The Lions ranked in the Top 5 in the NFL last season with a drop rate of just 3.9 percent on 437 catchable passes, per STATS INC. That comes out to 17 dropped passes total in 16 games.
After going without a drop Week 1 vs. Indianapolis, Lions pass catchers dropped a whopping seven passes in their 16-15 loss to Tennessee at home last week.
Add those to the 17 penalties for 138 yards the Lions were flagged for, and there's really no blaming anything else but their own mistakes for the loss at home Sunday that dropped their record to 1-1 on the year.
"As receivers, we believe any ball in our area code we need to catch them despite where it is," receiver Golden Tate said Sunday after catching just two of his nine targets.
"I look back and speak for myself and there were some balls that I just should have flat out caught. I should have caught them. One thing we'll address (Monday). One place I know I can be better."
Tate and fellow wide receivers Marvin Jones and Anquan Boldin dropped two passes each. Running back Theo Riddick was also credited with one.
Offenses can get away with a couple drops per ballgame, but seven is way too many
Here's a look at some other key stats – good and bad – after two weeks of football:
- DE Kerry Hyder is tied for the NFC lead and is second in the NFL with three sacks after two games.
- Andrew Luck and Marcus Mariota combined to complete 70 percent of their passes with six touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 112.7 vs. the Lions the first two weeks of the season. Next up is Packers' Aaron Rodgers.
- The Lions lead the NFL with four runs of 20-plus yards this season. Cleveland, Kansas City and San Diego all have three.
- Detroit is averaging 126.5 yards per game on the ground through the first two weeks of the season, good for the ninth best average in the NFL.
- After recording his first interception of the season last week, safety Glover Quin currently leads the NFL in interceptions (15) since 2013 and is tied for the most (12) since 2014.
- Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 128.3 inside the Lions' 30-yard line so far this season. They are completing 75 percent of their passes (15 of 20) for five touchdowns and no interceptions. The Colts and Titans scored a touchdown all five times they got into the Lions red zone this season.
- Detroit is second in the NFL with 231 receiving yards after the catch. Atlanta leads the NFL with 239 yards.
- Receiver Anquan Boldin, who is in his 14th season, caught a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter against Tennessee. It was the 75th receiving touchdown of his career. He has now caught touchdown passes with four different teams, including Arizona (44), Baltimore (14), San Francisco (16) and Detroit (1).
- The Lions lead the NFL with 25 penalties called on them through the first two games. The league average is 13.
- Punter Sam Martin punted five times and landed all five punts inside the Titans' 20-yard line. He is the first Lions punter to record at least five punts in a game inside the 20-yard line since John Jett landed all six of his punts inside the 20-yard line vs. Chicago back in 2000.
- The Lions rank sixth in total offense (411.5 yards per game), but are 26th in total defense (406.5).
