May 3, the Lions traded defensive tackle

Akeem Spence Akeem Spence (born November 29, 1991) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois. Early years Spence ...

to the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. * On August 23, the Lions acquired linebacker

Eli Harold Medgar Elisha Harold (born January 20, 1994) is a gridiron football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Virginia Cavaliers. Early years Harold attended Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach ...

from 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 ...

in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. * On October 24, the Lions acquired defensive tackle

Damon Harrison Damon Paul Harrison (born November 29, 1988) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at William Penn University and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He has also been a membe ...

from the New York Giants in exchange for a in the 2019 NFL Draft. * On October 30, the Lions traded wide receiver Golden Tate to the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Draft

Draft trades * The Lions traded their sixth-round selection (No. 194 overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for offensive tackle Greg Robinson. * The Lions made two separate trades with the New England Patriots — trading their original second-round selection (No. 51 overall) and their fourth-round selection (No. 117 overall) to the Patriots in exchange for the Patriots' second-round selection (No. 43 overall); and acquiring a fourth-round selection (No. 114 overall) in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2019 draft.

Staff

Final roster

Schedule

Preseason

Regular season

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. New York Jets

The Lions opened the regular season at home, hosting the New York Jets on ''

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...

''. The Lions took an early lead in the first quarter when

Quandre Diggs Quandre Diggs (born January 22, 1993) is an American football free safety for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 20 ...

intercepted a Sam Darnold pass and ran it in from 37-yards, but the Jets quickly tied it up following a seven-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Crowell. In the second quarter, the Jets scored 10 more points via a 35-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 ...

and a 41-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to

Robby Anderson Robbie Anderson (born May 9, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Temple. Anderson was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent i ...

. The Lions scored the final points of the first half via a 21-yard field goal from

Matt Prater Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for lon ...

, to make the score 17–10 in favor of the Jets at half-time. After the intermission, the Lions again tied the game following a 24-yard touchdown pass from

Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected ...

to Golden Tate, for their only points of the second half. The Jets then scored 31 unanswered points for a runaway victory. First three touchdowns: a 21-yard reception by Quincy Enunwa, a 36-yard interception return by

Darron Lee Darron Lee (born October 18, 1994) is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Kansa ...

and a 78-yard punt return by Andre Roberts. After a 32-yard field goal by Jason Myers, the Jets capped off their lopsided win with a 62-yard run by Crowell, making the final score 48–17 in favor of New York.

Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers

In week 2, the Lions visited the

. The 49ers took an early lead in the first quarter via a 45-yard field goal by

Robbie Gould Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...

. The Lions responded with a 30-yard touchdown pass from

Kenny Golladay Kenneth Golladay (born November 3, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Dakota and Northern Illinois and was drafted by the Detroit Lions ...

, to take their first and only lead of the game. The 49ers scored 10 points in the second quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from

Jimmy Garoppolo James Richard Garoppolo (born November 2, 1991), nicknamed Jimmy G, is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Illinois, where he set the school r ...

Kendrick Bourne Kendrick L. Bourne (born August 4, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington Eagles football, Eastern Washington. He also play ...

and a 42-yard field goal from Gould. The Lions scored the final points of the first half via a 27-yard field goal from

, to make the score 13–10 in favor of the 49ers at half-time. The 49ers scored 14 points in the third quarter via an 11-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo to

Garrett Celek Garrett Bartholomew Celek (born May 29, 1988) is a former American football tight end who played his entire career for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State. Celek signed wi ...

and a 66-yard touchdown run from

Matt Breida Matthew John Breida (born February 28, 1995) is an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Southern and signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent ...

. The Lions then added a 43-yard field goal from Prater. The 49ers extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 36-yard field goal from Gould. The Lions scored 14 points in the final quarter via a five-yard touchdown reception by

Marvin Jones Marvin Jones may refer to: *John Marvin Jones (1882–1976), known as Marvin Jones and J. Marvin Jones, United States congressman *Marvin Jones (linebacker) (born 1972), American football linebacker *Marvin Jones (wide receiver) (born 1990), Americ ...

and a 15-yard touchdown reception by Michael Roberts, making the final score 30–27 in favor of San Francisco.

Week 3: vs. New England Patriots

In week 3, the Lions hosted the New England Patriots on '' Sunday Night Football''. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 38-yard field goal by

to take a lead they never gave up. The Lions scored 10 points in the second quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from

and a 25-yard field goal from Prater. The Patriots finally got on the board late in the quarter via a 36-yard field goal by

Stephen Gostkowski Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. He was selected in the fourth round of th ...

, to make the score 13–3 in favor of the Lions at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, first a 10-yard touchdown pass from

Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...

to James White for the Patriots, then a 33-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

for the Lions. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via two field goals from Prater, from 32-yards and 30-yards, respectively, making the final score 26–10 in favor of Detroit, for their first win of the season. This was the Lions' first victory over the Patriots since the

season. Kerryon Johnson's 101 rushing yards marked the first time a Lions player rushed for over 100 yards in a game since

Reggie Bush Reginald Alfred Bush Jr. (born March 2, 1985) is an American former football running back who now serves as an on-air college football analyst for Fox Sports. He played college football at USC, where he earned consensus All-American honors twi ...

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

, ending the fourth-longest streak (70 games) without a 100-yard rusher in NFL history.

Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys

In week 4, the Lions donned all-silver uniforms and visited 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 ...

. Dallas opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 32-yard field goal from Brett Maher. Detroit responded with a 45-yard touchdown pass from

to Golden Tate, to take their first lead of the game. In the second quarter, both teams scored a field goal, first a 43-yard field goal by Maher for the Cowboys, then a 33-yard field goal by

for the Lions. The Cowboys regained the lead with a 38-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 ...

Ezekiel Elliott Ezekiel Elijah Elliott (born July 22, 1995) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he earned second-team All-America honors in 2015. Ell ...

, to make the score 13–10 in favor of the Dallas at half-time. The only points of the third quarter was from Dallas via a one-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to

Geoff Swaim Geoff Swaim (born September 16, 1993) is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Dalla ...

. The Lions scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter while the Cowboys had a pair of field goals. First an eight-yard touchdown run from Kerryon Johnson for Detroit, then a 22-yard field goal from Maher for Dallas. The Lions took a one-point lead when Tate caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Stafford, but the Cowboys won in the final seconds of the game with a 38-yard field goal by Maher.

Week 5: vs. Green Bay Packers

In week 5, 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 Green Bay Packers. The Lions scored 24 unanswered points in the first half. First a pair of one-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter by

LeGarrette Blount LeGarrette Montez Blount (; born December 5, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football at Oregon after transferring from East Mississippi Commun ...

. The Lions added 10 points in the second quarter via a 39-yard field goal by

and an eight-yard touchdown pass from

, to make the score 24–0 in favor of the Lions at half-time. The Packers finally got on the board in the third quarter scoring 14 points via a three-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to

Marquez Valdes-Scantling Marquez Reshard Valdes-Scantling (born October 10, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at NC State and South Florida, and was drafted by the Gr ...

, followed by a two-point conversion pass from Rodgers to Jamaal Williams and a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

Lance Kendricks Lance Ronnie Kendricks (born January 30, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Wisconsin, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of t ...

. In the fourth quarter, Detroit scored their only points of the second half via a five-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to

. Green Bay added nine more points via a 12-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to

Davante Adams Davante Lavell Adams (born December 24, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fresno State, and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the s ...

and a 41-yard field goal from

Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...

, making the final score 31–23 in favor of Detroit. Dating back to last season, it was the first time the Lions defeated the Packers three games in a row since they did so during the

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicist ...

and 1991 seasons. They went into their bye week with a 2–3 record.

Week 7: at Miami Dolphins

In week 7, the Lions visited the

. The Lions took an early lead in the first quarter, that they never gave back, following a 15-yard touchdown pass from

to Michael Roberts. The Lions added 10 points in the second quarter, via a 29-yard field goal by

and a two-yard touchdown run from

. Miami got on the board via a five-yard touchdown pass from

Brock Osweiler Brock Alan Osweiler (born November 22, 1990) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football at Arizona State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the ...

Kenny Stills Kenneth Lee Stills Jr. (born April 22, 1992) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Early years ...

, to make the score 17–7 in favor of the Lions at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in third quarter via a 28-yard field goal from Prater and a four-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Roberts. The Dolphins responded with a 54-yard touchdown run by

Kenyan Drake Kenyan Drake (born January 26, 1994) is an American football running back and kick returner for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama. Drake was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the th ...

. The Lions added six points in the fourth quarter, via two field goals by Prater from 35-yards and 50-yards, respectively. The Dolphins responded with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Osweiler to

Danny Amendola Daniel James Amendola (born November 2, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Texas Tech. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After spending his entire rookie season ...

, making the final score 32–21 in favor of Detroit. This was the Lions' first road win of the season. The Lions rushed for 248 yards in the game, their highest rushing total since November 23, 1997.

Week 8: vs. Seattle Seahawks

In week 8, the Lions hosted the Seattle Seahawks. Detroit took an early lead in the first quarter via a 39-yard touchdown pass from

, but Seattle tied it up in the second quarter via a 24-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to

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 added 14 more points via a 15-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to David Moore and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to

Ed Dickson Edward James Dickson (born July 25, 1987) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Oregon and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Early years Dickson played football at B ...

, to make the score 21–7 in favor of the Seahawks at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a seven-yard touchdown run by

Chris Carson Christopher Dewayne Carson (born September 16, 1994) is a former American football running back. He played professionally for five seasons for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), after playing college football at Butler ...

. The Lions scored the game's final points with another touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones, this one for 19-yards, making the final score 28–14 in favor of Seattle.

Week 9: at Minnesota Vikings

In week 9, the Lions visited their divisional

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 Vikings took an early lead in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from

Latavius Murray Latavius Rashard Murray (born January 18, 1990) is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UCF and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of th ...

. The Lions responded in the second quarter with a pair of 35-yard field goals by

. The Vikings extended their lead via a two-yard touchdown pass from

Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the team then known as the Washington ...

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 ...

and a 39-yard field goal by Dan Bailey, to make the score 17–6 in favor of Minnesota at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, each team scored once in the fourth quarter. First a 32-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by

Danielle Hunter Danielle Hunter ( ; born October 29, 1994) is a Jamaican-born American football outside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU. He was drafted in the third round, 88th ove ...

for the Vikings, then a 37-yard field goal by Prater for the Lions, making the final score 24–9 in favor of Minnesota.

Week 10: at Chicago Bears

In week 10, the Lions visited their divisional

the Chicago Bears. The Bears scored 13 points in the first quarter via a three-yard touchdown run by

Tarik Cohen Tarik Cohen (born July 26, 1995) is an American football running back who is a free agent. Cohen played the same position for North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University before being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Dra ...

and a 36-yard touchdown pass from

Mitchell Trubisky Mitchell David Trubisky (born August 20, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was drafted second overall by the Chicago ...

Allen Robinson Allen Bernard Robinson II (born August 24, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, and ...

. The Bears added another 13 points in the second quarter via a 45-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Anthony Miller and a four-yard touchdown run by Trubisky. The Lions finally got on the board just before the intermission via a one-yard touchdown run by Kerryon Johnson, to make the score 26–7 in favor of Chicago at half-time. The Lions opened the scoring in the second half with a 52-yard field goal by

. The Bears extended their lead in the third quarter via a 26-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Robinson, followed by a two-point conversion pass from Trubisky to

Trey Burton Lawrence Godfrey "Trey" Burton III, (born October 29, 1991) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free age ...

. In the fourth quarter, the Lions scored 12 points via a five-yard touchdown pass from

and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Johnson, making the final score 34–22 in favor of Chicago.

Week 11: vs. Carolina Panthers

In week 11, 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 Panthers took an early lead in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from

Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NF ...

to Greg Olsen. The Lions responded with an eight-yard touchdown run from Kerryon Johnson to tie the game. The Lions scored the only points of the second quarter via a 54-yard field goal from

, to make the score 10–7 in favor of the Lions at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a 32-yard field goal by Prater. In the fourth quarter, the Panthers responded with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Newton to

Curtis Samuel Curtis Samuel (born August 11, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he was a member of the team that won the 2015 Colle ...

to tie the game, however, the Lions regained the lead via a 19-yard touchdown pass from

. Carolina scored another touchdown via an eight-yard pass from Newton to D. J. Moore, then attempted to take the lead with a two-point conversion but failed, making the final score 20–19 in favor of Detroit.

Week 12: vs. Chicago Bears

In week 12, the Lions donned retro-style uniforms and hosted a

rematch with their division rival the Chicago Bears. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions got on the board first in the second quarter via a four-yard touchdown run by

. The Bears responded with a 40-yard field goal by

Cody Parkey Cody Parkey (born February 19, 1992) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He has also been a member of the Phi ...

and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Chase Daniel to

Taquan Mizzell Taquan Mizzell Sr. (born October 21, 1993) is an American gridiron football running back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Virginia. Early years Mizzell attended and played ...

, to make the score 9–7 in favor of Chicago at half-time. Detroit scored the only points of the third quarter via a four-yard touchdown run from Blount, to put the Lions up by four points. In the fourth quarter, however, the Bears took a three-point lead via a 14-yard touchdown pass from Daniel to

, but the Lions quickly tied it up via a 20-yard field goal by

. The Bears regained the lead via a 41-yard interception return by Eddie Jackson, making the final score 23–16 in favor of Chicago.

Week 13: vs. Los Angeles Rams

In week 13, the Lions hosted the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 24-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein. The Lions tied it up in the second quarter via a 28-yard field goal by

. The Rams then scored ten more points via an eight-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 ...

to Robert Woods and a 47-yard field goal by Zuerlein to make the half–time score 13–3 in favor of Los Angeles. Both teams scored a field goal in the third quarter, first a 29-yard field goal by Prater for the Lions, then a 48-yard field goal by Zuerlein for the Rams. The Lions reduced the Rams' lead to three points via a 11-yard touchdown pass from

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, ...

. The Rams responded with 14 points in the fourth quarter via two touchdown runs from

Todd Gurley Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Georgia, where he re ...

, from 13-yards and two-yards, respectively. The Lions added a 35-yard field goal from Prater, making the final score 30–16 in favor of Los Angeles.

Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals

In week 14, the Lions visited the Arizona Cardinals. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions scored the only points of the first half via a 47-yard field goal by

, to make the score 3–0 in favor of the Lions at half-time. The Lions extended their lead in the third quarter via a 67-yard interception return by

Darius Slay Darius Demetrius Slay Jr. (born January 1, 1991) is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the s ...

. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals finally got on the board via a 22-yard field goal by

Zane Gonzalez Holden Fortunato Gonzalez (born May 7, 1995) is an American football placekicker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona State University and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in ...

to avoid a shutout. The Lions added to their lead with a one-yard run by

Zach Zenner Zachary Zenner (born September 13, 1991) is a former American football running back. He played college football at South Dakota State. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions in 2015. Zenner also played for the New Orleans S ...

to make the final score 17–3 in favor of the Lions. This was the Lions' first win in Arizona since

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...

Week 15: at Buffalo Bills

In week 15, the Lions visited the Buffalo Bills. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions opened the scoring in the second quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from

to Andy Jones. Buffalo responded with a three-yard touchdown run by

Josh Allen Josh or Joshua Allen may refer to: * Josh Allen (offensive lineman) (born 1991), former American football player * Josh Allen (quarterback) (born 1996), American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills since 2018 * Josh Allen (defensi ...

. The Lions replied with a one-yard touchdown run by

to make the score 13–7 in favor of the Lions at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Bills scored the only points of the second half via a 42-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Robert Foster. The Lions' attempted comeback failed when

missed a 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, making the final score 14–13 in favor of the Bills. With the loss, the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention.

Week 16: vs. Minnesota Vikings

In week 16, the Lions played their final home game of the season when they hosted a rematch with their divisional

the

. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 47-yard field goal by

and extended their lead in the second quarter via two field goals by Prater, from 35-yardsand 48-yards, respectively. The Vikings responded with two touchdowns, an eight-yard touchdown pass from

Stefon Diggs Stefon Marsean Diggs (born November 29, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round ...

and a 44-yard Hail Mary pass from Cousins to

Kyle Rudolph Kyle Daniel Rudolph (born November 9, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second ...

as time expired in the first half, to make the score 14–9 in favor of the Vikings at half-time. The Vikings held the Lions scoreless in the second half and extended their lead in the third quarter via a 24-yard field goal by Dan Bailey, then added 10 more points in the fourth quarter via a four-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Rudolphand a 29-yard field goal by Bailey, making the final score 27–9 in favor of Minnesota. With the loss, the Lions fell to 5–10 and secured a last place finish in

for the first time since

Week 17: at Green Bay Packers

To end the season, the Lions visited their divisional

the Green Bay Packers for a rematch of week 5. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from

T. J. Jones Tai-ler "T. J." Fitzgerald Jones (born July 19, 1992) is a former American-Canadian professional American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at No ...

. The Lions added 14 points in the second quarter via an eight-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal attempt from

Levine Toilolo Levine Joseph Toilolo (born July 30, 1991) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at Stanford, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Early years Toilolo was ...

and a 13-yard touchdown run by

, to make the score 21–0 in favor of the Lions at half-time. Detroit scored twice in the second half, first via a 43-yard field goal by Prater in the third quarter, then via a 23-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones in the fourth quarter, to make the final score 31–0 in favor of the Lions, giving them their only

shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

win of the season and a 6–10 record. This was also the Lions' first shutout against the Packers since

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

, the first shutout against the Packers in Green Bay since

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...

, the first shutout for the Lions since 1996, and their first four-game winning streak against them since the 1982 and

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...

seasons. They also swept the Packers for the second consecutive season.

Standings

Division

Conference

References

External links

* {{2018 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