The Detroit Lions' offense has averaged 16 points per game since putting up 35 against the New York Giants in Week 1. Consecutive defeats on the road against the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots have focused attention on a unit that failed to score a touchdown in either of those defeats. The Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 25 other NFL teams have scored more touchdowns than the Lions have managed this season. Even the 1-10 Oakland Raiders have scored as many.
There always will be extenuating circumstances when an offense struggles, and in this case, the Lions' winning formula includes a generally outstanding defense. But if the Lions' new offensive scheme is going to launch quarterback Matthew Stafford into the top tier of NFL quarterbacks, as some thought it could, there is scant evidence the process is under way. Stafford ranks 21st of 32 qualifying quarterbacks in Total QBR (53.3), behind players such as Mike Glennon and Josh McCown of the 2-9 Buccaneeers. He ranks 26th in passer rating (81.0). The five teams with passer ratings lower than the Lions' season-long figure have combined to go 10-44 this season.
Without Detroit's often-dominant defense, Stafford might be taking the kind of heat that the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler has endured this season. Is Stafford holding back the Lions' offense? Is he basically Cutler with a better defensive line, as one personnel evaluator quipped? There are differing opinions on that one, but at the very least, Stafford is not elevating this offense through 11 games.
The Cutler comparison