2013 Detroit Lions season

Last updated

2013 Detroit Lions season
Owner William Clay Ford Sr.
General manager Martin Mayhew
Head coach Jim Schwartz
Home field Ford Field
Results
Record7–9
Division place3rd NFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers Ndamukong Suh, DT
Calvin Johnson, WR
AP All-Pros Ndamukong Suh, DT (1st team)
Calvin Johnson, WR (1st team)

The 2013 season was the Detroit Lions' 84th in the National Football League (NFL), their 80th as the Detroit Lions, as well as the fifth and final under head coach Jim Schwartz, who was fired on December 30. [1] It was also the final season under the ownership of William Clay Ford Sr., who died in March 2014.

Contents

The Lions improved upon their 4–12 record from 2012 when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 to go to 5–3 on the season. Also, their divisional record improved significantly from 2012 (when they were swept by all their divisional rivals).

At the end of Week 10, the Lions were in first place in their division following their first win at Soldier Field since 2007. With their Thanksgiving Day win over the Green Bay Packers, the Lions not only won their first Thanksgiving Day game since 2003, but they also went undefeated in division home games for the first time since 1999.

However despite starting 6–3, the lions suffered a late-season collapse, as the Lions dropped to 3rd place after their loss to the Ravens in Week 15, and then they were eliminated from postseason contention for the second straight year after their loss to the New York Giants in Week 16. [2] They lost their last game as well, and lost their final 3 games by a combined 6 points. The Lions lost many close games this season, with 6 out of their 9 losses being by a touchdown or less. They ended the season at 7–9.

Offseason

Re-signings

DatePlayerPositionContractSource
March 12 Corey Hilliard Offensive tackle 2 years / $2.53 million[ citation needed ]
Kassim Osgood Wide receiver 1 year / – [3]
Ashlee Palmer Linebacker2 years / $3.25 million
Amari Spievey Safety 1 year / $630,000 [4]
March 13 DeAndre Levy Linebacker 3 years / $9.75 million[ citation needed ]
Chris Houston Cornerback 5 years / $25.00 million [5]
March 14 Don Muhlbach Long snapper 1 year / $905,000[ citation needed ]
March 15 Louis Delmas Safety 2 years / $8.59 million [6]
Dylan Gandy Guard 1 year / $905,000[ citation needed ]
April 15 Brian Robiskie Wide receiver 1 year / $715,000 [7]
Willie Young Defensive end 1 year / $1.323 million [8]
Jason Curtis Fox Offensive lineman1 year / $1.323 million [9]
Joique Bell Running back1 year / $630,000 [4]
Ricard Silva Free safety1 year / $555,000
Shaun Chapas Fullback1 year / $555,000
Kris Durham Wide receiver1 year / $555,000
July 7 Matthew Stafford Quarterback3 years / $53 million [10]

Additions

DatePlayerPositionPrevious teamContractSource
March 12 Reggie Bush Running back Miami Dolphins 4 years / $16.00 million [5]
Jason Jones Defensive tackle Seattle Seahawks 3 years / $9.50 million
Glover Quin Safety Houston Texans 5 years / $23.50 million
Devin Thomas Wide receiver Chicago Bears 1 year / $715,000 [11]
April 3 C. J. Mosley Defensive lineman Jacksonville Jaguars 2 years / $2.75 million [12]
April 5 David Akers Placekicker San Francisco 49ers 1 year / $1.005 million [13]
April 11 Håvard Rugland Placekicker Undrafted free agent 3 years / $1.485 million [14]
April 27 Skyler Allen Center Ohio [15]
Mic'hael Brooks Defensive tackle East Carolina
Alex Carder Quarterback Western Michigan
Joseph Fauria Tight end UCLA
Austin Holtz Offensive tackle Ball State
Steven Miller Running back Appalachian State
Jon Morgan Linebacker Albany
Martavius Neloms Cornerback Kentucky
Travis Tarpley Wide receiver Delaware State
LaAdrian Waddle Offensive tackle Texas Tech
Cody Wilson Wide receiver Central Michigan
April 28Alex Elkins Linebacker Oklahoma State [16]
Marvin Booker Defensive end Rutgers

Retirements

DatePlayerPositionSource
March 14 Jeff Backus Offensive tackle [17]
April 4 Jason Hanson Placekicker [18]

Departures

DatePlayerPositionNoteNew TeamSource
February 4 Titus Young Wide receiver Released [19]
March 12 Gosder Cherilus Offensive tackle UFA Indianapolis Colts [20]
March 13 Drayton Florence Cornerback UFA Carolina Panthers [21]
Sammie Lee Hill Defensive tackle UFA Tennessee Titans [22]
March 25 Kevin Barnes Cornerback UFA Cleveland Browns [23]
March 26 Justin Durant Linebacker UFA Dallas Cowboys [24]
April 27 Stephen Peterman Offensive guard Released New York Jets [25]
April 28 Cliff Avril Defensive end UFA Seattle Seahawks [26]
Kyle Vanden Bosch Defensive end UFA
Lawrence Jackson Defensive end UFA Minnesota Vikings
July 17 Jahvid Best Running back Released [27]

2013 Draft class

Draft orderPlayer namePositionHeightWeightCollegeContractNotesSource
RoundChoiceOverall
1 55 Ezekiel Ansah Defensive end 6 ft 5 in271 lbs BYU 5 years / [28]
2436 Darius Slay Defensive back 6 ft 1 in190 lbs Mississippi State 4 years / [29]
3365 Larry Warford Offensive lineman 6 ft 3 in343 lbs Kentucky 4 years / [30]
45102Traded to the Minnesota Vikings Vikings traded to Patriots
35132 Devin Taylor Defensive end 6 ft 7 in266 lbs South Carolina 4 years /Compensatory [31]
54137Traded to the Seattle Seahawks
32165 Sam Martin Punter 6 ft 1 in205 lbs Appalachian State 4 years /from Seahawks [32]
63171 Corey Fuller Wide receiver 6 ft 2 in204 lbs Virginia Tech 4 years / $2.283 million [33]
31199 Theo Riddick Running back 5 ft 10 in205 lbs Notre Dame 4 years / $2.25 millionfrom 49ers via Seahawks [34]
75211 Michael Williams Tight end 6 ft 5 in278 lbs Alabama 4 years / $2.22 million [35]
39245 Brandon Hepburn Linebacker 6 ft 3 in240 lbs Florida A&M 4 years / $2.205 millionCompensatory [36]

Notes

Final roster

2013 Detroit Lions final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
53 active, 10 inactive, 7 practice squad

Schedule

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1August 9 New York Jets W 26–171–0 Ford Field Recap
2August 15at Cleveland Browns L 6–241–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
3August 22 New England Patriots W 40–92–1Ford Field Recap
4August 29at Buffalo Bills W 35–133–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap

Regular season

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 8 Minnesota Vikings W 34–241–0 Ford Field Recap
2September 15at Arizona Cardinals L 21–251–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
3September 22at Washington Redskins W 27–202–1 FedExField Recap
4September 29 Chicago Bears W 40–323–1Ford Field Recap
5October 6at Green Bay Packers L 9–223–2 Lambeau Field Recap
6October 13at Cleveland Browns W 31–174–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
7October 20 Cincinnati Bengals L 24–274–3Ford Field Recap
8October 27 Dallas Cowboys W 31–305–3Ford Field Recap
9 Bye
10November 10at Chicago Bears W 21–196–3 Soldier Field Recap
11November 17at Pittsburgh Steelers L 27–376–4 Heinz Field Recap
12November 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 21–246–5Ford Field Recap
13 November 28 Green Bay Packers W 40–107–5Ford Field Recap
14December 8at Philadelphia Eagles L 20–347–6 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
15December 16 Baltimore Ravens L 16–187–7Ford Field Recap
16December 22 New York Giants L 20–23 (OT)7–8Ford Field Recap
17December 29at Minnesota Vikings L 13–147–9 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Week One: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Vikings7710024
Lions31014734

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

The Vikings scored first, and quickly. After the Lions failed on a field goal attempt when new punter/holder Sam Martin fumbled the snap, the Vikings took over on their own 22. On the first play from scrimmage, Adrian Peterson scampered 78 yards for a touchdown. David Akers made it 7–3 on a 33-yard field goal, though the Lions missed out on seven points that series when a touchdown reception by Calvin Johnson was reversed. In the second quarter, Akers connected on a 42-yard field goal to make the score 7–6. The Vikings responded with a 65-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 4-yard TD run from Peterson, to go up 14–6. The Lions closed the gap late in the half when Joique Bell finished off a 70-yard drive with a 1-yard run to make it 14–13. Bell plunged over from the 1-yard line again in the third quarter to put the Lions up for the first time in the game, 20–14. The Vikings' Blair Walsh narrowed the lead to 20–17 with a 52-yard field goal. The Lions then went up 27–17 when Matthew Stafford and new acquisition Reggie Bush connected on a 77-yard pass play. Adrian Peterson scored his third touchdown of the day, on a 4-yard pass from Christian Ponder, to put the Vikings within 3 points again, 27–24. The Lions would get the only score of the fourth quarter, a 1-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to rookie tight end Joseph Fauria, making the final score Detroit 34, Minnesota 24. Reggie Bush had 191 yards from scrimmage on the afternoon (90 rushing, 101 receiving), while Matthew Stafford was 28-of-43 passing for 357 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. After Adrian Peterson's opening 78-yard run, the Lions defense held him to just 15 yards on 17 carries.

Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals

Week Two: Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions0147021
Cardinals0106925

at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Game information

After a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals struck first on a Jay Feely 47-yard field goal. The Lions responded with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson, to take a 7–3 lead. The Cardinals went up 10–7 on a 36-yard TD pass from Carson Palmer to Andre Ellington. The Lions retook the lead, 14–10, when Stafford and Johnson connected again, this time on a 3-yard TD pass. Arizona scored first in the third quarter, capitalizing on a Lions turnover with a 23-yard Jay Feely field goal. The Lions got a turnover of their own, as DeAndre Levy returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown, making the score 21–13. The Cardinals finished the third quarter scoring with a 43-yard Feely field goal to close the score to 21–16. Feely hit again from 33 yards early in the fourth quarter to make the score 21–19. A pass interference penalty by Bill Bentley put the ball on the Lions 1-yard line late in the final quarter, and Arizona's Rashard Mendenhall plunged over two plays later for a touchdown. Arizona failed on a 2-point conversion, making the final score Cardinals 25, Lions 21. Matthew Stafford was 24-of-36 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Calvin Johnson led all receivers with 6 receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns. David Akers missed a 47-yard field goal, and had another field goal attempt blocked.

Week 3: at Washington Redskins

Week Three: Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions71001027
Redskins773320

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

Game information

Washington took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter when DeAngelo Hall intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Detroit tied it on the next possession, when Joique Bell capped an 85-yard drive with a 12-yard TD run. Early in the second quarter, Stafford hit tight end Joseph Fauria with a 5-yard TD pass, putting the Lions up 14–7. A 72-yard Redskins scoring drive was punctuated by an Alfred Morris 30-yard TD run, knotting the score at 14–14. Near the end of the first half, David Akers connected on a 32-yard field goal, sending the Lions to the locker room with a 17–14 lead. The only score of the third quarter came on a John Potter 43-yard field goal, tying the score again at 17–17. The Lions went up 20–17 early in the fourth quarter on a 28-yard field goal from Akers. The Redskins appeared to take the lead on a 57-yard TD pass from Robert Griffin III to Aldrick Robinson, but the play was reversed when replays revealed that Robinson did not maintain possession of the ball when he tumbled to the ground. The Lions took advantage on their next drive, when Stafford hit Calvin Johnson with an 11-yard TD pass, increasing the lead to 27–17. The Redskins got a late 21-yard field goal from John Potter to close the gap to 27–20, but could not gain possession on the ensuing onside kickoff. Matthew Stafford passed for 385 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Nate Burleson led all receivers with 116 yards, while Calvin Johnson tallied 115 receiving yards. Prior to this victory, the Lions had never won a game in Washington, D.C., covering 21 road meetings against the Redskins. They last beat the Redskins on the road in 1935, when the team resided in Boston. [37]

Week 4: vs. Chicago Bears

Week Four: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Bears31031632
Lions3277340

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: September 29
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 64,552
  • Referee: Mike Carey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game book
Game information

The 2–1 Lions returned home in Week 4 to face the 3–0 Chicago Bears. Robbie Gould started the scoring for the Bears with a 34-yard field goal, but field goals of 23 and 31 yards by David Akers put the Lions up 6–3. Early in the second quarter, Matt Forté exploded for a 53-yard touchdown run to put Chicago back up, 10–6. The lead was narrowed to 10–9 when Akers connected on a 41-yard field goal. The Lions then reeled off three straight touchdowns in the span of three and a half minutes. Set up by a 57-yard punt return from Micheal Spurlock, Matthew Stafford scored first when he recovered his own fumble in the end zone following a 1-yard quarterback sneak. On Chicago's next possession, Jay Cutler's second interception of the day was returned by Glover Quin 42 yards, to the Bears 2. One play later, Stafford hit Calvin Johnson in the corner of the end zone for a 2-yard TD. On the Lions next possession, Reggie Bush scored on a 37-yard TD run, hurdling Bears safety Major Wright on his way to the end zone. Robbie Gould closed the half with a 28-yard field goal that made the score 30–13. Gould would connect again on a 25-yarder in the third quarter to get the Bears within two touchdowns. On Chicago's next possession, Ndamukong Suh forced a Jay Cutler fumble, then Nick Fairley scooped up the ball and took it the remaining 4 yards for the score to give Detroit a 37–16 lead. David Akers extended it to 40–16 on a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. The Bears attempted a furious rally in the final minutes. Cutler hit Alshon Jeffery on a 14-yard TD pass with four minutes left, then connected with Jeffery again for a 2-point conversion to make the score 40–24. On a potential clock-killing drive, Lions running back Joique Bell lost a fumble, and the Bears took advantage with another Cutler TD pass – this one going 10 yards to Earl Bennett. After another successful 2-point conversion, Chicago was within one score, 40–32. But Detroit's Kris Durham recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve the victory.

After throwing just one interception in eight previous games against the Lions, Jay Cutler threw three picks in this game, two of them being grabbed by Lions safety Louis Delmas. Reggie Bush rushed 18 times for 139 yards, and had another 34 yards on four receptions.

Week 5: at Green Bay Packers

Week Five: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions03069
Packers3310622

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game information

The Lions were attempting to end a 21-game regular season losing streak at Green Bay's Lambeau Field, but were hampered by injuries to starting wide receivers Nate Burleson and Calvin Johnson, neither of whom could suit up for the game. Neither offense could get much going in the first half. Mason Crosby converted field goals of 26 and 52 yards for the Packers, while David Akers hit a 53-yarder for the Lions, making the halftime score 6–3 in favor of Green Bay. Crosby connected again in the third quarter on a 31-yard field goal. The big blow of the game came just 1:26 later, when Aaron Rodgers found James Jones deep, resulting in an 83-yard touchdown and a 16–3 Green Bay lead. Two more Crosby field goals of 42 and 45 yards put the game out of reach. Matthew Stafford hit Kris Durham with a 13-yard TD pass late in the final quarter to make the score 22–9 (following a failed 2-point conversion), but it was too little, too late.

Week 6: at Cleveland Browns

Week Six: Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions7071731
Browns0170017

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Lions struck first on a 1-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to tight end Joseph Fauria for the only score of the first quarter. Cleveland did all the scoring in the second quarter. First, Brandon Weeden hit running back Chris Ogbonnaya with a screen pass for a 4-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 7–7. Weeden then cashed in again with 1:16 left in the half, connecting with Greg Little for a 2-yard TD pass. After a Lions three-and-out, the Browns got the ball with enough time to get Billy Cundiff into field goal range, and he converted a 40-yard attempt to make the halftime score 17–7. The second half belonged entirely to the Lions. In the third quarter, Stafford hit Reggie Bush on a short pass, and the running back took it 18 yards for a touchdown, bringing Detroit closer at 17–14. The Lions retook the lead, 21–17, early in the fourth quarter when Stafford again connected with Joseph Fauria, this time on a 23-yard play. David Akers extended the lead to 24–17 when he made good on a 51-yard field goal. After a key interception of Weeden by DeAndre Levy, the Lions put the game away when Stafford and Fauria connected a third time with a 10-yard TD pass play, providing a final score of 31–17.

Matthew Stafford was 25-of-43 and had his first four-TD performance of the season. Joseph Fauria now has only seven catches on the season, but five have gone for touchdowns. Cleveland's Josh Gordon tallied 126 yards receiving in defeat.

Week 7: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week Seven: Cincinnati Bengals at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Bengals7710327
Lions737724

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Cincinnati scored on its first possession, when Andy Dalton threw to A. J. Green for an 82-yard touchdown. The Lions tied it later in the first quarter on a 3-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Brandon Pettigrew. A 36-yard field goal by David Akers gave the Lions a 10–7-second quarter lead. But late in the quarter, Akers had a 34-yard field goal attempt blocked by Carlos Dunlap, which the Bengals returned all the way to the Lions 40-yard line despite fumbling during the return. That set up a 12-yard TD strike from Andy Dalton to Marvin Jones just before the first half closed, giving Cincinnati a 14–10 lead. The teams exchanged TD passes in the third quarter. First, Dalton hit Tyler Eifert for a 32-yard TD, and Stafford followed shortly after with a 27-yard TD toss to Calvin Johnson. Mike Nugent connected on a 48-yard field goal late in the third to put the Bengals up 24–17. The Lions tied the game at 24 in the fourth quarter, when Calvin Johnson leaped up and beat three Bengals defenders in the end zone on a 50-yard pass from Matthew Stafford. After the game, Stafford called Johnson's play "one of the best catches I have ever seen." [38] Late in the fourth quarter, a punt by the Bengals Kevin Huber pinned the Lions at their own 6-yard line. Detroit attempted to kill enough clock to get the game to overtime, but could only gain one first down and 17 yards. Detroit punter Sam Martin then shanked a punt that netted only 28 yards before going out of bounds at the Cincinnati 49 with 26 seconds left in the game. Three plays and 15 yards later, Mike Nugent boomed a 54-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bengals a 27–24 victory.

The aerial attack for both teams produced big numbers. Andy Dalton was 24-of-34 for 372 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Matthew Stafford was 28-of-51 for 357 yards and 3 scores. A. J. Green of the Bengals and Calvin Johnson of the Lions both tallied 155 yards receiving on the day.

Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week Eight: Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys01031730
Lions7002431

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: October 27
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 64,379
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game book
Game information

The Lions needed all 60 minutes to overcome four turnovers and a minus-6 differential in penalties to overtake the Dallas Cowboys. The game started slowly, with just three scores in the first half. Detroit struck first with a 90-yard drive, highlighted by an 87-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson and capped when the two connected again on a fourth-down 2-yard TD pass. Dallas got a second quarter field goal of 53 yards by Dan Bailey to make the score 7–3. On the Lions next possession, Sean Lee intercepted Stafford for the second time in the game and returned the ball 74 yards to the Lions 4-yard line. Two plays later, Tony Romo hit Dez Bryant with a 5-yard TD pass, giving Dallas a 10–7 halftime lead. Bailey converted on another 53-yard field goal in the third quarter, putting the Cowboys up 13–7. David Akers narrowed the lead to 13–10 with a 20-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. But Dallas struck on their next possession when Tony Romo connected with Terrance Williams on a 60-yard TD pass play, putting them up by 10. Detroit's Joique Bell capped an 80-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to cut the lead to 3 again, at 20–17. Dallas again went up 10, as Romo and Bryant hooked up for their second TD pass play of the day, this one going 50 yards. The Lions came back with a 1-yard TD run by Reggie Bush, on a drive that featured a key 54-yard pass from Stafford to Calvin Johnson, cutting the lead to 27–24. The Lions lost the ball on downs with 1:24 left in the game, but Dallas could only take 22 seconds off the clock before Dan Bailey put them up 30–24 with a 44-yard field goal. The Lions began an improbable 80-yard TD drive with just 1:02 remaining on the clock and no time-outs left. Stafford hit Kris Durham with a key 40-yard pass that put the ball at the Cowboys' 23. Stafford then hit Calvin Johnson with a 22-yard pass on the next play that got the ball to the Dallas 1, but the clock was still running. Instead of spiking the ball to stop the clock after the Lions quickly lined up, Matthew Stafford lunged over a pile of linemen and stretched the ball over the goal line for the tying touchdown, with David Akers' extra point giving the Lions a 31–30 victory.

The Lions tallied 623 yards of total offense on the afternoon. Stafford was 33-of-48 for 488 yards and one touchdown. Most of his passing yards were to Calvin Johnson, as the Lions wideout caught 14 balls for 329 yards and one touchdown. Johnson set an NFL record for receiving yards in a regulation game, and was just 7 yards short of the full game record of 336 yards set by Flipper Anderson in a 1989 overtime game. Calvin also tied Lance Alworth's all-time NFL mark with his fifth career game of 200 or more receiving yards. The Lions also became just the second team in the last 56 such games to win despite a minus-4 turnover differential. The only other team to accomplish this was the New England Patriots in a 2007 game against the Miami Dolphins. [39]

Week 10: at Chicago Bears

Week Ten: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions707721
Bears703919

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: November 10
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C), mostly sunny
  • Game attendance: 62,431
  • Referee: Bill Leavy
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
  • Recap, Game book
Game information

The Lions entered the game looking to sweep a season series from the Bears for the first time since 2007, and did so. Chicago scored on the game's opening possession when Jay Cutler capped a 65-yard drive with a 32-yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall. The Lions tied the game at 7 later in the first quarter when Matthew Stafford found Kris Durham in the back of the end zone with a 5-yard TD pass. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Stafford hit Calvin Johnson with a 4-yard TD pass to put the Lions up 14–7. The Bears narrowed the lead to one point with Robbie Gould field goals of 25 and 32 yards. With 2:22 left in the game, Stafford and Johnson connected again, this time on a 14-yard TD pass play, putting the Lions up 21–13. Josh McCown, who relieved an injured Cutler, led the Bears on a 74-yard TD drive, capped by an 11-yard pass to Brandon Marshall for the score. Needing a two-point conversion to tie the game, McCown's pass to Dante Rosario sailed out of the end zone, but Detroit's Willie Young was called for roughing the passer, giving the Bears another chance from the 1-yard line. The Bears attempted a rushing play for the conversion, but Nick Fairley tackled Matt Forté behind the line of scrimmage, ending the Bears hopes.

Calvin Johnson's second touchdown reception of the game gave him 63 touchdown catches in his Lions career, surpassing Herman Moore's previous team record of 62. [40] The win secured the Lions the #1 spot in the NFC North division, the first time they have held that spot alone since Week 5 of the 2005 season.

Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Eleven: Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions0270027
Steelers14631437

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 17
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C), thunderstorms
  • Game attendance: 57,905
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game book
Game information

Week 11 saw the Lions trying to win their first game in Pittsburgh since 1955. The Steelers jumped out to an early 14–0 lead, when Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown with TD passes of 34 and 47 yards on consecutive drives. Detroit got on the board in the second quarter with a 35-yard David Akers field goal, but Pittsburgh went up by 14 again when Shaun Suisham connected on a 25-yard field goal. The Lions made the score 17–10 on the first play of their next possession, when Matthew Stafford found Calvin Johnson for a 79-yard TD pass play. After a 34-yard Suisham field goal, the Lions drew within 3 points when Stafford and Johnson connected again, this time for a 19-yard TD. The Lions took their first lead, 24–20, on a Joique Bell 2-yard run late in the quarter. Detroit had a chance to go up by 11 in the closing seconds of the first half, but after three incomplete passes from the Steelers' 1-yard line, they settled for a 19-yard Akers field goal to make the score 27–20. As the weather turned bad and the field got sloppy in the second half, so did the Lions offense. A 21-yard Suisham field goal was the only score of the third quarter, drawing the Steelers within 4 points at 27–23. The Lions got inside the Pittsburgh 10-yard line on their next possession, but failed to score on three straight plays before calling in the field goal unit. The Lions attempted a fake that failed, and following a Sam Martin fumble, the Steelers took over on their own 3-yard line. Roethlisberger engineered a game-winning 97-yard drive, culminating in a 1-yard TD pass to Will Johnson. The Steelers iced it on their next possession, going up 37–27 after Roethlisberger hit Jerricho Cotchery with a 20-yard TD pass.

Matthew Stafford was 19-of-46 passing in the game for 362 yards, including just 3-for-16 in the second half, with many of his passes being dropped by Lions receivers. Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, went 29-of-45 for 367 yards and four touchdowns. Calvin Johnson led all players with 179 receiving yards and two touchdowns, but he was shut out in the second half. Despite the loss, Stafford (16,005 yards) passed Bobby Layne's Lion record of 15,710 career passing yards, while Johnson tied Herman Moore's team mark of four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. [41]

Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Twelve: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Buccaneers3140724
Lions0147021

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: November 24
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 62,098
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game book
Game information

The Lions returned home to face the 2–8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs got on the board first with a 38-yard Rian Lindell field goal for the only scoring of the first quarter. Detroit responded early in the second with a 5-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Nate Burleson, who was playing in his first game since Week 3. Tiquan Underwood put Tampa Bay back on top, 10–7 when he hauled in a 7-yard TD pass from Mike Glennon. The Lions came back with a 10-yard Matthew Stafford-to-Joseph Fauria TD connection. Late in the half, Leonard Johnson picked off a Stafford pass intended for Brandon Pettigrew and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown, sending the Bucs to the locker room with a 17–14 lead. The Lions jumped ahead for the third time in the game, 21–17, when Stafford hit Pettigrew for an 18-yard TD pass. Tampa Bay completed the scoring when Mike Glennon again connected with Tiquan Underwood, this time on an 85-yard bomb, making the final score 24–21. The Lions had two potential game-tying or game-winning drives end on turnovers. Kris Durham fumbled after making a reception in Bucs territory, and with 47 seconds left in the game, Calvin Johnson had a potential catch at the Bucs 5-yard line stripped from his hands, resulting in a game-clinching interception by Johnthan Banks.

The Lions had a season-high five turnovers in the game, while the Buccaneers won their third straight game after an 0–8 start to the season.

Week 13: vs. Green Bay Packers

Thanksgiving Day game
Week Thirteen: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Packers0100010
Lions01791440

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Despite three turnovers and a missed field goal in the first half, the Lions rebounded to dominate the Packers, earning their first win on Thanksgiving Day since 2003. After David Akers and Mason Crosby exchanged field goals, Green Bay took their first and only lead of the day in the second quarter when Nick Perry forced a Matthew Stafford fumble that Morgan Burnett returned for a 1-yard touchdown. Detroit tied the score at 10 after Stafford found Jeremy Ross in the end zone with a 5-yard TD pass. A 1-yard Reggie Bush TD run gave the Lions a 17–10 halftime lead. The second half was all Lions. Calvin Johnson hauled in a 20-yard pass from Stafford for a 24–10 Lions lead. Late in the third quarter, Ndamukong Suh sacked Matt Flynn in the end zone for a safety. After the ensuing free kick, Joique Bell finished off a 56-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to put Detroit up 33–10. Kevin Ogletree completed the scoring by catching a 20-yard TD pass from Stafford to account for a 40–10 final score.

Matthew Stafford was 22-of-35 passing, hitting nine different receivers for 330 yards and three touchdowns, while Reggie Bush had 182 yards from scrimmage (117 rushing, 65 receiving). With 101 yards receiving in the game, Calvin Johnson now has 4,944 receiving yards over the 2011 to 2013 seasons, surpassing Jerry Rice's previous NFL record for receiving yards over a three-season stretch (4,850 yards from 1993 to 1995). The Lions offense outgained the Packers in the game 561 yards to 126 yards, while Detroit's defense sacked Matt Flynn seven times. [42]

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week Fourteen: Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions086620
Eagles0062834

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 8
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 27 °F (−3 °C), snow
  • Game attendance: 69,144
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Molly McGrath
  • Recap, Game book

This game was well known for being played in a blinding blizzard, with at least 4 inches falling throughout the game. The Lions were leading after the first 3 quarters, but the Eagles scored 4 touchdowns in the 4th quarter and outscored Detroit 28–6 in the 4th, ultimately winning 34–20. The loss dropped Detroit to 7–6, and now have only won 1 out of their last 4 games

Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week Fifteen: Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234Total
Ravens093618
Lions703616

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

The Lions hoped to keep their slim lead for the NFC North division title. Playing against the Ravens, Detroit would rally in the first quarter before Baltimore's Justin Tucker kicked three field goals to give his team a halftime lead, 9–7. After trailing 12–10 in the third quarter, the Lions would take a 16–12 lead with another touchdown and a failed 2-point conversion. Turnovers again doomed the Lions. Matthew Stafford threw an interception, the third Lions turnover, late in the game, with Detroit clinging to a 16–15 lead. That would give Justin Tucker a chance at a 61-yard field goal, which he converted to give Baltimore an 18–16 victory. With the shocking loss, the Lions fell to 7–7 and third place within their division.

Week 16: vs. New York Giants

Week Sixteen: New York Giants at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Period1234OTTotal
Giants31007323
Lions0398020

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: December 22
  • Game time: 4:05 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 63,996
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
  • Recap, Game book

In their home finale, the Lions met the Giants in a game that the Lions needed to win to stay in the division race. The Lions were having trouble scoring and could only muster a field goal before halftime while the Giants built 13 points to maintain their lead. The Lions would manage to return by scoring 17 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters. However, an interception thrown by Stafford led to the Giants tying the game. As the clock ran out with the score tied, Head Coach Jim Schwartz decided to let the game go into overtime despite Detroit possessing two timeouts. This led to many fans booing at the decision, and Schwartz appeared to yell angrily at the booing crowd. After both teams went 3 and out with the Giants having the starting possession, the Giants managed to record a 45-yard field goal to win the game and seal the Lions' fate.

Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings

Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions007613
Vikings700714

at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

To end the season, the Lions had a re-match against division rival Minnesota Vikings in the last-ever game at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. With both teams resting injured superstars (Adrian Peterson for Minnesota and Calvin Johnson for Detroit), the Vikings won the low-scoring contest, 14–13.

Standings

Division

NFC North
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(4) Green Bay Packers 871.5313–2–16–5–1417428W1
Chicago Bears 880.5002–44–8445478L2
Detroit Lions 790.4384–26–6395376L4
Minnesota Vikings 5101.3442–3–14–7–1391480W1

Conference

NFC [43]
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division winners
1 Seattle Seahawks West1330.8134–210–2.490.445W1
2 Carolina Panthers South1240.7505–19–3.494.451W3
3 Philadelphia Eagles East1060.6254–29–3.453.391W2
4 Green Bay Packers North871.5313–2–16–5–1.453.371W1
Wild cards
5 San Francisco 49ers West1240.7505–19–3.494.414W6
6 New Orleans Saints South1150.6885–19–3.516.455W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Arizona Cardinals West1060.6252–46–6.531.444L1
8 [lower-alpha 1] Chicago Bears North880.5002–44–8.465.469L2
9 Dallas Cowboys East880.5005–17–5.484.363L1
10 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] New York Giants East790.4383–36–6.520.366W2
11 [lower-alpha 4] Detroit Lions North790.4384–26–6.457.402L4
12 St. Louis Rams West790.4381–54–8.551.446L1
13 Minnesota Vikings North5101.3442–3–14–7–1.512.450W1
14 [lower-alpha 5] Atlanta Falcons South4120.2501–53–9.553.313L2
15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers South4120.2501–52–10.574.391L3
16 Washington Redskins East3130.1880–61–11.516.438L8
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 6]
  1. ↑ Chicago defeated Dallas head-to-head (Week 14, 45–28).
  2. ↑ The NY Giants and Detroit finished with a better conference record than St. Louis.
  3. ↑ The NY Giants defeated Detroit head-to-head (Week 16, 23–20 (OT)).
  4. ↑ Detroit finished with a better conference record than St. Louis.
  5. ↑ Atlanta finished with a better conference record than Tampa Bay.
  6. ↑ 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.

Staff

2013 Detroit Lions staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

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References

  1. ↑ Jim Schwartz fired by Detroit Lions after five seasons NFL.com, December 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ Detroit Lions eliminated from playoff contention in overtime loss against Giants MLive.com, December 22, 2013
  3. ↑ Detroit Lions re-sign special teams ace Kassim Osgood MLive.com, March 12, 2013
  4. 1 2 Lions' Jason Fox, four exclusive-rights free agents sign their tenders Pride of Detroit, April 15, 2013
  5. 1 2 "Lions add Reggie Bush to fold," ESPN (March 13, 2013). Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  6. ↑ Louis Delmas back with Lions ESPN, March 15, 2013
  7. ↑ Detroit Lions re-sign wide receiver Brian Robiskie MLive.com, April 15, 2013
  8. ↑ Detroit Lions re-sign Willie Young for less than restricted free agent tender MLive.com, April 16, 2013
  9. ↑ Willie Young and Jason Fox sign with Detroit Lions on Monday MLive.com, April 15, 2013
  10. ↑ Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford on verge of three-year contract extension Yahoo! Sports, July 9, 2013
  11. ↑ "Devin Thomas signs with Lions". ESPN.com. January 17, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  12. ↑ C.J. Mosley will sign with Detroit Lions today during visit MLive.com, April 3, 2013
  13. ↑ Detroit Lions sign kicker David Akers to replace Jason Hanson MLive.com, April 5, 2013
  14. ↑ Detroit Lions sign internet sensation Havard 'Kickalicious' Rugland MLive.com, April 11, 2013
  15. ↑ UCLA TE Joseph Fauria among undrafted players signed by Detroit Lions MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  16. ↑ 2013 Lions undrafted free agent tracker Pride of Detroit, April 27, 2013
  17. ↑ Jeff Backus retires from Detroit Lions after 12 NFL seasons MLive.com, March 14, 2013
  18. ↑ Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson retires after 21 seasons MLive.com, April 4, 2013
  19. ↑ Copeland, Kareem (February 4, 2013). "Titus Young released by Detroit Lions". National Football League . Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  20. ↑ Report: Colts reach agreement with OT Gosder Cherilus CBS Sports, March 12, 2013
  21. ↑ Panthers sign veteran Drayton Florence NBC Sports, March 13, 2013
  22. ↑ Sammie Lee Hill, Tennessee Titans strike 3-year deal
  23. ↑ "Kevin Barnes signs one-year deal with Cleveland Browns". NFL.com. March 25, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Justin Durant Will Join Dallas Cowboys". Dallas Cowboys 101. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  25. ↑ Orr, Conor (April 27, 2013). "Jets sign G Stephen Peterman to one-year deal". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  26. ↑ Spirits high with Vikings Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, April 28, 2013
  27. ↑ "Jahvid Best cut by Detroit Lions after three seasons". NFL.com. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  28. ↑ Detroit Lions select Ezekiel Ansah in first round of 2013 NFL draft MLive.com, April 26, 2013
  29. ↑ Detroit Lions select Mississippi State CB Darius Slay in second round of 2013 NFL draft MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  30. ↑ Detroit Lions fill massive need with massive guard prospect Larry Warford MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  31. ↑ Detroit Lions draft South Carolina defensive end Devin Taylor in fourth round MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  32. ↑ Detroit Lions select Appalachian State punter Sam Martin in the fifth round MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  33. ↑ Detroit Lions select Virginia Tech WR Corey Fuller in sixth round of 2013 NFL draft MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  34. ↑ Detroit Lions add Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick with pick No. 199 MLive.com, April 27, 2013
  35. ↑ Detroit Lions select Alabama TE Michael Williams in seventh round of 2013 NFL draft MLive.com, April
  36. ↑ Detroit Lions draft biochemist Brandon Hepburn with final 2013 draft pick MLive.com, April 28, 2013
  37. ↑ Lions capitalize on Skins' muffs, end 21-game skid in DC cbssports.com wire reports, September 22, 2013.
  38. ↑ Bengals score again on road, outlast Lions, hot Megatron cbssports.com on 20 October 2013.
  39. ↑ Megatron breaks 300 yards as Lions rally for stunning win cbssports.com wire reports, 27 October 2013.
  40. ↑ Megatron sets Lions TD mark; Detroit controls NFC North cbssports.com wire reports, 10 November 2013.
  41. ↑ Big Ben rallies Steelers to win; D stifles Stafford in 2nd half cbssports.com wire reports, 17 November 2013.
  42. ↑ Detroit Lions destroy Green Bay Packers in a Motown Turkey Day showdown Associated Press wire reports, retrieved from nfl.com on 2 December 2013.
  43. ↑ "2013 Conference Standings". NFL.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
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