OCTOBER 14TH | 3:41PM
BREAKING DOWN THE OUTPUT
Detroit Lions – At the time this was written, the offense has averaged just 2.0 first-quarter points per game, ranking 29th in the NFL. Its first three possessions in each game have produced 23 points across 15 drives, an average of 1.53 points per possession. Those numbers expose the difference between the Lions’ overall scoring production and their efficiency during the opening stages of games.
The Lions’ 67 first-half points consist of seven touchdowns, seven extra points and six field goals across 28 offensive possessions. Excluding one clock-expiring possession, they’ve reached the end zone on just seven of 27 drives—a 25.9% touchdown rate.
Favorable situations have repeatedly disappeared through blocking failures, procedural penalties, quarterback pressure, missed receiving opportunities and poor execution on critical downs. Some mistakes belong to individual players; others involve protection, communication, personnel limitations or coaching decisions.
I investigated the opening possession and every first-half drive that failed to produce a touchdown across all five games. Here’s where the offense is breaking down, who’s responsible and what needs to change coming out of the Week 6 bye.
BREAKING DOWN FIVE WEEKS OF FIRST-HALF POSSESSIONS
Seven touchdowns on 28 first-half possessions, with none coming on an opening drive, tell only part of the story. The individual drives reveal how manageable down-and-distance repeatedly turned into punts or wasted scoring opportunities, even when Drew Petzing’s initial calls worked.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — WEEK 1
Seven possessions ended in a punt, touchdown, punt, punt, lost fumble, punt and expiration of the clock. Only one produced a touchdown (14.3%), leaving the Lions ahead 7–0 at halftime.
The opening drive reached third-and-1 after Gibbs gained four yards and Goff connected with St. Brown for five. Despite using 13 personnel and motioning Sam LaPorta across the formation, the blocking failed to account for Pete Werner penetrating the A-gap. The three-yard loss exposed problems involving Mahogany and Sewell’s combination block and Scruggs’ inability to recover the interior gap. The offense punted after gaining just six yards.
BUFFALO BILLS — WEEK 2
Five possessions ended in a punt, punt, touchdown, punt and field goal, producing one touchdown (20.0%) and a 27–10 halftime deficit.
Gregory Rousseau ended the opening drive with a seven-yard sack. On the next possession, consecutive Gibbs runs gained 25 yards before Rousseau’s nine-yard sack and forced fumble, recovered by the Lions, and an 11-yard aborted snap turned second-and-1 into fourth-and-22. Later, Scruggs’ false start changed third-and-1 into third-and-6 before Bradley Chubb’s 13-yard sack forced another punt.
Without starters Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller, replacements Larry Borom and Ben Bartch struggled alongside Scruggs. The three were credited with allowing 13 of Buffalo’s 19 quarterback pressures (68.4%), repeatedly disrupting Goff’s protection.
NEW YORK JETS — WEEK 3
Four possessions ended in a punt, punt, field goal and touchdown, producing one touchdown (25.0%) and a 10–7 halftime lead.
Gibbs missed a blitz pickup on third-and-7 during the opening drive, allowing Andre Cisco to sack Goff for 10 yards. On the next possession, Demario Davis beat Gibbs in protection for a nine-yard sack on second-and-10, creating third-and-19 and another punt.
With Mahogany and Miller returning, the offensive line surrendered just five pressures and no credited sacks. Both first-half sacks resulted from failed running-back protection as Aaron Glenn’s defense repeatedly attacked Gibbs with blitzing defenders, exposing problems with identification and blocking execution.
CAROLINA PANTHERS — WEEK 4
Five possessions ended in a field goal, punt, field goal, touchdown and field goal. Despite scoring on four drives, only one reached the end zone (20.0%), leaving the teams tied 16–16 at halftime.
The opening drive reached Carolina’s 34 before Brock Wright’s false start created first-and-15. The offense gained just three more yards and settled for a 54-yard field goal. On the next possession, Scruggs’ holding penalty erased a 10-yard Gibbs run, and the Lions failed to recover the yardage before punting.
ARIZONA CARDINALS — WEEK 5
Seven possessions ended in a punt, punt, punt, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown and field goal. Three reached the end zone (42.9%), producing a 24–7 halftime lead.
Arizona sacked Goff three times for 29 lost yards during the first three possessions, producing three consecutive three-and-outs and minus-9 net yards. The third drive began at Arizona’s 43, but a second-down sack and forced fumble squandered the favorable field position.
Protection improved in the second quarter, helping the Lions score on four consecutive possessions after wasting their first three.