Lions Notes: Detroit offense still ranks among the league’s best

It’s hard to find good news Monday after a loss, but let’s take a look at where the Lions stand ranking-wise—one of them is surprisingly positive.

While Detroit now sits at 3-6-1 after another disappointing loss on Sunday to the Dallas Cowboys, the passing offense still remains relatively good.

According to Pro Football Reference, the Lions rank fifth in the league in passing offense. Through 10 games, Matthew Stafford (eight games) and Jeff Driskel (two games) have managed to keep the Lions among the top passing teams, going 229 for 363 for a completion percentage of 63.1. They have wracked up a total of 2,812 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Above the Lions are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at fourth, Atlanta Falcons are third, Dallas Cowboys are second and the Kansas City Chiefs sit atop the list at number 1.

For more insight on where the Lions stand in the rankings: overall team offense is ranked 12th and, unsurprisingly, the Lions fall to 19th in rushing offense. The Lions are ninth in third/fourth down and red zone conversions, 10th in kick and punt returns and 11th in kicking and punting. And, less good, the Lions are 27th overall in defense—30th in passing defense and 23rd in rushing defense.

The takeaways? Just a more rank-based look at how well Matthew Stafford was playing and Driskel’s doing fairly well, how most aspects of the offense rank among the top third of the league, and how the defense is bad.

So yeah, I mean. That’s .. something. And onto the rest of your notes:

• While Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said Matt Patricia gave a baffling explanation, Seth Walder with ESPN analytics goes into major detail about why NFL teams are going for two when they’re down eight. (We wrote on it Sunday, too)

• Jeff Seidel with the Freep has some words for Lions administration: “Dear Martha Firestone Ford: This isn’t acceptable. Your Detroit Lions, the organization that makes you a boatload of cash every year — sucking money out of the pockets of decent, hard workin’ folks who deserve better — are struggling something awful.”

• Just.. this.

• Wojo with The Detroit News explains why the Lions are so doomed by their defense, there’s no reason to play Matthew Stafford.

• Some good news? Bo Scarbrough joined Barry Sanders and Billy Sims as the only Lions to reach a certain level in their NFL debuts.

• Sports Illustrated’s Gary Gramling gave some kudos to Darrell Bevell in his Week 11 takeaways: “Darrell Bevell Is Having a Great Year: Detroit’s first-year offensive coordinator opened up the offense and got an MVP-caliber season out of Matthew Stafford, and is now making it work well enough with Jeff Driskel. (If only the Lions had the right coach to run the other side of the ball. Or the right guy to build the roster. Oh well.)”

• Just an interesting fact in case you missed it from Sunday: