Tag Archives: lions 2010 stats

Perry Mason’s final analysis of the Lions’ season

Last month I wrote a post comparing the 2010 Detroit Lions to the 2009 and 2008 squads on a statistical basis. Because the 2010 season had not come to a close, that post prorated the then-current 2010 statistics over the full season to provide an apples-to-apples comparison. Now the 2010 season is over, so a “real numbers” apples-to-apples comparison can be made. This is that comparison.

Category 2008 2009 2010
First downs 234 281 304
First downs allowed 350 332 320
First down ratio -116 -51 -16
Third down conversions 29% 49% 40%
Third down conversions allowed 46% 44% 39%
Third down ratio -17% 5% 1%
Total yards 4292 4784 5423
Total yards allowed 6470 6274 5497
Total yards ratio -2718 -1490 -74
Rushing yards 1332 1616 1613
Rushing yards allowed 2754 2025 1999
Rushing yards ratio -1422 -409 -386
Passing yards 2960 3168 3810
Passing yards allowed 3716 4249 3498
Passing yards ratio -756 -1081 312
Completion percentage 55% 54% 61%
Completion percentage against 68% 68% 64%
Completion percentage ratio -13% -14% -3%
Sacks 30 26 44
Sacks allowed 52 43 27
Sacks ratio -22 -23 17
Turnover ratio -9 -18 4

Detroit LionsOf the eight above statistical categories — which I would say are the key stats to winning football games — the 2008 Lions were better than their opponents at none. And they won zero games. The 2009 Lions were better than their opponents at exactly one. And they won two games.

But 2010 was different.

In 2010, the Lions outgunned their opponents in terms of third-down conversions, passing yards, sacks and turnovers. Further, they were just barely edged out by their opponents in terms of first downs (-1 per game), total yards (-4.6 per game), rushing yards (-24.15 per game) and completion percentage (-3% overall). And they won six* games. That is an infinite number more than they won in 2008, and 300 percent more than they won in 2009.

I’ll say it now, and I’ll stand by it next year: The 2011 Detroit Lions are going to be playing in the 2011 post-season.

*I think we all know they actually won seven games, but we will call it six for the Carebears fans who might read this.