The Detroit Lions have opened the 2026 season with a strange little footnote that now belongs to NFL history.
After three games, Detroit has scored 93 points and allowed 95. That means the Lions are 30-plus points deep in every game so far, yet still sit at a minus-2 point differential. According to the source material, only one other team in league history has done that through the first three games of a season: the 1994 New England Patriots.
That odd split says a lot about where this team is right now. The offense has produced 31 points against the Saints, Bills and Jets, but the defense has given back just enough to keep the overall number underwater. Detroit’s defense did look better against the Jets than it did the week before against Buffalo, but the early-season math still tells the story.
The Lions have also had a recurring issue with slow starts. Over the past two weeks, the offense has struggled to get points on the board in the first half before finding a rhythm after halftime. That pattern showed up again in Week 3, when Detroit didn’t score until its offensive drive in the game.
Even with that sluggish opening, there’s plenty to like about the way Jared Goff has handled the start of the year. He has not thrown an interception yet, and Dan Campbell praised the quarterback’s decision-making after the Jets game.
"Offensively Goff, mentioned it, he had 78 percent completion percentage, man. If it's a shot there, take it.
If it's not, then I'll dump it down. It just was great decision-making for us and he was on it," said Campbell.
"I mentioned this last night, he's playing at a high level. And so, when you can do that at the quarterback position, that makes you very efficient.
And that's what we were. We were highly efficient.
Run game, 117 yards, 4.7 average.
"We were almost 70 percent efficient in the run game. And that's really what gave us what - between the quarterback and our efficiency in the run game, we didn't have the explosives, wanted more explosives," Campbell added further.
"But, when you're that efficient, then you can overcome those things. No turnovers and then no three-and-outs, that was good."
Jahmyr Gibbs has also taken on a bigger load and, based on the source material, could be headed for Offensive Player of the Week recognition after the win over the Jets.
Still, Campbell made clear there were parts of the offense that need cleaning up. He pointed to the first two drives, the protection issue on third down and the failed fourth-and-1 attempt as missed chances that kept Detroit from stretching the lead.
"But once again, man, first two drives, we didn't score any points. That's not good," said Campbell.
"And really we had a chance our first third-down, we missed on the protection there. We're driving it and then the 4th-and-1 stop.
To me, that was the big one. We cannot have that happen, man.
We have a chance to turn it into a two-score game possibly.
"Man, we have to be able to close that out, get that first down. We mis-ID'd it, illegal formation, the whole thing.
So, we're better than that. So, we'll clean that up."
So even with the points coming in bunches, the Lions are left with an unusual early-season record: a productive offense, a defense that has had its moments, and a point differential that doesn’t match the scoring output.
In Other News...
Lions Just Reopened A Roster Spot With A Familiar Return
The Lions made a familiar practice-squad swap Tuesday, parting ways with cornerback Natrone Brooks and bringing back tight end Miles Kitselman. Kitselman is returning to Detroit after previously being waived with an injury settlement, a transaction that had temporarily taken him off the teams roster picture but left the door open for a reunion down the line.
Kitselmans return gives Detroit another look at a player the organization already knows, while the move also keeps the tight end room in motion after a series of roster adjustments at the position. The broader backdrop includes the injury settlement process, which can create an opening for a later return, and it comes amid other recent moves involving tight ends and defensive end Ahmed Hassanein. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Just Made Derrick Moores Path To Playing Time Clear
Derrick Moore has spent the early part of his Lions career a step behind, a familiar place for a rookie defensive end trying to climb a crowded depth chart while also dealing with lost practice time because of injury. For a Detroit defense that is still sorting through adjustments, the development curve has been especially important, and head coach Dan Campbell made it clear Moores next step is all about getting more work and turning those reps into trust.
Campbell said Moore needs those chances to keep growing, and that the expectation inside the building is he will improve and push for more playing time as he gets comfortable. Campbell also noted he has been spending extra time in defensive meetings to help with the ongoing adjustments on that side of the ball, which only adds to the sense that Detroit is trying to steady the group while waiting for younger pieces like Moore to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Tough Center Decision Before Division Games
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Dan Campbell said Cade Mays is making progress in his recovery, but a Week 4 return may still be a stretch, and the Lions may choose to wait until after the bye before bringing him back into the mix. That leaves Detroit weighing continuity against the possibility of getting Mays back in place at center, a choice that could shape how the line holds up in the games that matter most for the division race. [Read more 🡒]