Detroit Lions offense sets 2 unbelievable records vs. 49ers

The Detroit Lions offense set two crazy records for the season after their 40-34 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s been quite a year for the Detroit Lions offense. Going into the final week of the season, the Lions still have the best scoring offense in football, averaging a league-leading 32.9 points per game. With their 40-34 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, the Lions managed to accomplish two offensive milestones that have never been done before in NFL history.

1. Most games with 40 points and no turnovers

As revealed by the ESPN broadcast, the Lions’ win over the 49ers was the fifth time this season that Detroit had crossed the 40-point threshold while also not turning the ball over. They also did that:

• vs. the Seahawks (42-29)
• vs. the Cowboys (47-9)
• vs. the Titans (52-14)
• vs. the Jaguars (52-6)

This highlights that the Lions are not just very efficient on offense, but they’re very careful with the football, as well. For the season, the Lions have just 13 giveaways on offense (fourth fewest), and that includes a five-interception game against the Texans . So in the other 15 games this season, Detroit has a total of just eight turnovers—or about one every two games.

2. Most players with 1,000 yards from scrimmage + 7 TDs

On Monday, the Detroit Lions became the second team in NFL history to have four different players with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns —and the first to do it with a pair of running backs and a pair of wide receivers. The only other team to accomplish the yardage feat was the 2004 Colts, with Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley leading the way with some help from Peyton Manning.

Here’s how the Lions accomplished it:

• Jahmyr Gibbs: 1,273 rushing yards + 486 receiving yards = 1,759 yards
• David Montgomery: 775 rushing yards + 341 receiving yards = 1,116 yards
• Amon-Ra St. Brown: 1,186 receiving yards + 6 rushing yards = 1,192 yards
• Jameson Williams: 967 receiving yards + 61 rushing yards = 1,028 yards

This obviously speaks to Detroit’s ability to spread the ball around to their variety of playmakers on offense. This list doesn’t even include tight end Sam LaPorta (663 receiving yards, 7 TDs) or Tim Patrick (379 yards, 3 TDs), who have been integral parts of Detroit’s offensive attack.

“It’s really cool,” quarterback Jared Goff said of the accomplishment. “The four I’m sure are DMo, Gibbs, Saint, Jamo, right? And the LaPorta is as good as it gets at tight end, and then Tim’s done a hell of a job, too. We’ve got a good group and a very unselfish group, which is the best part about it. Those guys just want to see each other succeed, they just want to win. But, yeah, to do something like that is very cool. We’re proud of that.”

Of course, none of that happens without Goff having a career year. After yet another stellar showing on Monday night, Goff now ranks second in yardage (4,398), second in yards per attempt (8.7), second in passer rating (113.6), and second in EPA/play (0.309). He’s also thrown the most touchdowns in his career (36), has a passer rating over 10 points higher than his best season (113.6 vs. 101.1), and has the best QBR of his career (67.1).

“He’s playing at an ultimate level right now,” coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “Find me a quarterback who’s playing than him in this league right now. I’d love to see it.”