As a Detroit Lions' fan I am very pleased with the Lions' 6-2 record at the midseason point of the 2011 NFL season. The Lions started the season by winning their first five games, before going 1-2 in their next three games before their bye week. With the Lions' bye week being in the middle of the 2011 season, lets see how their first half of the season graded out.
Detroit Lions' Passing Offense
The Detroit Lions' offense most successful dimension is their passing game. The Lions' passing attack is in the NFL's top 10 with 261 yards per game. The passing game has accounted for 19 touchdowns in the Lions' first eight games, while only throwing four interceptions. Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford has spread the ball around well to all his receivers but his main target remains Calvin Johnson, who already has 11 touchdowns.
Grade: B+
Detroit Lions' Rushing Offense
The Lion's running game has had their good and bad moments so far this season. The one thing that the Lions' rushing attack hasn't been this year is consistent. While the Lions are averaging a respectable 4.1 yards per carry, they rank towards the bottom of the NFL in yards per game with 95.3. The Lions also have only scored four touchdowns from their ground game in the first half of the season.
Grade: C-
Detroit Lions' Passing Defense:
The Lions' pass defense has been the strength of their defense so far this season, allowing under 195 yards per game. The Lions' defense also has 11 interceptions, while only allowing nine touchdown passes. The Lions sacked the opposing quarterbacks 24 times already this season which ranks them fourth in the NFL.
Grade: A
Detroit Lions' Rushing Defense:
The Lions' rush defense has been their main weakness so far this season. The Lions' defense are giving up almost 138 yards per game on the ground, which ranks towards the bottom of the NFL. The Lions' defense is also allowing a staggering 5.2 yards per carry, which is tied for second worse in the NFL.
Grade: D+
Detroit Lions' Special Teams:
The Lions' kicker Jason Hanson is having another great season, like he has had throughout his career for the Detroit Lions. Hanson has only missed one field goal so far this season while making 17, four of them over 50 yards. The Lions have given up just under 29 yards per kickoff return and 12.3 yards per punt return, which both rank towards the bottom in the NFL. While the Lions' have given up a chunk of yardage in the return game, they haven't given up a touchdown on a return.
Grade: C
2011 Detroit Lions' Midseason Grade: B+
Sources:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/passing/sort/passingTouchdowns
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/rushingYardsPerGame
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/sort/yardsPerRushAttempt/position/defense
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/returning/position/defense
