Overview The Lions started their regular season falling to 0–5. After their fifth consecutive loss, backup quarterback
Chuck Long said starting multiple quarterbacks was "tearing the team apart". After losing the Week 11 matchup against the
Cincinnati Bengals to fall to 2–9, the Lions rallied to win the last 5 games of the season to end with a 7–9 record, winning 5 in a row for the first time since
1970. The Lions started three different quarterbacks in the season: Bob Gagliano, Eric Hipple, and Rodney Peete. Peete, a sixth-round pick who was the
Heisman Trophy runner-up behind Barry Sanders in 1988, started eight games, missing eight due to injury. Gagliano was the Week 1 starter due to a knee injury Peete suffered in training camp, coming back in the Week 4 game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers. When Peete went down with an injury in the Steelers game, he was ruled out for the Week 5 game against the
Minnesota Vikings. Hipple, who led the Lions'
last winning season, was slated to start the Week 5 matchup. Peete returned to start for weeks 6–11, but reinjured his knee during the Week 11 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Peete was ruled out for one week before making his return against the
New Orleans Saints, but again reinjured his left knee, keeping him out for the season. Gagliano threw for 1,671 yards, 6 touchdowns to 12 interceptions while Peete threw for 1,479 yards, 5 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. In his rookie campaign, Barry Sanders rushed for 1,470 yards, good for 2nd in the league, just 10 yards behind the league leader. Sanders also had 14 rushing touchdowns, also good for 2nd in the league. Cornerback Jerry Holmes led the team in interceptions with 6, followed closely by Jimmy Williams with 5. Both
Jerry Ball and
Mike Cofer led the team with 9.0 sacks each, and
Chris Spielman led the team in tackles with 125. Both Spielman and Ball earned
Pro Bowl nods. On special teams, punter Jim Arnold was 2nd in the league for punting yardage with 3,538, earning the 3rd most yards per punt with 43.1. Kicker Eddie Murray led the league in field goal percentage with 95.2%, nearly 10% more than the 2nd best. Murray was named to the Pro Bowl for his efforts.
Week 1: vs. Phoenix Cardinals Receiving the kickoff at the home and season opener, the Lions' instantly marched down the field to score on an Eddie Murray 30-yard field goal to bring the score to 3–0. The first quarter ended without any more scoring, but the Lions dominated the time of possession by holding the ball for 11:09. After a Lions punt, the Cardinals began their third drive of the game. They moved into Lions territory and settled for a
Al Del Greco 29-yard field goal to tie it at 3–3. The Lions went
three-and-out and punted. Starting with good field position, the Cardinals punted. However, a 15-yard penalty gave the Cardinals a first down. With a second chance, the Cardinals kicked a 23-yard field goal to settle the score at 3–6 going into halftime. Beginning the second half with possession, the Cardinals punted after pushing into Detroit territory. Starting their drive, the Lions converted on a 3rd and 17 screen pass from Gagliano to
Mel Gray which went for 30 yards. After an incompletion, Barry Sanders came into the game. A 27-yard pass interference penalty put the Lions at the Cardinals 29-yard line. Handed the ball on his first carry as an NFL player, Sanders ran up the middle for an 18-yard gain. Sanders was given the ball three more times, punching in the last one for a 3-yard touchdown. The Cardinals responded immediately with an 11-play, 88-yard touchdown drive to put the score at 13–10 with 12:33 left in the fourth. The Lions responded with a quick 8 play drive that ended with a Murray 23-yard field goal. This field goal was Murray's 13th straight, a franchise record. The Lions got the ball back after a
William White interception, but punted it away. The teams traded punts when the Cardinals began their drive with 2:45 left in the fourth. A 15-yard and 22-yard completion set the Cardinals up at the Lions' 16-yard line. On first down, with 0:13 left, the Cardinals kicked a 33-yard field goal to put them up 16–13. With only 13 seconds to respond, the Lions' received the kickoff. Rookie
Jerry Woods brought the kickoff out from the 8-yard line, but fumbled on the 21-yard line when hit, turning the ball over and ending the game, dropping the Lions to 0–1. To begin the second half, the Lions' defense forced a three-and-out on the Giants' first drive. On their first offensive play, Gagliano connected with his receivers for an 18 and 26-yard gain. They capped off the drive with a Barry Sanders 4-yard run for a touchdown, extending the Lions' lead to 14–3. Responding, the Giants constructed a quick drive that ended with an Anderson touchdown to bring the Giants at 10–14. Both the Lions offense and defense stalled, allowing the Giants to score on a 9-yard pass to put the Lions down 14–17. On the second play of the Lions' next drive, Gagliano's pass was intercepted and brought back to the Detroit 35-yard line, however the Giants couldn't score, punting on the Lions' 34. The Lions started their drive on their own 5-yard line and quickly moved to their own 44-yard line, however on second down, Gagliano was
strip sacked. The Giants instantly capitalized, scoring in three plays to extend their lead to 24–14. This would stay the final score as a Gagliano interception sealed the game for the Giants, dropping the Lions to 0–2. The Bears received the second half kickoff and wasted no time scoring with a 53-yard rushing touchdown. After a return that netted the Lions 38 yards after penalties to start at their own 47. After a pass interference call set the Lions at the Bears' 1-yard line, Gagliano rushed into the endzone after faking it to Sanders with the score at 20–27. The Bears kept on producing big plays, with a 43-yard pass setting up the 25-yard field goal. On their next drive, Gagliano attempted to get the ball to Clark but was intercepted by
Lorenzo Lynch. The Bears settled for a 32-yard field goal to bring the Bears lead to 33–20. The Lions took their next drive into the fourth quarter, where an errant pass by Gagliano was intercepted at the Bears 15-yard line. The Lions defense forced the first punt by the Bears offense 51 minutes into the game. Gagliano once again turned the ball over on an interception that was nearly returned for a touchdown. The Bears quickly scored to go up 40–20. The Lions received the ball with 5:47 left to play. On the first play of their new drive, Gagliano completed a pass to Walter Stanley for 14 yards, but Stanley fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Bears. Due to the blowout,
Jim Harbaugh came in to replace
Mike Tomczak, who ran it in for a touchdown to mount the Bears lead to 47–27. A 62-yard kickoff return by
Paul Palmer got the Lions on the Bears 35-yard line where they would eventually score, bringing the final score to 47–27 in favor of the Bears, dropping the Lions to 0–3. Starting the half with the ball, the Steelers punted it after going three-and-out. The two teams traded punts until an errant Peete pass was intercepted and returned to their 40-yard line. With new hope,
Warren Williams punched it in for the 17–3 lead. Trading punts again, the Lions began their drive after bringing in
Bob Gagliano to replace Peete. Gagliano targeted Walter Stanley on a pass that was intercepted by
Dwayne Woodruff. Now at the Lions 38, the Steelers scored on a 2-yard rushing touchdown by
Ray Wallace. A subsequent 2-point conversion failed, bringing the score to 23–3 in favor of the Steelers, which would be the final score. The second half began with four straight punts. On the fourth punt return, Vikings' returner
Leo Lewis fumbled the ball and turned it over to the Lions in Minnesota territory. On the Vikings' 13-yard line, Hipple threw his third interception. The Vikings settled for a 29-yard field goal by Karlis, which missed wide right. The Lions took their next drive 80 yards in 19 plays capped off by a
Bob Gagliano 1-yard rush. On the succeeding Vikings drive,
D. J. Dozier fumbled the ball on their own 40-yard line, setting the Lions up with prime opportunity to tie the game. Three consecutive sacks, including on fourth down where Hipple fumbled to seal the Lions 17–24 loss . The Lions converted three third downs on a drive that ended with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Peete to Robert Clark, tying it at 10 apiece. After forcing a Tampa Bay three-and-out, the Lions immediately fumbled it on their own 30-yard line, setting up an Igwebuike 34-yard field goal to set the Buccaneers up 13–10. The teams traded punts before the Lions again fumbled, this time at the Buccaneers' 13-yard line. The Buccaneers, starting at their own 4, converted five first downs to convert an Igwebuike field goal from 33-yards out, bringing them to 16–10 with 1:45 left to play in the game. The Lions, with potentially their last opportunity to score, began at their own 24-yard line. The Lions went 64 yards in 3 plays to end up at the Buccaneers 9-yard line. On fourth down with 29 seconds left in the game, Peete took the ball and ran it into the endzone for the touchdown. The Murray extra point put the Lions up 17–16. The Buccaneers had a chance to attempt to win, but two Ferguson incompletions sealed the game for the Lions in their first win of the season. The Vikings punted to start the second half. They got the ball back when Peete was intercepted. The Vikings capitalized with an
Alfred Anderson touchdown to bring their lead to 20–0. Both teams punted three times. The Lions got on the board when, on fourth down, Peete ran into the end zone for the touchdown to close the lead to 7–20. The onside kick failed, but the Vikings fumbled it over to the Lions on their ensuing drive. With more than four minutes to go in the game, the Lions attempted a comeback, moving into Vikings territory. On 4th and 14, Peete attempted to pass but dropped the ball, being recovered by the Vikings. The Vikings ran out the rest of the clock to set in stone their 20–7 win. Beginning the second half with the ball, the Packers kicked a 21-yard field goal to put them up 13–10. The Lions were forced to a three-and-out and punted. A Majkowski intercepted was negated by a Lions' holding penalty. The Packers would then take the lead on a
Sterling Sharpe 2-yard touchdown to put the Packers up 2 scores with a 20–10 lead. Both teams punted before the Lions kicked a 46-yard field goal to inch closer at 13–20. Both teams punted again before Majowski threw an interception. With the Lions looking to tie the game, Peete scrambled to the endzone to tie the game at 20–20. The Lions defense forced the Packers to punt. The Lions looked poised to score when Peete fumbled the ball, being recovered at the Packers 45-yard line to turn the ball over with 44 seconds to play in the game. The Packers took their drive into field goal range when Jacke missed the 50-yard field goal wide right as time expired to bring up overtime. On the first play of the second half, Rozier took a handoff and fumbled it on the Houston 23 which was picked up by the Lions at the Houston 20 and brought into the endzone by
William White to extend the Lions lead to 24–14. The Oilers responded with a Moon pass to
Ernest Givins in the back of the end zone to pull the Oilers within 3 at 21–24. The Lions punted on their next drive. Moon connected with Hill again for the go-ahead touchdown to put Houston up 28–24. After a Lions punt, Moon threw an interception on the first play of their new drive, giving the Lions the ball at their own 37. But the Lions would give the ball right back after a pass from Peete to Clark was caught but
Steve Brown jarred the football loose. Houston then went on a long drive that took up 10 minutes of the fourth quarter, capping it off in the end zone with a Moon rushing touchdown on 4th and goal to extend their lead to 35–24. Down 11, Sanders took a 14-yard run for a touchdown to bring the Lions closer at 31–35. The Lions failed to convert the onside kick and the Oilers got the ball at the Lions 28. A Moon completed pass was fumbled and turned over to the Lions. With new hope and 1:16 left to play, the Lions began a potential game-winning drive. On 3rd and 7, Peete attempted to find Clark, but the pass was broken up by
Patrick Allen with
Tracey Eaton nabbing the game-losing interception to seal it for the Lions 31–35. After two punts to start the first half, the Packers took a scoring drive 50 yards to complete with a Majkowski pass to
Michael Haddix for the 6-yard touchdown to bring the score to 24–10. On the next Lions possession, Peete overthrew Johnson on a pass that was intercepted and brought to their own 34. The Packers offense took 5 plays to reach the end zone on a
Vince Workman 1-yard rush to bring the Packers within 7 at 17–24. The Lions defense held the Packers to a punt on their next drive. On the punt return, Stanley ran 30 yards across midfield, but fumbled at the Packers 29-yard line, being recovered by the Packers. The Packers took the ball 40 yards in nine plays, settling for a Jacke 40-yard field goal to keep the score close at 20–24. The Lions punted on their next drive but immediately got the ball back when Haddix fumbled the ball, being recovered by the Lions to the Packers 41-yard line. The Lions took their drive to the endzone on a Sanders lateral from Peete for the 1-yard touchdown. The Packers began their next drive, converting three third downs in their own territory, setting up a game-deciding 4th and 5 with a little over 2 minutes remaining. Majkowski found Query in the end zone that went through his hands, sealing the game after Peete ran out of the back of the endzone to run the clock out to bring up a final score of 31–22. The Bengals received the ball to open the second half and made it into Lions territory before fumbling on the Lions 17-yard line. The Lions were held to another three-and-out, and punted. The Bengals moved quickly down the field and scored when Esiason found
Mike Martin in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. The Lions punted before Cincinnati turned the ball over on down on the Lions 37-yard line. The Lions fumbled in Cincinnati territory. Cincinnati scored on a 41-yard pass from rookie
Erik Wilhelm to rookie
Kendal Smith put the final score at 42–7. Beginning the second half with three punts, the Lions scored with a 35-yard field goal to take the lead 13–10. The Browns fumbled the ball to the Lions, but they went three-and-out and punted. The Browns opted for the
Matt Bahr 44-yard field goal, but Bahr missed wide right to keep the score at 13–10. The Lions went three-and-out again before the next Browns drive ended on a turnover on downs. With 10 seconds remaining, Kosar's
hail mary was intercepted by Jerry Holmes, sealing the 13–10 win for the Lions. Both teams punted twice to start the second half. The Lions began their third drive of the second half on their own 15-yard line. Bob Gagliano,
substituting for an injured Peete, found Richard Johnson for the 75-yard touchdown pass to put the Lions up 21–14. Both teams punted before the Saints found themselves inside Lions territory moving into the fourth quarter. But Hebert was intercepted by Jerry Holmes for a Lions touchback. Both teams punted twice, including a Saints punt with 4:11 left. The Lions were successfully able to run out the clock to secure the 21–14 win. The Lions forced a three-and-out to make the Bears punt. The Lions then took the ball 72 yards across 11 plays, capped off by a Sanders 3-yard rushing touchdown. The Bears crossed midfield on their next drive but were forced to punt. The Lions were forced to a three-and-out and punted. On the punt return, Bears returner
Dennis McKinnon fumbled it, turning it over to the Lions on the Bears' 30-yard line. With a drive crossing into the fourth quarter, the Lions settled for a field goal on the Bears 10-yard line which Murray made to give the Lions their 27–10 lead. After a Harbaugh interception, the Lions were forced to a three-and-out. On the punt, Jim Arnold punted the ball into the back of a Lions player which traveled 10 yards backwards out of bounds, giving the Bears good field position. They scored with a
Neal Anderson 1-yard touchdown run to put the Lions lead at 27–10. The Lions punted on three-and-out, and the Bears took their drive into the two-minute warning. The Bears attempted to bring the game within a touchdown lead, but Butler missed the 37-yard field goal, solidifying the 27–17 win for the Lions. The Lions held the Buccaneers to a three-and-out to start the second half. On the Lions next drive, they took 10 plays to end up at the Buccaneers 25-yard line, where Murray kicked a 43-yard field goal. The Buccaneers' next drive took them across midfield and to the Lions 24-yard line before Ferguson was intercepted. Gagliano threw a batted pass that was intercepted at the Bucs 28-yard line. Both teams punted thrice as the game moved into the fourth quarter. Another Ferguson interception set the Lions up at their own 25. Chuck Long came into the game to replace Gagliano due to the
blowout. Long led the Lions across midfield with Murray kicking a 35-yard field goal. A third Ferguson interception set the Lions up at the Bucs 30. Murray kicked his third field goal 36-yards with 0:20 left in the game. The Bucs got the ball with 0:12 left in the game. On the first play, Ferguson found
Mark Carrier for a 69-yard touchdown with time expiring, denying the Lions their first
shutout since Week 7 in
1987 and finalizing the score at 33–7. On the opening drive of the second half, the Lions settled for a 39-yard field goal to put the Lions up 17–10. After a Falcons punt, Johnson fumbled on a pass on the first play of the drive. The Falcons punted again as Sanders rushed for a 17-yard touchdown, putting the Lions lead at 24–10. Two punts and a Miller interception later, the Lions scored again on a Sanders rushing touchdown, this time from 18 yards out to take the 31–10 lead. The Falcons failed to score in Lions territory with a turnover on downs. After the Lions went three-and-out, Miller passed six straight times before the Falcons scored on a
Keith Jones 1-yard rushing touchdown. The Falcons
kicked onside with 4:37 left in the game. The ball was recovered by Falcons corner
Robert Moore. On their next drive, they scored on a Miller 6-yard pass to
Michael Haynes with 0:51 left in the game. The Falcons attempted another onside kick, but failed. The Lions ran the clock out to win 31–24 and clinch their 7–9 record.
Standings ==See also==