The Detroit Lions got out of Week 1 with a 31-30 win at home, and the numbers from Pro Football Focus paint a clear picture of where things went right - and where they didn’t.
Up front, Detroit’s offensive line drew some of the strongest grades on the roster. Four linemen landed among the team’s highest-graded players after playing at least 10 snaps, a good sign in a game where the Lions needed steady work from the trenches.
Jahmyr Gibbs also had a massive workload in the opener. He became the sixth player in NFL history to reach 50 touchdowns in his first 50 games, and against the Saints he was leaned on as the clear bell-cow back. Gibbs finished with 34 touches, including 29 rushing attempts and five catches.
Defensively, Derrick Barnes was one of the brighter spots. The veteran linebacker came into 2026 wanting to improve on a 2025 season he felt could have been much better, and with Alex Anzalone gone, Detroit is asking Barnes to keep growing and make more impactful plays. Barnes also drew attention before kickoff when he arrived at Ford Field wearing a Spider-Man outfit with his son.
“On game day, my wife talked to my son, and he was like, 'Me and Daddy going to wear Spidey. Me and Daddy going to wear Spidey.'
And I’m like, ‘So now I had to do it.' It was the best thing ever.
And it just goes to show you we’re more than just football players. I’m a father," said Barnes.
"I love my son, love putting the smile on my family’s face. The fact that I told myself I’m going to come here and dress like that.
I better do something on the football field. So, thank God I did."
Aidan Hutchinson led the way on defense with a 90.2 grade, followed by Malcolm Rodriguez at 83.1, Tyleik Williams at 76.9, Barnes at 73.4 and Skyler Gill-Howard at 71.6.
The lowest-graded defenders included Keith Abney II at 63.2, Jack Campbell at 56.7, Avonte Maddox at 55.6, Derrick Moore at 53.3 and Rock Ya-Sin at 46.1.
The offense had its own rough spots, too. Isaac TeSlaa saw only one target after a disappointing training camp, and the Lions are still looking for more from a player the front office invested heavily in. Jameson Williams also landed near the bottom of the offensive grades, and Sione Vaki, Brock Wright and Tyler Conklin were among the lower-graded contributors as well.
Detroit’s highest-graded offensive players were Juice Scruggs at 77.5, Christian Mahogany at 76.8, Blake Miller at 74.7, Gibbs at 72.8 and Penei Sewell at 67.5.
For the Lions, Week 1 came with a win, some strong line play and a few standout individual performances - but also clear areas that need work.
In Other News...
Lions Opener Sparked An Officiating Debate Fans Wont Let Go
The Lions Week 1 opener against the Saints did not take long to ignite a rules argument that carried well beyond the stadium. A play involving Jared Goff was initially ruled a fumble and a touchdown for New Orleans, only to be changed after review to an incomplete pass when officials determined Goff had started a throwing motion.
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira later explained the reversal by pointing to forward throwing intent, saying the ball was treated as a forward pass even though it first looked like a loose ball. For Detroit, the sequence became one of those early-season moments that lingers because it touches both the scoreboard and the rulebook, and the criticism that followed shows this is a debate fans are not likely to drop quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Jahmyr Gibbs Just Forced A Bigger Lions Question Than Expected
Jahmyr Gibbs answered the Lions biggest Week 1 question with authority, turning his expanded role into a career night in the season opener. With David Montgomery gone and a three-year contract extension in hand, Gibbs handled 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while adding five catches for 30 yards to give Detroit the kind of all-purpose burst it has been betting on.
Dan Campbell acknowledged the workload afterward, but also suggested it may not become the norm. That leaves Detroit with a familiar balancing act: how much to lean on Gibbs now that he looks ready for a featured role, and how to keep him fresh enough for the long haul in a season where the Lions will need his explosiveness in more than one way. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Win Couldnt Hide A Problem Fans Thought Was Gone
The Lions got the result they needed against the Saints, but the win came with enough rough edges to remind anyone watching that September football can still be a work in progress. Detroit had stretches where the defense looked in control, especially in the first half, and DJ Wonnums strip-sack fumble recovery gave the game one of its cleanest momentum swings. Even so, the offense never settled in consistently and the special teams had their own issues, leaving the overall performance far less polished than the final score suggested.
Dan Campbell did not try to dress it up afterward, acknowledging the teams imperfections while also pointing to the way it found a way to close things out. That balance has been part of the Lions identity under Campbell, but this one also served as a reminder that complementary football is still a live issue. The win counts, of course, but it did not exactly erase the questions about how often all three phases are going to click at the same time. [Read more 🡒]