The Detroit Lions defended home turf successfully for the second time this season on Sunday, defeating the New York Jets, 31-24, to improve to 2-1 on the season. Detroit now hits the road for back-to-back games in Carolina and Arizona.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he really won't have the full picture of what his team is – their true strengths and weaknesses – until about Week 5, but there are some numbers developing through the first three games that start telling the story about this 2026 Lions football team.
Here's a look at five stats through the first three weeks that jump out to me:
1. Number: 12
What it means: Detroit's sack total through three games
Twentyman: Only the Minnesota Vikings have more sacks on the season than Detroit. None was bigger than safety Chuck Clark’s sack on Geno Smith late in the contest Sunday that forced a fumble that was scooped up by linebacker Jack Campbell, ending New York's comeback bid. It might not be a coincidence that the Vikings (63) and Lions (43) lead the NFL in total number of blitz calls through three games.
Seven different players have registered at least a half sack for Detroit, led by Aidan Hutchinson’s 3.5. For the first time in team history, four different Lions players have recorded at least 2.0 sacks through the first three games of a season – Hutchinson (3.5), DJ Wonnum (2.0), Alim McNeill (2.0) and Derrick Barnes (2.0).
2. Number: 21.1 percent
What it means: Jets quarterback Geno Smith produced a 21.1 completion percentage over expected on Sunday
Twentyman: After a tough game Week 2 for Detroit's back seven in Buffalo that saw free running receivers and communication issues, the Lions were much better in that regard Sunday vs. the Jets.
"You just want to know if you're going to get beat, it's because you're in phase," Campbell said after Sunday's game. "I'm there, guy made a play. And then eventually, we've got to make more plays than they make. But man, I thought we were where we were supposed to be today. And that was one of the things, man, be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there and do it with urgency. And I thought we were there."
Smith made some terrific throws on way to 321 passing yards and three touchdowns, and his pass catchers made a number of tough catches for him as well. Campbell is right. Detroit defenders need to find a way to come up with more of those plays when they are in phase with a chance to make a play on the ball, but it was a step in the right direction Sunday with how much better Detroit's defenders were in phase vs. Weeks 1 & 2.
3. Number: 0
What it means: Number of interceptions thrown by Lions quarterback Jared Goff
Twentyman: There are only three quarterbacks in the league with at least 100 pass attempts on the season with zero interceptions thrown – Goff, Smith and Houston's C.J. Stroud. Of those three, Smith has four touchdown passes, Stroud has three and Goff has eight.
Goff joins Kirk Cousins (2021), Patrick Mahomes (2019), Drew Brees (2018), Tom Brady (2015) and Peyton Manning (2013) as the only quarterbacks in history to throw for 800 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions and a completion percentage of at least 70 through the first three games of a season. He's playing some of the best football of his career.
Detroit's only turned the ball over once on a Jahmyr Gibbs fumble Week 1. The Lions' plus-three turnover differential through three games is tied for the fourth-best in the NFL.
4. Number: 93
What it means: Offensive points scored by Detroit through three games
Twentyman: Detroit's offense is stuck on the 31-point threshold, scoring exactly that amount in all three contests to start the year. The offense is this football team's strength and that's proven to be the case early on in 2026. Only Buffalo (101) and San Francisco (98) have scored more points on the season than Detroit.
The Lions play their next two games on the road in Carolina and Arizona. Carolina (1-2) ranks 27th allowing 27.7 points per game, while Arizona (1-2) is 24th allowing 27.0 points per game through their first three games.
5. Number: 85
What it means: Total first downs allowed by Detroit's defense
Twentyman: To put this number in a bit of perspective, Seattle has allowed the fewest first downs through three weeks with 46. Dallas has allowed the second most behind the Lions with 76.
The Lions currently rank 31st in third-down defense as New Orleans, Buffalo and New York have combined to convert 56.1 percent of the time on down. The NFL average is 40.8 percent. This is an area the Lions' defense can look to continue to improve moving forward.
