Winning in the NFL is hard. It's even harder when you're basically fighting against your own injury report every single week. If you look at the Detroit Lions statistics today, you'll see a team that finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 9-8 record. On paper, it looks like a step back from the NFC Championship run we all remember. But honestly? The numbers under the hood suggest this team was actually a lot more dangerous than their final standing in the NFC North implies.
They finished fourth in the division. Yeah, you read that right. Behind the Bears (11-6), Packers (9-7-1), and Vikings (9-8). It was a literal dogfight until the final whistle of Week 18, where the Lions managed to scrape out a 19-16 win over Chicago.
Jared Goff and the High-Flying Air Attack
Let’s talk about Jared Goff. People love to debate if he’s a "system quarterback" or an elite "franchise guy," but the 2025 production is hard to ignore. Goff finished the year with 4,564 passing yards. He threw 34 touchdowns against only 8 interceptions. That’s a 105.5 passer rating for those of you keeping score at home.
He was remarkably consistent, especially in October where his rating spiked to 121.5. But it wasn't just a dink-and-dump scheme. The Lions' offense ranked 3rd in passing yards per game (268.6) and 5th in overall yards. They moved the ball. They just had a weird habit of turning it over at the worst times—23 total giveaways on the season, which kind of canceled out a lot of that yardage.
The connection with Amon-Ra St. Brown is basically telepathic at this point. "The Sun God" put up a massive 1,401 receiving yards on 117 catches. He also found the end zone 11 times. If there’s a more reliable third-down target in the league, I haven't seen them. Jameson Williams also finally had that true breakout year everyone was waiting for, cracking the thousand-yard mark with 1,117 yards and a ridiculous 17.2 yards per catch average.
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The Ground Game: A Tale of Two Backs
The "Sonic and Knuckles" duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery took a different shape this year. Gibbs officially took the keys to the car. He handled 243 carries for 1,223 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s not just a runner, though; he added 77 receptions. Basically, if he touches the ball, something good happens.
Montgomery, on the other hand, had a bit of a weird year. He missed some time with an illness late in the season and ended up with 716 yards. Still, he’s the hammer. In that wild 38-30 win against the Ravens back in September, he and Gibbs combined for over 200 yards and four scores. When both of these guys are healthy, the Lions' rushing attack is top-10 level, even if the final season average (120.1 yards per game) ranked 14th.
Aidan Hutchinson’s Historic Comeback
The biggest question mark entering 2025 was Aidan Hutchinson’s leg. Remember that horrific injury in 2024? Most guys would take a year just to feel like themselves again. Hutchinson apparently isn't "most guys."
He didn't just return; he got better. Hutchinson set a career-high with 14.5 sacks. He also led the team with 100 pressures. He was a one-man wrecking crew on a defensive line that, frankly, struggled to find help for him until Al-Quadin Muhammad stepped up with a surprising 11 sacks of his own.
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Key Defensive Performance Stats
- Jack Campbell: 176 total tackles (led the team/First-Team All-Pro).
- Aidan Hutchinson: 14.5 sacks, 35 knockdowns.
- Kerby Joseph: 3 interceptions.
- Team Sacks: 39 (Overall defense ranked 18th).
The defense was... shaky. Let's be real. They allowed 27.5 points per game. That’s why a top-5 offense only resulted in 9 wins. They were 21st against the pass, giving up way too many big plays in the secondary. Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold dealt with some nagging injuries that kept the back end from ever truly gelling.
Why Detroit Lions Statistics Today Actually Matter
If you’re looking at these stats to figure out what happens in 2026, the takeaway is clear: the window is wide open, but the ceiling is capped by the defense.
The Lions had a +4 turnover ratio in the games they won, but they were -4 on the season overall. That’s the margin. In their 23-10 loss to the Vikings in late December, they turned the ball over six times. Six! You can't win like that.
Penei Sewell was, as usual, a god among men. PFF gave him a 95.2 overall grade, the best in the league for an offensive lineman. He allowed pressure on only 3.3% of snaps. Even though Sewell himself said it was a "down year" for him (typical Sewell), the data says he's the best right tackle in football, period.
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Practical Takeaways for Fans and Analysts
The regular season is over, and the 9-8 Lions are sitting out the playoffs while the 11-6 Bears take the North. But don't let the record fool you into thinking the "Same Old Lions" are back.
First, look at the health of the offensive line. They used 13 different starters this year due to injuries. If that unit stays healthy in 2026, Goff’s production might actually go up. Second, the emergence of Al-Quadin Muhammad as a legitimate second pass-rushing threat changes how teams have to double-team Hutchinson.
Third, keep an eye on Jake Bates. The kicker was a weapon, hitting 27 of 34 field goals and providing a safety net that Detroit hasn't had in years.
To really understand where this team is going, stop looking at the W-L column for a second. Look at the fact that they had the 3rd best passing offense and the 12th best offensive line despite a rotating door of players. The foundation is rock solid. The next step is simply fixing a secondary that gave up nearly 240 yards per game. If they do that, 9-8 will look like a distant, weird memory by this time next year.
Next Steps for Deep-Diving the Data:
- Compare the Lions' 3rd-down conversion rate (38.8%) against the league average to see where the offensive stalls happened.
- Analyze the "Red Zone TD Percentage"—Detroit struggled there in the final four weeks of the season.
- Track the contract status of Al-Quadin Muhammad; he's a free agent who just put up 11 sacks, making him a high-priority re-sign or a massive hole to fill.