# 2010 Detroit Lions season

The 2010 season was the Detroit Lions' 81st in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Jim Schwartz. They spent most of the season at the bottom of the NFC North, but with more division wins than the Minnesota Vikings (whose overall record was the same), the Lions ended up at third place on the final day of the season with a victory over that team. They were eliminated from playoff contention after their Thanksgiving Day loss, extending their postseason drought to 11 seasons, tied with the Buffalo Bills for the longest active streak in the NFL. High points of the season included two division wins, the first being a 7–3 victory over the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers that snapped a 19-game losing streak against division opponents, and a four-game winning streak which included a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that ended their record 26-game road losing streak. The Lions also sent two players to the 2011 Pro Bowl: wide receiver Calvin Johnson and rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
The Lions missed the playoffs for the eleventh straight season, tying a record set between 1971 and 1981. After the Week 13 loss to the Chicago Bears, the Lions hit a low point of 5 wins and 47 losses since their 44–7 win against the Denver Broncos in Week 9 of the 2007 season.

## Off-season
### Roster changes
#### Free agents

| Pos | Player | Tag | 2010 Team | Signed |
| ILB | Cody Spencer | RFA | | |
| G/T | Damion Cook | UFA | Omaha Nighthawks (UFL) | |
| QB | Daunte Culpepper | UFA | Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL) | June 7 |
| ILB | Larry Foote | UFA | Pittsburgh Steelers | March 15 |
| CB | Anthony Henry | UFA | | |
| CB | William James | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | May 5 |
| QB | Patrick Ramsey | UFA | Omaha Nighthawks (UFL) | June 1 |
| RB | Cedric Peerman | UFA | Cincinnati Bengals | April 27 |
| WR | Michael Ray Garvin | UFA | Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL) | June 2 |
| DT | Terrance Taylor | UFA | | |
| S | DeAngelo Smith | UFA | Cleveland Browns | April 28 |
| WR | Kole Heckendorf | UFA | Seattle Seahawks | May 12 |

#### Releases

| Pos | Player | Released | 2010 Team | Signed |
| CB | Phillip Buchanon | March 4 | Washington Redskins | March 29 |
| DT | Grady Jackson | March 5 | | |
| DE | Dewayne White | March 8 | Omaha Nighthawks (UFL) | June 2 |
| OG | Daniel Loper | April 15 | Oakland Raiders | May 16 |
| S | Kalvin Pearson | April 16 | | |
| CB | Kevin Hobbs | April 16 | Miami Dolphins | August 12 |
| CB | Brian Witherspoon | April 16 | Carolina Panthers | April 16 |
| SS | Daniel Bullocks | July 8 | Omaha Nighthawks (UFL) | |

#### Signings

| Pos | Player | Tag | 2009 Team | Signed |
| S | Jonathan Hefney | UFA | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) | January 4 |
| LB | Ashlee Palmer | UFA | Buffalo Bills | February 18 |
| WR | Nate Burleson | UFA | Seattle Seahawks | March 5 |
| DT | Corey Williams | RFA | Cleveland Browns | March 5 |
| DE | Kyle Vanden Bosch | UFA | Tennessee Titans | March 5 |
| CB | Jonathan Wade | UFA | St. Louis Rams | March 8 |
| CB | Chris Houston | RFA | Atlanta Falcons | March 8 |
| QB | Shaun Hill | RFA | San Francisco 49ers | March 14 |
| LB | Landon Johnson | UFA | Carolina Panthers | March 19 |
| OG | Rob Sims | RFA | Seattle Seahawks | April 5 |
| TE | Tony Scheffler | RFA | Denver Broncos | April 19 |
| G | Trevor Canfield | RFA | Seattle Seahawks | April 19 |
| DB | C.C. Brown | UFA | New York Giants | May 10 |
| LB | Isaiah Ekejiuba | UFA | Oakland Raiders | July 23 |
| DE | Lawrence Jackson | RFA | Seattle Seahawks | August 18 |
| CB | T. J. Rushing | UFA | Indianapolis Colts | August 18 |
| S | John Wendling | UFA | Buffalo Bills | August 27 |
| TE | Spencer Havner | UFA | Green Bay Packers | September 5 |
| WR | Stefan Logan | UFA | Pittsburgh Steelers | September 5 |
| TE | J. J. Finley | UFA | San Francisco 49ers | September 8 |

#### Trades

* On September 4, the Lions traded Dan Gronkowski to Denver for Alphonso Smith.

#### 2010 Draft class

| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 2 | Ndamukong Suh | DT | Nebraska |
| 1 | 30 | Jahvid Best | RB | California |
| 3 | 66 | Amari Spievey | CB | Iowa |
| 4 | 128 | Jason Fox | OT | Miami (FL) |
| 7 | 213 | Willie Young | DE | North Carolina State |
| 7 | 255 | Tim Toone | WR | Weber State |
Denver traded its 2010 fifth-round selection and a 2009 seventh-round selection to Detroit for a 2009 sixth-round selection.
The Lions traded their original seventh-round pick to Buffalo for S Ko Simpson.
The Lions traded their 2010 sixth-round pick and a conditional 2011 seventh-round pick to Atlanta for CB Chris Houston.
The Lions traded a 2010 fifth-round pick (the pick they acquired from Denver) to Cleveland for DT Corey Williams and a 2010 seventh-round pick (214).
The Lions traded seventh-round pick 220 to Philadelphia for their 2011 sixth-round selection.
The Lions traded LB Ernie Sims to Philadelphia, the Broncos received a fifth-round pick from Philadelphia, and the Lions received TE Tony Scheffler and a 2010 seventh-round pick 220 from Denver in a three team trade.
^a The Lions traded their second-round pick, their original fourth-round pick and seventh-round pick 214 to Minnesota for their first-round pick and their fourth-round pick.
^b The Lions traded their 2010 fifth-round pick and DE Robert Henderson to Seattle for OG Rob Sims and their 2010 seventh-round pick.
^c Awarded to the Lions as a compensatory pick.

#### Undrafted free agents

| Position | Player | College |
| WR | Michael Moore | Georgia |
| DT | Robert Callaway | Saginaw Valley State |
| TE | Richard Dickson | Louisiana State |
| CB | Aaron Berry | Pittsburgh |
| S | Randy Phillips | Miami (FL) |
| DE | Korey Bosworth | UCLA |

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 14 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 23–7 | 0–1 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 21 | at Denver Broncos | W 25–20 | 1–1 | Invesco Field at Mile High | Recap |
| 3 | August 28 | Cleveland Browns | W 35–27 | 2–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 4 | September 2 | Buffalo Bills | W 28–23 | 3–1 | Ford Field | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 12 | at Chicago Bears | L 14–19 | 0–1 | Soldier Field | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 32–35 | 0–2 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 10–24 | 0–3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | at Green Bay Packers | L 26–28 | 0–4 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | St. Louis Rams | W 44–6 | 1–4 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 6 | October 17 | at New York Giants | L 20–28 | 1–5 | New Meadowlands Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 8 | October 31 | Washington Redskins | W 37–25 | 2–5 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | New York Jets | L 20–23 (OT) | 2–6 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | at Buffalo Bills | L 12–14 | 2–7 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 21 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 19–35 | 2–8 | Cowboys Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 25 | New England Patriots | L 24–45 | 2–9 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | Chicago Bears | L 20–24 | 2–10 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | Green Bay Packers | W 7–3 | 3–10 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 23–20 (OT) | 4–10 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | at Miami Dolphins | W 34–27 | 5–10 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | Minnesota Vikings | W 20–13 | 6–10 | Ford Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Indicates that throwback uniforms were worn.

## Standings

NFC North :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ Chicago Bears | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | 334 | 286 | L1 |
| $^{(6)}$ Green Bay Packers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 388 | 240 | W2 |
| Detroit Lions | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 362 | 369 | W4 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | 281 | 348 | L1 |

## Regular season results
### Week 1: at Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Bears | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
* Date: September 12
* Game time: 12:00 pm CDT
* Game weather: 75 °F or 23.9 °C (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 62,080
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Charissa Thompson
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CHI – Robbie Gould 20-yard field goal, Bears 3–0, Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 5:57.
DET – Jahvid Best 7-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 7–3, Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:18.
Second quarter
DET – Jahvid Best 4-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 14–3, Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:33.
CHI – Matt Forte 89-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick), Lions 14–10, Drive: 1 plays, 79 yards, 0:27.
CHI – Robbie Gould 31-yard field goal, Lions 14–13, Drive: 4 plays, 24 yards, 0:20.
Third quarter
No scoring plays
Fourth quarter
CHI – Matt Forte 28-yard pass from Jay Cutler (pass failed), Bears 19–14, Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 1:49.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 9/19, 88 yards, 1 interception
CHI – Jay Cutler – 23/35, 372 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Top rushers
DET – Jahvid Best – 14 rushes, 20 yards, 2 touchdowns
CHI – Matt Forte – 17 rushes, 50 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson – 4 receptions, 45 yards
CHI – Matt Forte – 7 receptions, 151 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top tacklers
DET – Kyle Vanden Bosch – 10 tackles, 1 assist
CHI – Lance Briggs – 9 tackles, 1 assist, 1 forced fumble :
The Lions opened the season at Soldier Field against their NFC North foe the Chicago Bears. The Bears took an early lead in the first quarter with a 20-yard field goal by kicker Robbie Gould. The Lions answered with two consecutive touchdowns by rookie running back Jahvid Best: first a 7-yard run, and later in the second quarter with a 4-yard run. The Bears responded with an 89-yard catch and run touchdown by Matt Forté and later with a 31-yard field goal from Gould just before halftime. The only score of the second half was a 28-yard touchdown catch by Forté (with a failed 2-point conversion), giving the Bears a late lead. Late in the game, quarterback Shaun Hill completed what would have been the game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson. A touchdown was initially signaled, but the officials conferred and ruled that Johnson did not "complete the catch during the process of the catch." The play was reviewed and the ruling on the field of an incomplete pass stood.
With the loss, the Lions started their season 0–1.

### Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 32 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: September 19
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: None (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 56,688
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan and Chris Myers
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – DeSean Jackson 45-yard pass from Michael Vick (David Akers kick), Eagles 7–0, Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 2:29.
DET – Jahvid Best 14-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 6 plays, 76 yards, 3:00.
Second quarter
DET – Jacob Janson 49-yard field goal, Lions 10–7, Drive: 7 plays, 12 yards, 1:54.
DET – Jahvid Best 75-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 17–7, Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:14.
PHI – LeSean McCoy 14-yard run (David Akers kick), Lions 17–14, Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:23.
PHI – Jeremy Maclin 9-yard pass from Michael Vick (David Akers kick), Eagles 21–17, Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 0:59.
Third quarter
PHI – LeSean McCoy 4-yard run (David Akers kick), Eagles 28–17, Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:38.
Fourth quarter
PHI – LeSean McCoy 46-yard run (David Akers kick), Eagles 35–17, Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 1:32.
DET – Jahvid Best 2-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), Eagles 35–24, Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:04.
DET – Calvin Johnson 19-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Shaun Hill – Calvin Johnson pass), Eagles 35–32, Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 1:11.
Top passers
PHI – Michael Vick – 21/34, 284 yards, 2 touchdowns
DET – Shaun Hill – 25/45, 335 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
PHI – LeSean McCoy – 16 rushes, 120 yards, 3 touchdowns
DET – Jahvid Best – 17 rushes, 78 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top receivers
PHI – DeSean Jackson – 4 receptions, 135 yards, 1 touchdown
DET – Jahvid Best – 9 receptions, 154 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
PHI – Omar Gaither – 12 tackles
DET – Ndamukong Suh – 6 tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack :
For their home opener, the Lions hosted the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles scored first midway through the first quarter with a 45-yard touchdown catch by DeSean Jackson. The Lions responded a few minutes later with a 14-yard touchdown run by Jahvid Best. Later in the second quarter the Lions broke the tie with a 49-yard Jason Hanson field goal. They increased their lead with a 75-yard touchdown catch by Jahvid Best. The Eagles answered with 4 consecutive touchdowns. First a 14-yard run by LeSean McCoy. Next a 9-yard run by Jeremy Maclin just before halftime. Midway through the third, Philadelphia added to their lead with 2 touchdowns by LeSean McCoy. First a 4-yard run, then in the 4th quarter one for 46 yards. The Lions then attempted a comeback with 2 consecutive touchdowns late in the game. First a 2-yard touchdown run by Jahvid Best. Then a 19-yard catch by Calvin Johnson with a 2-point conversion tacked on. The Lions completed an onside kick but turned the ball over on downs.
With the loss, the Lions fell to 0–2 for the 3rd straight season.

### Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Vikings | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
at Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: None (domed stadium)
* Game attendance: 63,377
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Tony Scheffler 5-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 3 plays, 12 yards, 1:13.
MIN – Percy Harvin 24-yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 1 plays, 24 yards, 0:05.
Second quarter
MIN – Adrian Peterson 6-yard run (Ryan Longwell kick), Vikings 14–7, Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 5:58.
DET – Jason Hanson 33-yard field goal, Vikings 14–10, Drive: 5 plays, 36 yards, 0:54.
Third quarter
MIN – Ryan Longwell 31-yard field goal, Vikings 21–10, Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 7:13.
MIN – Adrian Peterson 80-yard run (Ryan Longwell kick), Vikings 28–10, Drive: 1 plays, 80 yards, 0:13.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 29/43, 237 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
MIN – Brett Favre – 23/34, 201 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
DET – Jahvid Best – 7 rushes, 26 yards
MIN – Adrian Peterson – 23 rushes, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top receivers
DET – Tony Scheffler – 7 receptions, 60 yards, 1 touchdown
MIN – Percy Harvin – 6 receptions, 62 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
DET – C.C. Brown – 5 tackles, 2 assists
MIN – Chad Greenway – 9 tackles :
In week 3, the Lions traveled to Minneapolis to take on division rivals the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions took an early lead with a 5-yard touchdown catch by Tony Scheffler. The Vikings tied it up 24-yard catch by Percy Harvin. They then took the lead in the second quarter with a 6-yard run by Adrian Peterson. The Lions responded just before halftime with a 33-yard field goal. Midway through the third quarter the Vikings added to their lead with a 31-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell. A few minutes later they sealed their win with an 80-yard run by Adrian Peterson.
With the loss, the Lions fell to 0–3.

### Week 4: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 26 |
| Packers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: October 3
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: 52 °F (11.1 °C), mostly sunny
* Game attendance: 70,729
* Referee: Mike Carey
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Charissa Thompson
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Donald Driver 29-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), Packers 7–0, Drive: 4 plays, 55 yards, 2:20.
Second quarter
DET – Calvin Johnson 23-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:15.
GB – Jermichael Finley 13-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), Packers 14–7, Drive: 3 plays, 12 yards, 1:34.
GB – Greg Jennings 17-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), Packers 21–7, Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 1:32.
DET – Calvin Johnson 21-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Packers 21–14, Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:40.
Third quarter
GB – Charles Woodson 48-yard interception return (Mason Crosby kick), Packers 24–14.
DET – Jason Hanson 39-yard field goal, Packers 24–17, Drive: 12 plays, 48 yards, 5:08.
DET – Jason Hanson 52-yard field goal, Packers 24–20, Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 4:21.
Fourth quarter
DET – Jason Hanson 49-yard field goal, Packers 24–23, Drive: 6 plays, 27 yards, 1:33.
DET – Jason Hanson 24-yard field goal, Lions 26–24, Drive: 6 plays, 12 yards, 1:39.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 34/54, 331 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 12/17, 181 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
DET – Shaun Hill – 4 rushes, 53 yards
GB – John Kuhn – 9 rushes, 39 yards
Top receivers
DET – Brandon Pettigrew – 8 receptions, 91 yards
GB – Donald Driver – 3 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
DET – Louis Delmas – 5 tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack
GB – Charles Woodson – 11 tackles, 2 assists, 1 interception :
In week 4, the Lions traveled across Lake Michigan to Green Bay, Wisconsin to play division rivals the Green Bay Packers. The Packers started the scoring in the first quarter with a 29-yard TD catch by Donald Driver from Aaron Rodgers. The Lions tied it up in the second quarter with a 23-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. The Packers took the lead with a 13-yard catch by Jermichael Finley. They added to their lead 17-yard catch by Greg Jennings. The Lions responded just before halftime with a 21-yard catch by Calvin Johnson. Just after the break, the Packers' Charles Woodson returned an interception for a touchdown. The Lions attempted a comeback with 4 consecutive field goals: from 39 yards and 52 yards in the 3rd quarter, and later from 49 yards and 24 yards in the 4th. With the loss, not only did the Lions fall to 0–4, but it also marked their 19th consecutive loss in Wisconsin.

### Week 5: vs. St. Louis Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Lions | 3 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 44 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: October 10
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: None (domed stadium)
* Game attendance: 55,714
* Referee: Bill Leavy
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts & John Lynch
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Jason Hanson 30-yard field goal, Lions 3–0, Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 1:16.
STL – Josh Brown 28-yard field goal, Tied 3–3, Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 6:20.
Second quarter
DET – Stefan Logan 105-yard kickoff return (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 10–3, Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.
DET – Calvin Johnson 1-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 17–3, Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards, 7:16.
STL – Josh Brown 28-yard field goal, Lions 17–6, Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 4:37.
DET – Brandon Pettigrew 3-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 24–6, Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 1:27.
Third quarter
DET – Nate Burleson 26-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 31–6, Drive: 4 plays, 41 yards, 1:53.
Fourth quarter
DET – Jason Hanson 48-yard field goal, Lions 34–6, Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 4:23.
DET – Jason Hanson 47-yard field goal, Lions 37–6, Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:31.
DET – Alphonso Smith 42-yard interception return (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 44–6.
Top passers
STL – Sam Bradford – 23/45, 215 yards, 2 interceptions
DET – Shaun Hill – 21/32, 227 yards, 3 touchdowns
Top rushers
STL – Steven Jackson – 25 rushes, 114 yards
DET – Jahvid Best – 17 rushes, 59 yards
Top receivers
STL – Danny Amendola – 12 receptions, 95 yards
DET – Nate Burleson – 4 receptions, 56 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
STL – James Laurinaitis – 4 tackles, 3 assists
DET – Julian Peterson – 7 tackles, 4 assists, 1 sack :
In week 5 the Lions hosted the St. Louis Rams. The Lions started the scoring early with a 30-yard Jason Hanson field goal. The Rams tied it up at the end of the first quarter with a 28-yard field goal by Josh Brown. To start the second quarter, the Lions took the lead with a 105-yard kickoff return by Stefan Logan, the longest touchdown run in the NFL this season. The Lions added to their lead a few minutes later with a 1-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. The Rams kicked another 28-yard field goal a few minutes later. The Lions made it 24–6 just before halftime with a 3-yard TD catch by Brandon Pettigrew. The Lions' defense shut out the Rams in the second half. The only score of the third quarter was a 26-yard TD catch by Nate Burleson. In the fourth quarter the Lions kicked 2 field goals: from 48 then from 47. The Lions capped off their victory with a 42-yard interception return TD by Alphonso Smith. With the win, not only did the Lions improve to 1–4, but it was their largest margin of victory since 1995 and their first win since November 22, 2009.

### Week 6: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Giants | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: October 17
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: 63 °F or 17.2 °C (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 78,341
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Charles Davis & Laura Okmin
* Recap Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Nate Burleson 14-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 4:00.
NYG – Brandon Jacobs 4-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:23.
Second quarter
NYG – Mario Manningham 33-yard pass from Eli Manning (Shayne Graham kick), Giants 14–7, Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 6:42.
DET – Jason Hanson 50-yard field goal, Giants 14–10, Drive: 14 plays, 48 yards, 3:14.
Third quarter
NYG – Travis Beckum 1-yard pass from Eli Manning (Shayne Graham kick), Giants 21–10, Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:25.
Fourth quarter
DET – Calvin Johnson 87-yard pass from Drew Stanton (Jason Hanson kick), Giants 21–17, Drive: 3 plays, 87 yards, 1:36.
NYG – Brandon Jacobs 6-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), Giants 28–17, Drive: 3 plays, 58 yards, 1:37.
DET – Jason Hanson 50-yard field goal, Giants 28–20, Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 0:34.
Top passers
DET – Drew Stanton – 19/34, 222 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
NYG – Eli Manning – 20/30, 177 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top rushers
DET – Drew Stanton – 3 rushes, 30 yards
NYG – Ahmad Bradshaw – 19 rushes, 133 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson – 5 receptions, 146 yards, 1 touchdown
NYG – Steve Smith – 6 receptions, 70 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Ashlee Palmer – 9 tackles, 4 assists
NYG – Deon Grant – 7 tackles, 3 assist, 1 forced fumble :
In week 6, the Lions traveled east to East Rutherford, New Jersey to take on the New York Giants. The Lions took an early lead midway through the first quarter with a 14-yard TD catch by Nate Burleson. The Giants responded at the end of the 1st quarter with a 4-yard TD run by Brandon Jacobs. In the second quarter, the Giants increased their lead with a 33-yard TD catch by Mario Manningham. The Lions responded with a 50-yard field goal just before halftime. Shaun Hill was also injured before halftime and left the game with a broken left forearm. Drew Stanton took over the QB role for the remainder of the game. The only score of the 3rd quarter was a 1-yard TD catch by Travis Beckum of the Giants. The Lions attempted a comeback when Calvin Johnson caught an 87-yard TD. The Giants responded with a 6-yard TD catch by Brandon Jacobs. The Lions ended the scoring with another 50-yard field goal. With the loss, not only did the Lions fall to 1–5 into their bye week, but it increased their road losing streak to 24, tying the NFL record that the team set from 2001 to 2003.

### Week 8: vs. Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 0 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 25 |
| Lions | 0 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 37 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT
* Game weather: None (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 42,329
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan, & Charissa Thompson (blacked out locally)
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
DET – Calvin Johnson 13-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards, 0:49.
WAS – Ryan Torain 6-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (Graham Gano kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 3 plays, 42 yards, 1:19.
WAS – Graham Gano 38-yard field goal, Redskins 10–7, Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 3:28.
WAS – Graham Gano 46-yard field goal, Redskins 13–7, Drive: 3 plays, 21 yards, 0:16.
Third quarter
DET – Brandon Pettigrew 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 14–13, Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:58.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Keiland Williams 5-yard run (pass failed), Redskins 19–14, Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 1:20.
DET – Calvin Johnson 7-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (pass failed), Lions 20–19, Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:54.
WAS – Brandon Banks 96-yard kickoff return (pass failed), Redskins 25–20, Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:16.
DET – Calvin Johnson 10-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matthew Stafford – Bryant Johnson pass), Lions 28–25, Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 1:20.
DET – Jason Hanson 32-yard field goal, Lions 31–25, Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:20.
DET – Ndamukong Suh 17-yard fumble return (pass failed), Lions 37–25.
Top passers
WAS – Donovan McNabb – 17/30, 210 yards, 1 touchdown
DET – Matthew Stafford – 26/45, 212 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 interception
Top rushers
WAS – Donovan McNabb – 4 rushes, 45 yards
DET – Kevin Smith – 12 rushes, 51 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Anthony Armstrong – 3 receptions, 92 yards
DET – Calvin Johnson – 9 receptions, 101 yards, 3 touchdowns
Top tacklers
WAS – Rocky McIntosh – 7 tackles, 2 assists
DET – Kyle Vanden Bosch – 5 tackles, 1 assist, 2.0 sack, 1 forced fumble :
In week 8, the Lions hosted a Halloween afternoon contest against the Washington Redskins. Neither team scored in the 1st quarter. The Lions took an early lead in the second quarter with a 13-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. The Redskins tied it up with a 6-yard TD catch by Ryan Torain. Washington's Graham Gano kicked 2 field goals just before halftime, from 38 and 46 yards out. The only score of the 3rd quarter was a 2-yard TD catch by Brandon Pettigrew of the Lions. The Redskins took the lead in the 4th quarter with a 5-yard TD run by Keiland Williams; they went for a 2-point conversion and failed, however. The Lions took the lead back with a 7-yard catch by Calvin Johnson; they also failed to complete a 2-point conversion. The Redskins responded with a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD by Brandon Banks; they again failed to complete a 2-point conversion. The Lions retook the lead with a 10-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson, and completed a 2-point conversion. The Lions added to their lead a few minutes later with a 32-yard field goal by Jason Hanson. The Lions sealed their win with a fumble recovery by Ndamukong Suh which he ran back 17 yards for a touchdown, but the 2-point conversion failed. With the win, not only did the Lions improve to 2–5, but it was the first time since 2007 that the team has won back-to-back home games.
Curiously, this was the Lions' second consecutive blacked-out home game against the Redskins. The Lions had won the previous season's meeting as well.

### Week 9: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Jets | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
| Lions | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: November 7
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: None (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 57,799
* Referee: Alberto Riveron
* TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Brandon Pettigrew 10-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:44.
Second quarter
NYJ – Nick Folk 31-yard field goal, Lions 7–3, Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 3:57.
NYJ – Braylon Edwards 74-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Nick Folk kick), Jets 10–7, Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:48.
Third quarter
DET – Matthew Stafford 1-yard run (Ndamukong Suh extra point no good, hit right upright) Lions 13–10, Drive: 4 plays, 1 yards, 2:03.
Fourth quarter
DET – Nate Burleson 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick), Lions 20–10, Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 3:17.
NYJ – Mark Sanchez 1-yard run (Nick Folk kick), Lions 20–17, Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 1:40.
NYJ – Nick Folk 36-yard field goal, Tied 20–20, Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 1:40.
Overtime
NYJ – Nick Folk 30-yard field goal, Jets 23–20, Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:18.
Top passers
NYJ – Mark Sanchez – 22/39, 336 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
DET – Matthew Stafford – 20/36, 240 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top rushers
NYJ – LaDainian Tomlinson – 15 rushes, 55 yards
DET – Jahvid Best – 16 rushes, 48 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Santonio Holmes – 5 receptions, 114 yards
DET – Nate Burleson – 7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
NYJ – Jim Leonhard – 7 tackles
DET – DeAndre Levy – 9 tackles, 1 assist :
In week 9, the Lions hosted an interconference duel against the New York Jets. The only score of the first quarter was a 10-yard TD catch by the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew. The Jets responded in the second quarter with a 31-yard field goal by Nick Folk and later a 74-yard TD catch by Braylon Edwards just before halftime. The only score of the third quarter was a 1-yard quarterback sneak TD by Matt Stafford of the Lions; however the extra point attempt by defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh (an emergency fill-in for injured kicker Jason Hanson, who got run into on the previous field goal attempt which gave them a fresh set of downs) was no good. Early in the fourth quarter, the Lions added to their lead with a Nate Burleson 2-yard TD catch. The Jets responded late in the quarter with a 1-yard TD quarterback sneak by Mark Sanchez. The Jets kicked a field goal to tie it up just before time expired, forcing overtime. The Jets won the toss and kicked a 30-yard field goal for the win as the Lions fell to 2–6.

### Week 10: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
| Bills | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: November 14
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: 52 °F or 11.1 °C (Mostly Cloudy/Rain)
* Game attendance: 56,721
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, John Lynch and Charissa Thompson
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
BUF – Fred Jackson 1-yard run (Rian Lindell kick), Bills 7–0, Drive: 5 plays, 57 yards, 2:07.
DET – Dave Rayner 25-yard field goal, Billts 7–3, Drive: 7 plays, 23 yards, 0:39.
Third quarter
BUF – Fred Jackson 16-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick (Rian Lindel kick), Bills 14–3, Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 3:34.
Fourth quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 45-yard field goal, Bills 14–6, Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 2:44.
DET – Calvin Johnson 20-yard pass from Shaun Hill (pass failed), Bills 14–12, Drive: 15 plays, 88 yards, 3:31.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 29/50, 323 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
BUF – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 12/24, 146 yards, 1 touchdown
Top rushers
DET – Jahvid Best – 17 rushes, 35 yards
BUF – Fred Jackson – 25 rushes, 133 yards, 1 touchdown
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson – 10 receptions, 128 yards, 1 touchdown
BUF – Lee Evans – 2 receptions, 52 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Julian Peterson – 5 tackles, 1 assist
BUF – Paul Posluszny – 11 tackles, 2 assist :
In week 10, the Lions traveled east to rainy Orchard Park, New York to take on the Buffalo Bills. Neither team scored in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Bills got on the board first with a 1-yard run by Fred Jackson. The Lions responded just before halftime with a 25-yard field goal by newly signed kicker Dave Rayner. The only score of the third quarter was a 16-yard TD catch by Fred Jackson of the Bills. The Lions kicked a 45-yard field goal midway through the fourth. Late in the game, the Lions attempted a comeback with a 20-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. They went for a 2-point conversion for the tie but failed. With the loss not only did the Lions fall to 2–7, but it was their 25th consecutive road loss, setting a new league record.

### Week 11: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 19 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST (12:00 pm CST)
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 81,261
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (FOX): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 1-yard pass from Jon Kitna (David Buehler kick), Cowboys 7–0, 'Drive: 13 plays, 98 yards, 7:16.
Second quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 47-yard field goal, Cowboys 7–3, 'Drive: 11 plays, 51 yards, 5:20.
DET – Nate Burleson 9-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 10–7, 'Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 0:19.
Third quarter
DET – Penalty on Leonard Davis enforced in endzone for a safety, Lions 12–7.
DAL – Bryan McCann 97-yard punt return (David Buehler kick), Cowboys 14–12.
DAL – Miles Austin 3-yard pass from Jon Kitna (David Buehler kick), Cowboys 21–12, 'Drive: 4 plays, 19 yards, 2:07.
DET – Calvin Johnson 14-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), Cowboys 21–19, 'Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:23.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Miles Austin 4-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Dave Rayner kick), Cowboys 28–19, 'Drive: 16 plays, 71 yards, 7:55.
DAL – Jon Kitna 29-yard run (David Buehler kick), Cowboys 35–19, 'Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:40.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 32/47, 289 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interceptions
DAL – Jon Kitna – 18/24, 147 yards, 3 touchdowns
Top rushers
DET – Maurice Morris – 10 rushes, 31 yards
DAL – Felix Jones – 11 rushes, 51 yards
Top receivers
DET – Nate Burleson – 7 receptions, 97 yards, 1 touchdown
DAL – Jason Witten – 4 receptions, 48 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Ndamukong Suh – 5 tackles, 3 sacks, 0.5 sack
DAL – Keith Brooking – 7 tackles, 4 assists :
In week 11, the Lions traveled to Arlington, Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys. The only score of the first quarter was a 1-yard TD catch by Dez Bryant of the Cowboys. In the second quarter the Lions got on the board with a 47-yard field goal, and took the lead with a 9-yard TD catch by Nate Burleson. After halftime, Leonard Davis of the Cowboys committed an offensive holding penalty in his own end zone, giving the Lions a safety. The Cowboys took the lead though with a 97-yard punt return by Bryan McCann, and added to it with a 3-yard catch by Miles Austin. The Lions responded with a 14-yard catch by Calvin Johnson. In the 4th quarter, Miles Austin caught another TD, this time from 4 yards out. Later, Jon Kitna sealed the Cowboys win with a 29-yard TD run. With the loss, not only did the Lions fall to 2–8, but they added to their already record setting 26 game road losing streak.

### Week 12: vs. New England Patriots (Thanksgiving Day game)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 3 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 45 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: November 25
* Game time: 12:30 pm EST
* Game weather: None (domed stadium)
* Game attendance: 60,965
* Referee: Ron Winter
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz & Phil Simms
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Shayne Graham 19-yard field goal, Patriots 3–0, Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 3:59.
DET – Calvin Johnson 19-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 7–3, Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 5:00.
Second quarter
DET – Maurice Morris 1-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 14–3, Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 6:24.
NE – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 15-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), Lions 14–10, Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 5:13.
DET – Dave Rayner 44-yard field goal, Lions 17–10, Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 0:45.
Third quarter
NE – Wes Welker 5-yard pass from Tom Brady (Shayne Graham kick), Tied 17–17, Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 2:08.
DET – Maurice Morris 1-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 24–17, Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 4:08.
NE – Deion Branch 79-yard pass from Tom Brady (Shayne Graham kick), Tied 24–24, Drive: 3 plays, 87 yards, 1:38.
Fourth quarter
NE – Deion Branch 22-yard pass from Tom Brady (Shayne Graham kick), Patriots 31–24, Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 2:15.
NE – Wes Welker 16-yard pass from Tom Brady (Shayne Graham kick), Patriots 38–24, Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 4:25.
NE – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard run (Shayne Graham kick), Patriots 45–24, Drive: 4 plays, 12 yards, 2:29.
Top passers
NE – Tom Brady – 21/27, 341 yards, 4 touchdowns
DET – Shaun Hill – 27/46, 285 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
NE – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 12 rushes, 59 yards, 2 touchdowns
DET – Maurice Morris – 9 rushes, 55 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top receivers
NE – Deion Branch – 3 receptions, 113 yards, 2 touchdowns
DET – Calvin Johnson – 4 receptions, 81 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
NE – Jerod Mayo – 8 tackles, 4 assists
DET – Amari Spievey – 8 tackles, 2 assists :
For their 71st annual Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions hosted the New England Patriots. In a rare occurrence, both teams wore the home versions of their throwback uniforms. The Patriots got on the board first with a 19-yard field goal by Shayne Graham. The Lions took the lead late in the first quarter with a 19-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. The Lions added to their lead in the 2nd quarter with a 1-yard run by Maurice Morris. The Patriots responded later in the quarter with a 15-yard run Benjarvus Green-Ellis. The Lions answered just before halftime with a 44-yard field goal.
Detroit area native Kid Rock performed for the halftime show.
The Patriots tied the game early in the 3rd quarter with a 5-yard catch by Wes Welker. The Lions responded a few minutes later with a 1-yard run by Maurice Morris. The Patriots then scored 4 unanswered touchdowns: a 79-yard catch by Deion Branch, then in the 4th quarter a 22-yard catch by the same, then a 16-yard catch by Wes Welker, and finally a 1-yard run by Benjarvus Green-Ellis.
With the loss, the Lions fell to 2–9 and were eliminated from playoff contention.

### Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: December 5
* Game time: 12:00 pm CST
* Game weather: None (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 58,119
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan and Jennifer Hammond
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Drew Stanton 3-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 2:25.
CHI – Chester Taylor 1-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 6:33.
Second quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 50-yard field goal, Lions 10–7, Drive: 10 plays, 39 yards, 5:32.
CHI – Matt Forte 14-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), Bears 14–10, Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 4:51.
DET – Calvin Johnson 46-yard pass from Drew Stanton (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 17–14, Drive: 2 plays, 91 yards, 0:19.
Third quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 25-yard field goal, Lions 20–14, Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:32.
CHI – Robbie Gould 54-yard field goal, Lions 20–17, Drive: 4 plays, −5 yards, 2:49.
Fourth quarter
CHI – Brandon Manumaleuna 7-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick), Bears 24–20, Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:16.
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler – 21/26, 234 yards, 1 touchdown
DET – Drew Stanton – 16/24, 178 yards, 1 touchdown
Top rushers
CHI – Matt Forte – 13 rushes, 64 yards, 1 touchdown
DET – Jahvid Best – 9 rushes, 65 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Earl Bennett – 7 receptions, 104 yards
DET – Calvin Johnson – 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
CHI – Brian Urlacher – 10 tackles, 7 assists, 1 forced fumble
DET – Louis Delmas – 5 tackles, 3 assists :
In week 13, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals the Chicago Bears. The Lions took an early lead when Drew Stanton ran in a 3-yard touchdown. The Bears tied it up near the end of the 1st quarter with a 1-yard run by Chester Taylor. The Lions broke the tie with a 50-yard field goal. The Bears responded with a 14-yard TD run by Matt Forté. The Lions took the lead just before halftime with a 46-yard TD catch by Calvin Johnson. The Lions only points of the 2nd half was a 25-yard field goal by Dave Rayner early in the 3rd quarter. The Bears responded with a 54-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. The Bears took the lead midway through the 4th quarter with a 7-yard TD catch by Brandon Manumaleuna and held off the Lions offense for the remainder of the game for the win.

### Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: December 12
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: None (domed stadium)
* Game attendance: 57,659
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
No scoring plays
Third quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 42-yard field goal, Packers 3–0, Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 4:05.
Fourth quarter
DET – Will Heller 13-yard pass from Drew Stanton (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 7–3, Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 2:46.
Top passers
GB – Matt Flynn – 15/26, 177 yards, 1 interception
DET – Drew Stanton – 10/22, 117 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 2 rushes, 25 yards
DET – Maurice Morris – 11 rushes, 51 yards
Top receivers
GB – Andrew Quarless – 5 receptions, 62 yards
DET – Calvin Johnson – 1 reception, 44 yards
Top tacklers
GB – Desmond Bishop – 7 tackles, 3 assists
DET – Landon Johnson – 5 tackles, 2 assists, 1 forced fumble :
In week 14, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals the Green Bay Packers. Neither team scored in the first half. The only points of the 3rd quarter was a 42-yard field goal by Mason Crosby of the Packers. The only score of the 4th quarter was a 13-yard touchdown catch by Will Heller of the Lions to give them the win. With the win, not only did the Lions improve to 3–10, but it was the first time the team beat the Packers since 2005, snapping a 10-game losing streak. It was also their first division win since 2007, snapping a 19-game losing streak.

### Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 19
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: 54 °F or 12.2 °C (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 47,692
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton & Charles Davis
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Nate Burleson 10-yard pass from Drew Stanton (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 7–0, Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:50.
Second quarter
TB – Mike Williams 24-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Connor Barth kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 4:37.
TB – LeGarrette Blount 39-yard run (Connor Barth kick), Buccaneers 14–7, Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:45.
DET – Dave Rayner 41-yard field goal, Buccaneers 14–10, Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 2:46.
Third quarter
DET – Maurice Morris 10-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Lions 17–14, Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 4:44.
Fourth quarter
TB – Connor Barth 30-yard field goal, Tied 17–17, Drive: 15 plays, 67 yards, 7:05.
TB – Connor Barth 26-yard field goal, Buccaneers 20–17, Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:09.
DET – Dave Rayner 28-yard field goal, Tied 20–20, Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 1:39.
Overtime
DET – Dave Rayner 34-yard field goal, Lions 23–20, Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 5:09.
Top passers
DET – Drew Stanton – 23/37, 252 yards, 1 touchdown
TB – Josh Freeman – 21/32, 251 yards, 1 touchdown
Top rushers
DET – Maurice Morris – 15 rushes, 109 yards, 1 touchdown
TB – LeGarrette Blount – 15 rushes, 110 yards, 1 touchdown
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson – 10 receptions, 152 yards
TB – Mike Williams – 6 receptions, 96 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
DET – DeAndre Levy – 11 tackles
TB – Ronde Barber – 9 tackles :
In week 15, the Lions traveled south to Tampa, Florida to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions took an early lead in the 1st quarter with a 10-yard TD catch by Nate Burleson. Tampa Bay tied it up in the second quarter with a 24-yard TD catch by Mike Williams, and later took the lead with a 39-yard TD run by LeGarrette Blount. The Lions answered just before halftime with a 41-yard field goal. The only score of the 3rd quarter was a 10-yard TD run by Maurice Morris of the Lions. Tampa Bay had 2 field goals in the fourth quarter, from 30 then 26 yards out. The Lions tied the game just before the end of regulation with a 28-yard field goal, taking it to overtime. In overtime the Lions got the ball first and kicked a 34-yard field goal for the win. With the win not only did the Lions improve to 4–10, but it broke their record 26-game road losing streak. It was also their first back to back wins since 2007.

### Week 16: at Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Dolphins | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: 65 °F or 18.3 °C (Sunny and Windy)
* Game attendance: 66,731
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Charles Davis & Laura Okmin
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 39-yard field goal, Lions 3–0, Drive: 4 plays, −2 yards, 2:04.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 40-yard field goal, Tied 3–3, Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 2:57.
Second quarter
DET – Brandon Pettigrew 20-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), 10–3 Lions, Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:13.
MIA – Lousaka Polite 4-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Tied 10–10, Drive: 11 plays, 80 yds, 6:04.
MIA – Davone Bess 13-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 17–10, Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:12.
Third quarter
DET – Maurice Morris 5-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Tied 17–17, Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 6:28.
MIA – Ronnie Brown 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 24–17, Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:44.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 28-yard field goal, 27–17 Dolphins, Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:53.
DET – Jahvid Best 53-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), 27–24 Dolphins, Drive: 1 plays, 53 yards, 0:00.
DET – Dave Rayner 47-yard field goal, Tied 27–27, Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:57.
DET – DeAndre Levy 30-yard interception return (Dave Rayner kick), 34–27 Lions, Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 0:33.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 14/26, 222 yards, 2 touchdowns
MIA – Chad Henne – 29/44, 278 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
DET – Jahvid Best – 6 rushes, 24 yards,
MIA – Ricky Williams – 14 rushes, 71 yards,
Top receivers
DET – Brandon Pettigrew – 4 receptions, 74 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 10 receptions, 102 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Bobby Carpenter – 8 tackles, 1 assist
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 5 tackles, 1 assist :
In week 16, the Lions flew back to Florida, this time to play the Miami Dolphins. The Lions took an early lead with a 39-yard field goal by Dave Rayner. The Dolphins tied it up with a 40-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter. In the second quarter, the Lions took the lead when Brandon Pettigrew caught a 20-yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins tied it up with a 4-yard rush by Lousaka Polite. Miami took the lead with a 13-yard TD catch by Davone Bess. After halftime, the Lions tied it back up with a 5-yard TD rush by Maurice Morris. The Dolphins responded with a 1-yard TD run by Ronnie Brown. Miami added to their lead with a 28-yard field goal. The Lions then scored 17 unanswered points. First Jahvid Best caught a 53-yard TD pass. Then Dave Rayner kicked a 47-yard field goal. They sealed their win when DeAndre Levy intercepted a Chad Henne pass and ran it back 30 yards for a touchdown. With the win not only did the Lions improve to 5–10, but it was their first back-to-back road victories since 2004, and first three-game winning streak since 2007.

### Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: January 2
* Game time: 1:00 pm EST
* Game weather: None (domed stadium)
* Game attendance: 57,013
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, John Lynch & Jennifer Hammond
* Recap Gamebook
To finish the season, the Lions hosted a rematch with division rivals the Minnesota Vikings. Neither team scored in the first quarter; the Vikings were shut out in the first half. The Lions got on the board midway through the second quarter with a 55-yard field goal by Dave Rayner. They added to their lead with a 7-yard touchdown catch by Nate Burleson just before halftime. After the break, Detroit kicked another field goal, this time from 37 yards out. The Vikings finally got on the board midway through the third quarter when Jared Allen intercepted a Shaun Hill pass and ran it back 36 yards for a touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, Minnesota added more points with a 27-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell. The Lions responded a few minutes later with a 5-yard TD run by Maurice Morris. The Vikings kicked a 48-yard field goal late in the game, and attempted an onside kick to try to tie it but failed, giving Detroit the win. With the win not only did the Lions finish their season 6–10, but it became their first four-game winning streak since 1999 as they snapped the Vikings' 6-game winning streak against them and also became the first time the team has won back-to-back division rival games since 2007.

## Awards and records

Ndamukong Suh
* AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
* NFL Alumni Defensive Lineman of the Year
* Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year
* Sporting News Rookie of the Year
* Pro Football Weekly Rookie of the Year
* PFWA Rookie of the Year