Quarterback Jared Goff was sacked a season-high five times and hit 11 times as the Vikings were credited with 26 total pressures in Sunday's contest. Detroit rushed for just 65 yards and were tackled behind the line of scrimmage 10 times.

Goff's been sacked 18 times in eight games and is on pace to be sacked the most times in his career.

"You don't want to have that," Goff said this week of the sacks. "You want to limit that as much as you can, and I think the last two weeks are not indicative of who we are. I'll try to get rid of the ball a little bit faster, that'll help those guys. And I know they want to play better, too."

Playing better upfront has certainly been a point of emphasis this week.

"Sunday wasn't up to our standard at all," All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell said. "One of our worst performances and we just have to be better in terms of throughout the week communications-wise and game-plan-wise and we have to come together at the end of the day and be on the same page."

Detroit's a little banged up along their offensive line with starting left guard Christian Mahogany going on injured reserve Wednesday. Taylor Decker (shoulder) and Sewell (shoulder) missed practice Wednesday, though both were back Thursday.

The players in the offensive line room are eager to correct the mistakes and get another shot Sunday in Washington at playing their brand of football.

"When things aren't going your way, there's always a level of frustration," Sewell said. "We just have to stay clearheaded and know there's a task at hand. There's always that next play. If you're close-minded and you start just overwhelming yourself with all those things that just happened, you're going to miss the next one.

"It's up to us to come in after the game and fix those things so when the opportunity presents itself, we're going to be better."

Lions offensive coordinator John Morton was asked Thursday what his biggest concern has been, and he talked about some of the protection issues that have popped up throughout the year.

"The protection and all of that," he said. "That's the biggest thing. I can draw up all of these plays we wanted. If you don't protect and have sound protection so the quarterback can throw the ball, it doesn't matter. So, that's the biggest thing. And listen, this is fixable, that's the beauty of it. This is all fixable and we've addressed it."

PASS GAME ANALOGY

Lions pass game coordinator David Shaw grew up a basketball fan and more specifically a Los Angeles Lakers and Magic Johnson fan.

Shaw made a good basketball analogy this week when talking about this offense and the passing game at this point in the season. Shaw compared the Lions' offense to an NBA team that can hit threes, make layups, but their mid-range game is just not good enough.

"The frustrating part is we are explosive but inefficient," Shaw said. "Too many negatives, too many dropped passes, too many little mistakes, too many 2nd & 10, too many 3rd & 9 for us to be the team we're capable of."

When the Lions block it up right and are fundamentally sound, they are fun to watch, particularly in the pass game.

"When I think of us on offense, that's what I think about," Shaw said of the 80s showtime Lakers. "We can be running down and dishing and who knows who's going to get the dunk and who knows who's going to spot up and hit the three. Now it's just for us to do the little things."

DT DUO

Detroit will have a new left guard in the lineup this week with Mahogany out.

That's likely to be Kayode Awosika joining center Graham Glasgow and right guard Tate Ratledge. That trio will have their work cut out for them with a really good defensive tackle duo in Washington comprised of veterans Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne, who have combined for 32 pressures this season from the interior of Washington's defensive front.

EXTRA POINT

• The NFC North is the first division to have all teams be .500 or better through the first nine weeks in back-to-back seasons since 1970.