# 2019 Detroit Lions season

The 2019 season was the Detroit Lions' 90th in the National Football League (NFL) and their second year under head coach Matt Patricia. The Lions had a promising start to the season with a 2–0–1 record. However, they lost 12 of their last 13 games, with 8 of those 12 losses being decided by a touchdown or less, and were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention following a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Chicago Bears in week 13. After franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford broke his backbone in a Week 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders, the Lions were forced to turn to former Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback Jeff Driskel and later undrafted free agent David Blough, neither of whom was able to lead the Lions to a single win. The Lions failed to improve on their 6–10 record from last season, finishing the season with a 3–12–1 record and nine consecutive losses. This resulted in the 3rd pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. They also posted consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 2012–2013. Not only that, they also got swept by their division rivals for the first time since 2012.

## Offseason
### Coaching changes

* On January 1, the Lions announced that Jim Bob Cooter would not return as offensive coordinator.
* On January 16, the Lions hired Darrell Bevell as offensive coordinator.
* On January 22, the Lions hired John Bonamego as special teams coordinator.
* On February 26, the Lions hired Kyle Caskey as running backs coach.
* On March 11, the Lions hired Stephen Thomas as defensive quality control coach, Rodney Hill as assistant strength and performance coach, Leon Washington as WCF minority coaching assistantship/offense and special teams coach, and Marquice Williams as assistant special teams coach.

### Additions

| Date | Player | Position | Previous team | Contract |
| January 1 | Connor Cook | Quarterback | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 year / $645,000 |
| March 11 | Danny Amendola | Wide receiver | Miami Dolphins | 1 year / $5.75 million |
| March 14 | Justin Coleman | Cornerback | Seattle Seahawks | 4 years / $36 million |
| March 14 | Trey Flowers | Defensive end | New England Patriots | 5 years / $90 million |
| March 14 | Jesse James | Tight end | Pittsburgh Steelers | 4 years / $22.6 million |
| March 14 | Oday Aboushi | Guard | Arizona Cardinals | 1 year / $2 million |
| March 14 | Andrew Adams | Safety | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 year / $920,000 |
| March 19 | Tommylee Lewis | Wide receiver | New Orleans Saints | 1 year / $920,000 |
| March 21 | Logan Thomas | Tight end | Buffalo Bills | 1 year / $895,000 |
| March 23 | Rashaan Melvin | Cornerback | Oakland Raiders | 1 year / $2.15 million |
| April 5 | C. J. Anderson | Running back | Los Angeles Rams | 1 year / $1.5 million |
| April 9 | Tom Savage | Quarterback | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 year / $895,000 |
| May 9 | T. J. Hockenson | Tight end | Iowa | 4 year / $19.82 million |
| May 9 | Amani Oruwariye | Cornerback | Penn State | 4 year / $2.84 million |
| May 9 | Jahlani Tavai | Linebacker | Hawaii | 4 year / $6.89 million |
| May 10 | Nate Becker | Tight end | Miami | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Beau Benzschawel | Guard | Wisconsin | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Malik Carney | Linebacker | North Carolina | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Jonathan Duhart | Wide receiver | Old Dominion | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Tre Lamar | Linebacker | Clemson | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | C. J. Moore | Safety | Mississippi | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Matt Nelson | Tackle | Iowa | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Donald Parham | Tight end | Stetson | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Anthony Pittman | Linebacker | Wayne State | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Ryan Pope | Tackle | San Diego State | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Ray Smith | Defensive tackle | Boston College | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Micah St. Andrew | Guard | Fresno State | Undrafted FA |
| May 10 | Kevin Strong | Defensive tackle | UTSA | Undrafted FA |
| May 12 | Tom Kennedy | Wide receiver | Bryant University | 3 year / $1.755 million |
| May 12 | Jordan Smallwood | Wide receiver | Kansas City Chiefs | 1 year / – |
| May 13 | Austin Bryant | Defensive end | Clemson | 4 year / $3.24 million |
| May 13 | P. J. Johnson | Defensive tackle | Arizona | 4 year / $2.616 million |
| May 13 | Ty Johnson | Running back | Maryland | 4 year / $2.69 million |
| May 13 | Isaac Nauta | Tight end | Georgia | 4 year / $2.62 million |
| May 13 | Juwon Young | Linebacker | Marshall | 1 year / – |
| May 14 | Travis Fulgham | Wide receiver | Old Dominion | 4 year / $2.698 million |
| June 3 | Will Harris | Safety | Boston College | 4 year / $3.472 million |
| June 3 | Brandon Reilly | Wide receiver | Dallas Cowboys | 2 year / $1.23 million |
| June 6 | Jermaine Kearse | Wide receiver | New York Jets | 1 year / $1.35 million |
| June 10 | Luke Bowanko | Center | Washington Redskins | 1 year / – |
| June 10 | David Fales | Quarterback | Miami Dolphins | 1 year / – |
| July 22 | Austin Traylor | Tight end | Salt Lake Stallions | 1 year / $570,000 |
| July 26 | Mike Daniels | Defensive tackle | Green Bay Packers | 1 year / $9.1 million |
| July 30 | Fred Jones | Defensive tackle | New York Jets | 1 year / $495,000 |
| August 4 | Tarvarus McFadden | Cornerback | San Francisco 49ers | 1 year / $495,000 |
| August 28 | James Williams | Running back | Washington State | Undrafted FA |

### Departures

| Date | Player | Position | Note | New Team |
| February 15 | Glover Quin | Safety | Retired | — |
| February 15 | Bruce Ellington | Wide receiver | Released | New England Patriots |
| February 15 | Nicholas Grigsby | Linebacker | Released | Baltimore Ravens |
| March 8 | T. J. Lang | Guard | Retired | — |
| March 10 | Nevin Lawson | Cornerback | Released | Oakland Raiders |
| March 11 | Trevor Bates | Linebacker | Released | |
| March 18 | Kerry Hyder | Defensive end | UFA | Dallas Cowboys |
| March 29 | Luke Willson | Tight end | UFA | Oakland Raiders |
| April 10 | Eli Harold | Defensive end | UFA | Buffalo Bills |
| May 8 | Ezekiel Ansah | Defensive end | UFA | Seattle Seahawks |
| May 9 | Nick Bellore | Fullback | UFA | Seattle Seahawks |
| May 15 | Levine Toilolo | Tight end | UFA | San Francisco 49ers |
| June 10 | Connor Cook | Quarterback | Released | |
| June 14 | Michael Roberts | Tight end | Released | Green Bay Packers |
| July 27 | Theo Riddick | Running back | Released | Denver Broncos |
| August 4 | Deontez Alexander | Wide receiver | Released | |
| August 27 | Zach Zenner | Running back | Released | |

### Re-signings

| Date | Player | Position | Contract |
| February 13 | Don Muhlbach | Long snapper | 1 year / $1.12 million |
| March 1 | Romeo Okwara | Defensive end | 2 years / $6.8 million |
| March 12 | Zach Zenner | Running back | 1 year / – |
| March 18 | Marcus Cooper | Cornerback | 1 year / $895,000 |
| March 22 | Andrew Donnal | Offensive tackle | 1 year / $845,000 |

### Trades

* On June 13, the Lions originally traded tight end Michael Roberts to the New England Patriots in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. The trade was rescinded the next day, and Roberts was subsequently released by the Lions.
* On October 22, the Lions traded safety Quandre Diggs and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft to the Seattle Seahawks for a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

### NFL draft

2019 Detroit Lions draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 8 | T. J. Hockenson * | TE | Iowa |
| 2 | 43 | Jahlani Tavai | LB | Hawaii |
| 3 | 81 | Will Harris | S | Boston College |
| 4 | 117 | Austin Bryant | DE | Clemson |
| 5 | 146 | Amani Oruwariye | CB | Penn State |
| 6 | 184 | Travis Fulgham | WR | Old Dominion |
| 6 | 186 | Ty Johnson | RB | Maryland |
| 7 | 224 | Isaac Nauta | TE | Georgia |
| 7 | 229 | P. J. Johnson | DT | Arizona |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

#### Draft trades

* The Lions acquired a fourth-round selection (No. 114) from the New England Patriots in the 2018 draft in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2019 draft.
* The Lions received a third round selection from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Golden Tate.
* The Lions acquired a third-round selection (No. 81) from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their original third-round selection (No. 88) and a sixth-round selection (No. 204).
* The Lions acquired a fourth-round selection (No. 117) and a sixth-round selection (No. 186) from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for their original fourth-round selection (No. 111).
* The Miami Dolphins traded a conditional seventh-round selection to Detroit in exchange for defensive tackle Akeem Spence.
* Detroit traded a fifth-round selection to the New York Giants in exchange for defensive tackle Damon Harrison. The condition was that the Giants would receive the higher of Detroit or San Francisco's 5th round selections.
* The San Francisco 49ers traded their fifth-round selection to Detroit in exchange for guard Laken Tomlinson.

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 8 | New England Patriots | L 3–31 | 0–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | at Houston Texans | L 23–30 | 0–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 23 | Buffalo Bills | L 20–24 | 0–3 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 4 | August 29 | at Cleveland Browns | L 16–20 | 0–4 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 8 | at Arizona Cardinals | T 27–27 (OT) | 0–0–1 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 15 | Los Angeles Chargers | W 13–10 | 1–0–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 3 | September 22 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 27–24 | 2–0–1 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 4 | September 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 30–34 | 2–1–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 5 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 6 | October 14 | at Green Bay Packers | L 22–23 | 2–2–1 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 7 | October 20 | Minnesota Vikings | L 30–42 | 2–3–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 8 | October 27 | New York Giants | W 31–26 | 3–3–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 9 | November 3 | at Oakland Raiders | L 24–31 | 3–4–1 | RingCentral Coliseum | Recap |
| 10 | November 10 | at Chicago Bears | L 13–20 | 3–5–1 | Soldier Field | Recap |
| 11 | November 17 | Dallas Cowboys | L 27–35 | 3–6–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 12 | November 24 | at Washington Redskins | L 16–19 | 3–7–1 | FedExField | Recap |
| 13 | November 28 | Chicago Bears | L 20–24 | 3–8–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 14 | December 8 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 7–20 | 3–9–1 | U.S. Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 17–38 | 3–10–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 16 | December 22 | at Denver Broncos | L 17–27 | 3–11–1 | Empower Field at Mile High | Recap |
| 17 | December 29 | Green Bay Packers | L 20–23 | 3–12–1 | Ford Field | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 27 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: September 8
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT/1:25 p.m. MST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 60,687
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 55-yard field goal, 14:07. Lions 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 5:38.
DET – Danny Amendola 47-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 12:23. Lions 10–0. Drive: 2 plays, 51 yards, 0:47.
DET – Kenny Golladay 9-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 3:38. Lions 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 95 yards, 6:09.
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 20-yard field goal, 1:19. Lions 17–3. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 42-yard field goal, 4:38. Lions 17–6. Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 2:34.
Fourth quarter
DET – T. J. Hockenson 23-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 14:47. Lions 24–6. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:51.
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 34-yard field goal, 11:09. Lions 24–9. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 3:38.
ARI – David Johnson 27-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Zane Gonzalez kick), 5:57. Lions 24–16. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 2:55.
ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 4-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Kyler Murray pass to Christian Kirk), 0:43. Tied 24–24. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 1:48.
Overtime
ARI – Zane Gonzalez 28-yard field goal, 7:17. Cardinals 27–24. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 2:43.
DET – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 3:48. Tied 27–27. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 3:29.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 27/45, 385 yards, 3 TD
ARI – Kyler Murray – 29/54, 308 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 16 rushes, 49 yards
ARI – David Johnson – 18 rushes, 82 yards
Top receivers
DET – T. J. Hockenson – 6 receptions, 131 yards, TD
ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 8 receptions, 113 yards, TD :
The Lions began the regular season on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions took a big lead by scoring 17 points in the second quarter via a 55-yard field goal by Matt Prater, a 47-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Danny Amendola and a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay. Arizona responded with a 20-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez to make the score 17–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. Arizona scored the only points of the third quarter via a 42-yard field goal by Gonzalez. Detroit extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 23-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to T. J. Hockenson. The Cardinals responded with 18 points in the fourth quarter, via a 34-yard field goal by Gonzalez, a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to David Johnson, and a four-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Larry Fitzgerald, followed by a two-point conversion pass from Murray to Christian Kirk to tie the game and force overtime. In overtime, the Cardinals scored via a 28-yard field goal by Gonzalez, and the Lions scored via a 33-yard field goal by Prater to re-tie the score before time expired. This was the first tie by the Lions since 1984 against Philadelphia.

#### Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Lions | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: September 15
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 60,158
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Jay Feely
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LAC – Austin Ekeler 1-yard run (Ty Long kick), 7:57. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:24.
DET – Kerryon Johnson 36-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (kick failed, wide left), 4:10. Chargers 7–6. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:47.
Second quarter
LAC – Ty Long 39-yard field goal, 0:00. Chargers 10–6. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 1:20.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
DET – Kenny Golladay 31-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 7:21. Lions 13–10. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:24.
Top passers
LAC – Philip Rivers – 21/36, 293 yards, INT
DET – Matthew Stafford – 22/30, 245 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
LAC – Austin Ekeler – 17 rushes, 66 yards, TD
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 12 rushes, 41 yards
Top receivers
LAC – Keenan Allen – 8 receptions, 98 yards
DET – Kenny Golladay – 8 receptions, 117 yards, TD :
In week 2, the Lions began their home schedule against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers took an early lead in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Austin Ekeler. The Lions responded with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Kerryon Johnson, and after a failed extra point conversion, the Lions trailed by a point. The Chargers extended their lead in the second quarter via a 39-yard field goal by Ty Long, making the score 10–6 in favor of Los Angeles at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, Detroit scored the only points of the second half via a 31-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay to take a 13–10 lead. The Chargers' attempted comeback failed when a Philip Rivers pass was intercepted by Darius Slay in the end zone with 1:03 to play in the game, giving the Lions their first win of the season.

#### Week 3: at Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
| Eagles | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Date: September 22
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 84 °F (29 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,796
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
PHI – Jake Elliott 25-yard field goal, 11:28. Eagles 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 3:32.
DET – Jamal Agnew 100-yard kickoff return (Matt Prater kick), 11:14. Lions 7–3. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.
PHI – Jordan Howard 1-yard run (Jake Elliott kick), 6:15. Eagles 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:59.
Second quarter
DET – Kerryon Johnson 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 14:09. Lions 14–10. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:06.
DET – Matt Prater 25-yard field goal, 3:29. Lions 17–10. Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 1:21.
DET – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 0:57. Lions 20–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:54.
Third quarter
PHI – Nelson Agholor 20-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Jake Elliott kick), 4:15. Lions 20–17. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:44.
Fourth quarter
DET – Marvin Jones 12-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 14:53. Lions 27–17. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:22.
PHI – Nelson Agholor 2-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Jake Elliott kick), 6:59. Lions 27–24. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:32.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 18/32, 201 yards, TD
PHI – Carson Wentz – 19/36, 259 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DET – J. D. McKissic – 1 rush, 44 yards
PHI – Miles Sanders – 13 rushes, 53 yards
Top receivers
DET – Marvin Jones – 6 receptions, 101 yards, TD
PHI – Miles Sanders – 2 receptions, 73 yards :
In week 3, the Lions visited the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 25-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. The Lions then took the lead when Jamal Agnew returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, but Philadelphia responded with a one-yard touchdown run from Jordan Howard to take it back. The Lions added 13 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Kerryon Johnson and a pair of field goals by Matt Prater, from 25 and 33 yards, respectively, making the score 20–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Eagles scored the only points of the third quarter via a 20-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz to Nelson Agholor. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 12-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Jones. The Eagles responded with a two-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to Agholor, making the score 27-24. The Eagles had two more drives to win or tie the game but both drives ended in failed fourth down attempts.

#### Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 0 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
| Lions | 10 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 30 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: September 29
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 65,188
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 25-yard field goal, 9:22. Lions 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:38.
DET – T. J. Hockenson 5-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 3:05. Lions 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:34.
Second quarter
KC – Harrison Butker 23-yard field goal, 14:12. Lions 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 3:53.
KC – LeSean McCoy 1-yard run (Harrison Butker kick), 4:13. Tied 10–10. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:57.
DET – Matt Prater 48-yard field goal, 1:03. Lions 13–10. Drive: 8 plays, 50 yards, 3:10.
KC – Harrison Butker 44-yard field goal, 0:02. Tied 13–13. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 1:01.
Third quarter
KC – Bashaud Breeland 100-yard fumble recovery (Harrison Butker kick), 9:08. Chiefs 20–13.
DET – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 6:19. Chiefs 20–16. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 2:49.
DET – Kenny Golladay 9-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 1:10. Lions 23–20. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:40.
Fourth quarter
KC – Darrel Williams 1-yard run (Harrison Butker kick), 12:09. Chiefs 27–23. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:01.
DET – Kenny Golladay 6-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 2:26. Lions 30–27. Drive: 9 plays, 79 yards, 4:16.
KC – Darrel Williams 1-yard run (Harrison Butker kick), 0:20. Chiefs 34–30. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 2:06.
Top passers
KC – Patrick Mahomes – 24/42, 315 yards
DET – Matthew Stafford – 21/34, 291 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
KC – LeSean McCoy – 11 rushes, 56 yards, TD
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 26 rushes, 125 yards
Top receivers
KC – Travis Kelce – 7 receptions, 85 yards
DET – Marvin Jones – 3 receptions, 77 yards :
In week 4, the Lions hosted the Kansas City Chiefs. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 25-yard field goal by Matt Prater, before extending their lead through a five-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to T. J. Hockenson. The Chiefs scored 13 points in the second quarter via a pair of field goals by Harrison Butker from 23 yards and 44 yards, respectively, and a one-yard touchdown run from LeSean McCoy. The Lions scored via a 48-yard field goal by Prater, tying the score at 13–13 at halftime. The Chiefs took their first lead of the game in the third quarter via a 100-yard fumble recovery by Bashaud Breeland. The Lions responded with 10 points via a 53-yard field goal by Prater and a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay to regain the lead. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Darrel Williams for the Chiefs and a six-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Golladay for the Lions. The Chiefs scored the game's final points via a one-yard touchdown run from Williams, making the final score 34–30 in favor of Kansas City, and giving the Lions their first loss of the season, going into their bye week with a 2–1–1 record. The Lions also failed to start the season with 3 wins for the first time since 2011.

#### Week 6: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 10 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 22 |
| Packers | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 23 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: October 14
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. EDT/7:15 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 43 °F (6 °C)
* Game attendance: 76,947
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland, Lisa Salters and John Parry
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 12:41. Lions 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 2:19.
DET – Kerryon Johnson 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 6:35. Lions 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:37.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 22-yard field goal, 13:28. Lions 13–0. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 5:02.
GB – Jamaal Williams 5-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:31. Lions 13–7. Drive: 14 plays, 60 yards, 5:57.
GB – Mason Crosby 37-yard field goal, 0:07. Lions 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:27.
Third quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 48-yard field goal, 12:35. Tied 13–13. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 2:25.
DET – Matt Prater 41-yard field goal, 9:01. Lions 16–13. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:58.
DET – Matt Prater 51-yard field goal, 3:27. Lions 19–13. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 3:06.
Fourth quarter
DET – Matt Prater 54-yard field goal, 12:17. Lions 22–13. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 0:52.
GB – Allen Lazard 35-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 9:03. Lions 22–20. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 3:14.
GB – Mason Crosby 23-yard field goal, 0:00. Packers 23–22. Drive: 14 plays, 77 yards, 6:46.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 18/32, 265 yards
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 24/39, 283 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 13 rushes, 34 yards, TD
GB – Jamaal Williams – 14 rushes, 104 yards
Top receivers
DET – Kenny Golladay – 5 receptions, 121 yards
GB – Allen Lazard – 4 receptions, 65 yards, TD :
After their bye week, for week 6, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers, on Monday Night Football. The Lions scored 10 points in the first quarter via a 26-yard field goal by Matt Prater and a one-yard touchdown run from Kerryon Johnson, and extended their lead in the second quarter via a 22-yard field goal by Prater. The Packers responded with 10 points via a five-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Jamaal Williams and a 37-yard field goal by Mason Crosby, making the score 13–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Packers opened the scoring in the third quarter via a 48-yard field goal by Crosby to tie the game. The Lions responded with two field goals by Prater, from 41 and 51 yards to regain the lead. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 54-yard field goal by Prater. The Packers responded with 10 points via a 35-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Allen Lazard, and a 23-yard field goal by Crosby as time expired, making the final score 23–22 in favor of Green Bay.

#### Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Lions | 14 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: October 20
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 60,314
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (Fox): Brandon Gaudin, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Marvin Jones 16-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 7:34. Lions 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 3:03.
MIN – Adam Thielen 25-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 5:14. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards, 2:20.
DET – Marvin Jones 3-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 0:13. Lions 14–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:01.
Second quarter
MIN – Bisi Johnson 1-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 12:39. Tied 14–14. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 2:34.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 8-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 3:26. Vikings 21–14. Drive: 15 plays, 97 yards, 7:19.
DET – Marvin Jones 10-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 0:02. Tied 21–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:24.
Third quarter
MIN – C. J. Ham 5-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 9:02. Vikings 28–21. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:58.
DET – Matt Prater 46-yard field goal, 3:22. Vikings 28–24. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:01.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 15-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 5:40. Vikings 35–24. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 3:12.
DET – Marvin Jones 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (pass failed), 3:05. Vikings 35–30. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:35.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 4-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 1:55. Vikings 42–30. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:10.
Top passers
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 24/34, 337 yards, 4 TD
DET – Matthew Stafford – 30/45, 364 yards, 4 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 25 rushes, 142 yards, 2 TD
DET – J. D. McKissic – 5 rushes, 29 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 7 receptions, 142 yards
DET – Danny Amendola – 8 receptions, 105 yards :
In week 7, the Lions hosted another divisional rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions scored 14 points in the first quarter via two touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Jones from 16-yards, and three-yards, respectively. The Vikings responded with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Adam Thielen. The Vikings scored 14 points in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Bisi Johnson and an eight-yard touchdown run from Dalvin Cook to take their first lead of the game. The Lions responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones, tying the score at 21–21 at halftime. Minnesota regained the lead in the third quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to C. J. Ham. The Lions responded with a 46-yard field goal by Matt Prater. The Vikings scored 14 points in the fourth quarter via a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Kyle Rudolph and a four-yard touchdown run from Cook. The Lions responded with a two-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jones, making the final score 42–30 in favor of Minnesota, for Detroit's third consecutive loss. Jones became the first Lions player with four touchdown receptions in a game since Cloyce Box did so against the Baltimore Colts in 1950. Stafford became the fastest quarterback to throw for 40,000 yards, reaching the milestone in 147 games.

#### Week 8: vs. New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 0 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 26 |
| Lions | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: October 27
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 58,509
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Devon Kennard 13-yard fumble return (Matt Prater kick), 7:12. Lions 7–0.
DET – Marvin Hall 49-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 2:31. Lions 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 3:01.
Second quarter
NYG – Darius Slayton 22-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Aldrick Rosas kick), 12:27. Lions 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 88 yards, 5:04.
NYG – Darius Slayton 28-yard pass from Daniel Jones (kick failed), 4:39. Lions 14–13. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 3:30.
DET – Matt Prater 52-yard field goal, 0:20. Lions 17–13. Drive: 14 plays, 41 yards, 4:19.
Third quarter
DET – Kenny Golladay 9-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 9:51. Lions 24–13. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:09.
NYG – Evan Engram 2-yard pass from Daniel Jones (pass failed), 4:54. Lions 24–19. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 4:57.
Fourth quarter
DET – Kenny Golladay 41-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 12:12. Lions 31–19. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:34.
NYG – Saquon Barkley 4-yard pass from Daniel Jones (Aldrick Rosas kick), 1:19. Lions 31–26. Drive: 4 plays, 50 yards, 1:02.
Top passers
NYG – Daniel Jones – 28/41, 322 yards, 4 TD
DET – Matthew Stafford – 24/32, 342 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
NYG – Saquon Barkley – 19 rushes, 64 yards
DET – Tra Carson – 12 rushes, 34 yards
Top receivers
NYG – Golden Tate – 8 receptions, 85 yards
DET – Kenny Golladay – 6 receptions, 123 yards, 2 TD :
In week 8, the Lions hosted the New York Giants. The Lions scored 14 points in the first quarter via a 13-yard fumble return by Devon Kennard and a 49-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Hall. The Giants added 13 points in the second quarter via two touchdown passes from Daniel Jones to Darius Slayton, from 22-yards, and 28-yards, respectively. The Lions responded with a 52-yard field goal by Matt Prater, making the score 17–13 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay for Detroit and a two-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Evan Engram for New York. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter via a 41-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Golladay for Detroit and a four-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Saquon Barkley for New York, making the final score 31–26 in favor of Detroit, snapping their three-game losing streak.

#### Week 9: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Raiders | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
at RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: November 3
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Sunny, 71 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 53,318
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Josh Jacobs 2-yard run (Daniel Carlson kick), 6:32. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 5:32.
DET – Marvin Jones 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 2:34. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:58.
Second quarter
OAK – Daniel Carlson 32-yard field goal, 13:31. Raiders 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 4:03.
DET – Kenny Golladay 59-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 11:21. Lions 14–10. Drive: 3 plays, 73 yards, 2:10.
OAK – Josh Jacobs 3-yard run (Daniel Carlson kick), 1:12. Raiders 17–14. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:14.
Third quarter
DET – Matt Prater 23-yard field goal, 4:45. Tied 17–17. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 6:07.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Foster Moreau 3-yard pass from Derek Carr (Daniel Carlson kick), 14:52. Raiders 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:53.
DET – J. D. McKissic 26-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 5:16. Tied 24–24. Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 2:26.
OAK – Hunter Renfrow 9-yard pass from Derek Carr (Daniel Carlson kick), 2:04. Raiders 31–24. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:12.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 26/41, 406 yards, 3 TD, INT
OAK – Derek Carr – 20/31, 289 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DET – J. D. McKissic – 4 rushes, 32 yards
OAK – Josh Jacobs – 28 rushes, 120 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
DET – Kenny Golladay – 4 receptions, 132 yards, TD
OAK – Jalen Richard – 3 receptions, 56 yards :
In week 9, the Lions visited the Oakland Raiders. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first quarter via a two-yard touchdown run from Josh Jacobs for the Raiders and a two-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Jones for the Lions. The Raiders regained the lead in the second quarter via a 32-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson. The Lions responded with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay to take their first lead of the game. The Raiders responded with a three-yard touchdown run from Jacobs, making the score 17–14 in favor of Oakland at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 23-yard field goal by Matt Prater to tie the game. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Foster Moreau for the Raiders and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to J. D. McKissic for the Lions. The Raiders scored the final points of the game via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Hunter Renfrow, making the final score 31–24 in favor of Oakland. The Lions' attempt to tie the game fell short when they moved the ball to the Oakland 1-yard line with eight seconds on the clock, but were unable to score on the final play of the game.

#### Week 10: at Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| Bears | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
* Date: November 10
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast, 40 °F (4 °C)
* Game attendance: 61,758
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 22-yard field goal, 8:42. Lions 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 6:18.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 54-yard field goal, 4:40. Lions 6–0. Drive: 7 plays, 13 yards, 2:54.
CHI – Ben Braunecker 18-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 0:25. Bears 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:15.
Third quarter
CHI – Tarik Cohen 9-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (kick failed, wide right), 12:25. Bears 13–6. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 2:35.
CHI – Taylor Gabriel 24-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 9:38. Bears 20–6. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 1:20.
Fourth quarter
DET – Kenny Golladay 47-yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Matt Prater kick), 5:53. Bears 20–13. Drive: 4 plays, 81 yards, 1:23.
Top passers
DET – Jeff Driskel – 27/46, 269 yards, TD, INT
CHI – Mitchell Trubisky – 16/23, 173 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
DET – Jeff Driskel – 5 rushes, 37 yards
CHI – David Montgomery – 17 rushes, 60 yards
Top receivers
DET – Marvin Jones – 5 receptions, 77 yards
CHI – Allen Robinson – 6 receptions, 86 yards :
In week 10, the Lions visited their divisional rival, the Chicago Bears. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 23-yard field goal by Matt Prater and extended their lead in the second quarter via a 54-yard field goal by Prater. The Bears responded with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell Trubisky to Ben Braunecker, making the score 7–6 in favor of Chicago at half-time. The Bears added 13 points in the third quarter via a 9-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Tarik Cohen and a 24-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Taylor Gabriel. The Lions scored the only points of the fourth quarter via a 47-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Driskel to Kenny Golladay, making the final score 20–13 in favor of Chicago. Due to a back injury the previous week, this was the first regular season game Matthew Stafford missed since the 2010 season, ending his streak of 136 consecutive games played.

#### Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 3 | 21 | 3 | 8 | 35 |
| Lions | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: November 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 61,801
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Bo Scarbrough 5-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 12:33. Lions 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 2:16.
DAL – Brett Maher 30-yard field goal, 2:18. Lions 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 7:31.
Second quarter
DAL – Tony Pollard 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Brett Maher kick), 14:10. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 2:11.
DET – Jeff Driskel 2-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 7:46. Lions 14–10. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 3:17.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 4:37. Cowboys 17–14. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:09.
DAL – Randall Cobb 19-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Brett Maher kick), 0:27. Cowboys 24–14. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 1:21.
Third quarter
DET – Marvin Jones 11-yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Matt Prater kick), 9:15. Cowboys 24–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:45.
DAL – Brett Maher 34-yard field goal, 5:00. Cowboys 27–21. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 4:15.
Fourth quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 17-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Tony Pollard run), 7:56. Cowboys 35–21. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 5:41.
DET – Marvin Jones 25-yard pass from Jeff Driskel (two-point conversion pass failed), 5:49. Cowboys 35–27. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:07.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 29/46, 444 yards, 3 TD
DET – Jeff Driskel – 15/26, 209 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 16 rushes, 45 yards, TD
DET – Bo Scarbrough – 14 rushes, 55 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Michael Gallup – 9 receptions, 148 yards
DET – Danny Amendola – 4 receptions, 47 yards :
In week 11, the Lions hosted the Dallas Cowboys wearing white jerseys at a home game for the first time since 1970. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a five-yard touchdown run from Bo Scarbrough. The Cowboys responded with a 30-yard field goal by Brett Maher. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second quarter via a 21-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Tony Pollard for the Cowboys to take their first lead of the game. The Lions responded with a two-yard touchdown run from Jeff Driskel to regain the lead. The Cowboys added 10 points via a one-yard touchdown run from Ezekiel Elliott, and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Randall Cobb, making the score 24–14 in favor of Dallas at half-time. In the third quarter the Lions scored via an 11-yard touchdown pass from Driskel to Marvin Jones. The Cowboys responded with a 34-yard field goal by Maher. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter via a 17-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Elliott, followed by a two-point conversion run from Pollard. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 25-yard touchdown pass from Driskel to Jones, followed by a failed two-point conversion pass, making the final score 35–27 in favor of Dallas.

#### Week 12: at Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| Redskins | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
* Date: November 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 46 °F (8 °C)
* Game attendance: 57,754
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Lindsay Czarniak
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 28-yard field goal, 2:31. Redskins 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 60 yards, 7:21.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 24-yard field goal, 13:09. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 4:22.
WAS – Steven Sims 91-yard kickoff return (Dustin Hopkins kick), 12:54. Redskins 10–3. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:15.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 37-yard field goal, 5:44. Redskins 13–3. Drive: 7 plays, 32 yards, 4:24.
DET – Matt Prater 49-yard field goal, 0:14. Redskins 13–6. Drive: 6 plays, 27 yards, 0:51.
Third quarter
DET – Logan Thomas 12-yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Matt Prater kick), 10:03. Tied 13–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:57.
Fourth quarter
DET – Matt Prater 21-yard field goal, 12:01. Lions 16–13. Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 4:10.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 42-yard field goal, 1:49. Tied 16–16. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 3:42.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 39-yard field goal, 0:16. Redskins 19–16. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 0:32.
Top passers
DET – Jeff Driskel – 20/33, 207 yards, TD, 3 INT
WAS – Dwayne Haskins – 13/29, 156 yards, INT
Top rushers
DET – Bo Scarbrough – 18 rushes, 98 yards
WAS – Derrius Guice – 10 rushes, 32 yards
Top receivers
DET – Kenny Golladay – 4 receptions, 61 yards
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 5 receptions, 72 yards :
In week 12, the Lions visited the Washington Redskins. The Redskins opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 28-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. In the second quarter, the Lions responded with a 24-yard field goal by Matt Prater to tie the game. Washington responded with 10 points via a 91-yard kickoff return by Steven Sims and a 37-yard field goal by Hopkins to regain the lead. The Lions added a 49-yard field goal by Prater at the end of the first half, making the score 13–6 in favor of Washington at half-time. The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter via a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Driskel to Logan Thomas to tie the game. In the fourth quarter the Lions scored via a 21-yard field goal by Prater, to take their first and only lead of the game. The Redskins responded with two field goals by Hopkins, from 42-yards, and 39-yards, respectively, making the final score 19–16 in favor of Washington, for Detroit's fourth consecutive loss.

#### Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Lions | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: November 28
* Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 65,412
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CHI – Allen Robinson 10-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 11:37. Bears 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 3:23.
DET – Kenny Golladay 75-yard pass from David Blough (Matt Prater kick), 11:01. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:36.
DET – Marvin Jones 8-yard pass from David Blough (Matt Prater kick), 4:12. Lions 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:14.
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 25-yard field goal, 3:10. Lions 17–7. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 4:59.
CHI – Eddy Piñeiro 30-yard field goal, 0:22. Lions 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 2:48.
Third quarter
CHI – Jesper Horsted 18-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 4:44. Tied 17–17. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:34.
Fourth quarter
DET – Matt Prater 24-yard field goal, 10:47. Lions 20–17. Drive: 15 plays, 70 yards, 8:57.
CHI – David Montgomery 3-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 2:17. Bears 24–20. Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 4:23.
Top passers
CHI – Mitchell Trubisky – 29/38, 338 yards, 3 TD, INT
DET – David Blough – 22/38, 280 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
CHI – David Montgomery – 16 rushes, 75 yards
DET – Bo Scarbrough – 21 rushes, 83 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Anthony Miller – 9 receptions, 140 yards
DET – Kenny Golladay – 4 receptions, 158 yards, TD :
In week 13, the Lions hosted a rematch with their divisional rival, the Chicago Bears, in their annual Thanksgiving Day game. The Bears opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell Trubisky to Allen Robinson. The Lions responded with 14 points when third-string quarterback David Blough, in his NFL debut, threw two touchdown passes, one from 75-yards out to Kenny Golladay and one from eight-yards out to Marvin Jones. Both teams kicked field goals in the second quarter, first Detroit's Matt Prater from 25-yards, then Chicago's Eddy Piñeiro from 30-yards, making the score 17–10 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Bears scored the only points of the third quarter via an 18-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to Jesper Horsted to tie the game at 17 points each. In the fourth quarter, the Lions responded with a 24-yard field goal by Prater to regain the lead. The Bears took their first lead of the game via a three-yard touchdown pass from Trubisky to David Montgomery. Detroit's attempted comeback failed when Robinson intercepted a pass from Blough in the final seconds, making the final score 24–20 in favor of Chicago, for Detroit's fifth consecutive loss. Also with the loss, the Lions would be eliminated from playoff contention.

#### Week 14: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Vikings | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: December 8
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 66,776
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIN – Bisi Johnson 9-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 5:47. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 4:40.
Second quarter
MIN – Dan Bailey 27-yard field goal, 4:42. Vikings 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 5:12.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 3-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 0:20. Vikings 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 0:46.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Dan Bailey 50-yard field goal, 14:55. Vikings 20–0. Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 4:29.
DET – Kenny Golladay 10-yard pass from David Blough (Matt Prater kick), 2:09. Vikings 20–7. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 3:30.
Top passers
DET – David Blough – 24/40, 205 yards, TD, 2 INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 24/30, 242 yards, TD
Top rushers
DET – Bo Scarbrough – 19 rushes, 65 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 18 rushes, 62 yards, TD
Top receivers
DET – Kenny Golladay – 6 receptions, 58 yards, TD
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 6 receptions, 92 yards :
In week 14, the Lions visited their divisional rival the Minnesota Vikings, for a rematch of week 7. The Vikings opened the scoring in the first quarter via a nine-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Bisi Johnson. The Vikings added 10 points in the second quarter via a 27-yard field goal by Dan Bailey and a three-yard touchdown run from Dalvin Cook, making the score 17–0 in favor of Minnesota at half-time. After a scoreless third quarter, the Vikings extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 50-yard field goal by Bailey. The Lions finally got on the board late in the fourth quarter via a 10-yard touchdown pass from David Blough to Kenny Golladay, making the final score 20–7 in favor of Minnesota, for Detroit's sixth consecutive loss.

#### Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 14 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 38 |
| Lions | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: December 15
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 56,515
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Breshad Perriman 34-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 7:25. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 79 yards, 4:19.
TB – Scott Miller 33-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 3:42. Buccaneers 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 99 yards, 1:52.
Second quarter
TB – Breshad Perriman 25-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 8:13. Buccaneers 21–0. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:27.
DET – Matt Prater 44-yard field goal, 3:17. Buccaneers 21–3. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:56.
Third quarter
TB – Matt Gay 46-yard field goal, 11:32. Buccaneers 24–3. Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 1:29.
DET – Wes Hills 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 6:45. Buccaneers 24–10. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:47.
Fourth quarter
DET – Wes Hills 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 14:57. Buccaneers 24–17. Drive: 7 plays, 87 yards, 2:57.
TB – Sean Murphy-Bunting 70-yard interception return (Matt Gay kick), 5:12. Buccaneers 31–17.
TB – Breshad Perriman 25-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 2:59. Buccaneers 38–17. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 1:05.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 28/32, 458 yards, 4 TD, INT
DET – David Blough – 24/43, 260 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
TB – Ronald Jones – 11 rushes, 23 yards
DET – Wes Hills – 10 rushes, 21 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
TB – Chris Godwin – 5 receptions, 121 yards
DET – Danny Amendola – 8 receptions, 102 yards :
In week 15, the Lions hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers scored 14 points in the first quarter via a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jameis Winston to Breshad Perriman and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Winston to Scott Miller. The Buccaneers extended their lead in the second quarter via a 25-yard touchdown pass from Winston to Perriman. The Lions finally got on the board via a 44-yard field goal by Matt Prater, making the score 21–3 in favor of Tampa Bay at half-time. In the third quarter the Buccaneers added a 46-yard field goal by Matt Gay. The Lions responded with a one-yard touchdown run from Wes Hills. In the fourth quarter the Lions added a one-yard touchdown run from Hills, reducing the Buccaneers lead to seven points. The Lions attempted comeback failed when David Blough's pass was intercepted by Sean Murphy-Bunting and returned 70-yards for a touchdown. The Buccaneers extended their lead via a 25-yard touchdown pass from Winston to Perriman, making the final score 38–17 in favor of Tampa Bay, for Detroit's seventh consecutive loss.

#### Week 16: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Broncos | 0 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
* Date: December 22
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST/2:05 p.m. MST
* Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 67 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 74,115
* Referee: Craig Wrolstad
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Jay Feely
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 8:59. Lions 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 6:01.
Second quarter
DET – Jamal Agnew 64-yard punt return (Matt Prater kick), 10:52. Lions 10–0.
DEN – Royce Freeman 1-yard run (Brandon McManus kick), 6:04. Lions 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:48.
DEN – Brandon McManus 34-yard field goal, 0:25. Tied 10–10. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:40.
Third quarter
DEN – Brandon McManus 26-yard field goal, 10:23. Broncos 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 4:37.
DET – Kenny Golladay 3-yard pass from David Blough (Matt Prater kick), 3:51. Lions 17–13. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:32.
Fourth quarter
DEN – DaeSean Hamilton 3-yard pass from Drew Lock (Brandon McManus kick), 13:08. Broncos 20–17. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:43.
DEN – Phillip Lindsay 27-yard run (Brandon McManus kick), 6:39. Broncos 27–17. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 4:17.
Top passers
DET – David Blough – 12/24, 117 yards, TD
DEN – Drew Lock – 25/33, 192 yards, TD
Top rushers
DET – Kerryon Johnson – 10 rushes, 42 yards
DEN – Phillip Lindsay – 19 rushes, 109 yards
Top receivers
DET – Kenny Golladay – 6 receptions, 66 yards
DEN – DaeSean Hamilton – 6 receptions, 65 yards, TD :
In week 16, the Lions visited the Denver Broncos. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 26-yard field goal by Matt Prater. In the second quarter the Lions extended their lead via a 64-yard punt return by Jamal Agnew. The Broncos responded with 10 points via a one-yard touchdown run from Royce Freeman and a 34-yard field goal by Brandon McManus, tying the score at 10–10 at halftime. In the third quarter the Broncos took their first lead of the game via a 26-yard field goal by McManus. The Lions responded with a three-yard touchdown pass from David Blough to Kenny Golladay to regain the lead. The Broncos scored 14 points in the fourth quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Drew Lock to DaeSean Hamilton and a 27-yard touchdown run from Phillip Lindsay, making the final score 27–17 in favor of Denver, for Detroit's eighth consecutive loss.

#### Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
* Date: December 29
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 62,840
* Referee: Shawn Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
DET – David Blough 19-yard pass from Danny Amendola (Matt Prater kick), 7:59. Lions 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 4:14.
Second quarter
DET – Kerryon Johnson 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:13. Lions 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:52.
GB – Mason Crosby 32-yard field goal, 0:20. Lions 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 2:53.
DET – Matt Prater 42-yard field goal, 0:00. Lions 17–3. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 0:20.
Third quarter
GB – Davante Adams 20-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 3:10. Lions 17–10. Drive: 12 plays, 95 yards, 5:50.
Fourth quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 40-yard field goal, 12:07. Lions 17–13. Drive: 12 plays, 51 yards, 4:32.
DET – Matt Prater 56-yard field goal, 11:08. Lions 20–13. Drive: 4 plays, 38 yards, 0:59.
GB – Allen Lazard 28-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 5:19. Tied 20–20. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 2:33.
GB – Mason Crosby 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Packers 23–20. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 1:20.
Top passers
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 27/55, 323 yards, 2 TD, INT
DET – David Blough – 12/29, 122 yards, INT
Top rushers
GB – Aaron Jones – 25 rushes, 100 yards
DET – Ty Johnson – 3 rushes, 65 yards
Top receivers
GB – Davante Adams – 7 receptions, 95 yards, TD
DET – Kenny Golladay – 3 receptions, 72 yards :
To end the season, the Lions hosted a rematch with their divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers. The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 19-yard pass from Danny Amendola to David Blough. The Lions extended their lead in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Kerryon Johnson. The Packers finally got on the board late in the first half via a 32-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. The Lions responded with a 42-yard field goal by Matt Prater as time expired, making the score 17–3 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Packers scored the only points of the third quarter via a 20-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams. The teams exchanged field goals in the fourth quarter via a 40-yard field goal by Crosby for the Packers, and a 56-yard field goal by Prater for the Lions. The Packers responded with 10 points via a 28-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Allen Lazard to tie the game, and a 33-yard field goal by Crosby as time expired, making the final score 23–20 in favor of Green Bay, for Detroit's ninth consecutive loss.

### Standings
#### Division

NFC North :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ Green Bay Packers | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 6–0 | 10–2 | 376 | 313 | W5 |
| $^{(6)}$ Minnesota Vikings | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2–4 | 7–5 | 407 | 303 | L2 |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 280 | 298 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 12 | 1 | .219 | 0–6 | 2–9–1 | 341 | 423 | L9 |

#### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .504 | .466 | W2 |
| 2 | Green Bay Packers | North | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 6–0 | 10–2 | .453 | .428 | W5 |
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | South | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .486 | .459 | W3 |
| 4 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .455 | .417 | W4 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .531 | .463 | L2 |
| 6 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .477 | .356 | L2 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .535 | .438 | W1 |
| 8 | Chicago Bears | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .508 | .383 | W1 |
| 9 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .479 | .316 | W1 |
| 10 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .545 | .518 | W4 |
| 11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .500 | .384 | L2 |
| 12 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 5 | 10 | 1 | .344 | 1–5 | 3–8–1 | .529 | .375 | L1 |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 2–10 | .549 | .469 | L8 |
| 14 | New York Giants | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .473 | .281 | L1 |
| 15 | Detroit Lions | North | 3 | 12 | 1 | .219 | 0–6 | 2–9–1 | .506 | .375 | L9 |
| 16 | Washington Redskins | East | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 0–6 | 2–10 | .502 | .281 | L4 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 3 San Francisco finished ahead of Green Bay and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep, claiming the No. 1 seed. 1 2 Green Bay claimed the No. 2 seed over New Orleans based on conference record. 1 2 Chicago finished ahead of Dallas based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 Atlanta finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on division record. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||