Tag: nfl stats

Team-by-team statistical leaders for the 2021 NFL season

Touchdown Wire runs down the final stat leaders for each team from the 2021 NFL season.

The 2021 NFL regular season is in the books.

But before we dive headlong into postseason analysis, it’s worth taking a moment to salute the statistical leaders from the league’s first 17-game schedule.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady took advantage of the extra game to become the oldest player in NFL history to throw for at least 5,000 yards in a season, compiling a career-best 5,316 passing yards to lead the league at age 44.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards, far ahead of Cleveland Browns tailback Nick Chubb, who ranked second with 1,259.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp led the league with 1,947 receiving yards, falling just short of Calvin Johnson’s NFL record of 1,964.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt tied the NFL record with 22½ sacks, equaling Michael Strahan’s mark from 2001, and Atlanta Falcons linebacker Foyesade Oluokun led the NFL with 192 tackles.

Finally, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs led the league with 11 interceptions, tying Everson Walls’ franchise record from 1981.

With all that in mind, Touchdown Wire commemorates the team 2021 season leaders in passing, rushing, receiving, tackling, sacks and interceptions for all 32 franchises below.

Lions finish the 2021 season with the most presnap penalties of any team

The Lions had 47 presnap penalties (offsides, false starts, illegal formation, etc.) in 17 games in 2021

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When Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks back at the 2021 season in Detroit, one of the things that will surely bother him was the volume of presnap penalties committed by his young team. No NFL team was guilty of more presnap penalties than Campbell’s Lions in 2021.

The Lions held a slight lead over the Cleveland Browns entering Week 18, 46 to 45. Each team was guilty of one, with OLB Julian Okwara committing a neutral zone infraction on defense for the Lions, giving the Packers a fourth-down conversion in the process. Detroit’s 47 were 13 more than the 2020 Lions committed, though they did play one extra game in 2021.

For the season, rookie right tackle Penei Sewell led the Lions with five, all of them false starts. Tight end T.J. Hockenson and left tackle Taylor Decker had four false starts apiece.

It was an issue coach Campbell mentioned in postgame press conferences a few times

On the positive front, the Lions were better overall in penalties. Detroit was flagged for 105 total accepted penalties, 18th in the league. Between penalties assessed to the Lions and the opponent, Detroit had a net penalty yardage differential of minus-6, 16th in the league. No team was closer to even on penalty yardage differential than the Lions.

All data is from NFL Penalties.

 

Lions vs. Packers: Everything we know from the Week 18 matchup

Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers: Score, stats, keys to the game, top Lions players and more from Week 18

The Detroit Lions closed out a disappointing 2021 season with a treat for the home fans inside Ford Field. Detroit and Green Bay played a thoroughly entertaining, engaging game in Week 18 that produced several highlight-reel plays for both sides.

In the end, the Lions picked up their third win of the season thanks to creativity, turnovers and strong play from a few key pieces for the 2022 season that should help grow into something bigger and better.

Browns threatening to commit the most presnap penalties in 2021

The Browns have committed the 2nd-most presnap penalties through the first 16 games of the 2021 NFL season

It’s not been a good 2021 season for the Cleveland Browns. Among the many fingers to point at the team’s underachieving 7-9 record entering the Week 18 finale against the AFC North champion Bengals, one deserves to point at the team’s presnap penalty problem.

Going into the final game, the Browns have committed more presnap penalties than all but one other team. Only the two-win Detroit Lions (46) have been guilty of more mental lapses before the snap than the Browns (45). Cleveland has spread out the preventable penalties across the offense (29), defense (13) and special teams (3).

The two biggest culprits are two of the Browns’ best players: defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney. Each has earned five presnap penalties, though three of Garrett’s offside fouls were declined. Left tackle Jedrick Wills and guard Joel Bitonio lead the offense with three false starts apiece, per data from NFL Penalties.

The Browns could seize the dubious title from Detroit. No team has drawn more false start penalties (30) than Cleveland’s Week 18 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, though QB Joe Burrow will not play.

Red zone woes continue for Lions on both sides of the ball

The Lions rank 31st in the red zone on both offense and defense

Looking for an area where the Detroit Lions can improve in their ability to win close games? Try the red zone — on both sides of the ball.

The Lions are 1-6-1 in games decided by one score, and their red zone ineptitude is a major reason why too many of those games have gone in the loss column.

Take the Week 16 loss to Atlanta. Detroit’s offense failed to score a single touchdown in four trips inside the Falcons’ 20-yard line. Atlanta’s offense had just two red zone opportunities but scored touchdowns on both. The Lions lost 20-16. Touchdowns beat field goals.

The Falcons game was a microcosm of the Lions red zone woes all year. Detroit ranks 31st in both red zone offense and defense for the season.

The Lions are spared the offensive cellar by the inept Giants, who have scored just one total touchdown in their last three games. New York sits at 49.6 percent in converting red zone possessions into touchdowns. The Lions are next at 47.5 in a league where the average is 60 percent.

Only the Raiders defense allows a higher percentage (79.5) of touchdowns than Detroit (70.2), and the Lions escape the cellar there because the Raiders defense has allowed TDs on 12 of their last 13 opposing red zone possessions. Aaron Glenn’s defense does deserve some credit for improving, too. During a four-week stretch (Weeks 12-15) the Lions defensive red zone touchdown percentage was 50 percent (9-for-18).

It’s not a coincidence the Lions won two of those games. The one dreadful Detroit game in that stretch — the 38-10 loss to the Broncos — was also the worst red zone game; Denver scored five touchdowns on five red zone possessions while the Lions went one-for-three.

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T.J. Hockenson: Where he ranks among NFL TEs now that his season is over

T.J. Hockenson leads the Lions in receptions, targets, yards and TDs through Week 14

T.J. Hockenson will not play again in 2021. The Detroit Lions tight end is out for the rest of the year after undergoing thumb surgery earlier this week.

It’s a disappointing and premature end to what was an impressive third NFL season from Hockenson. He had risen up to once again being one of the league’s most productive players at his position.

Here’s where Hockenson’s stats rank amongst NFL tight ends through Week 14:

Receptions – 61, 3rd behind Travis Kelce (83) and Mark Andrews (75)

Targets – 84, 5th

Receiving yards – 583, 9th

Touchdowns – 4, tied for 9th

Hockenson is the Lions team leader in all of those categories through Week 14, including RBs and WRs.

PFF receiving grade – 73.6, 10th

PFF run-blocking grade – 45.1, 85th

Drop rating – 90.1, 1st (higher is better) with one drop on 84 targets

The Pro Bowler is expected to be ready for the 2022 offseason workouts.

Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos: Everything we know from Week 14

Breaking down the keys to victory, stats, stars and more from the Lions Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos

The Detroit Lions traveled to Denver in Week 14 without several key pieces of the team. Injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak forced many players much higher on the depth chart than they typically are, including seven players called up from the practice squad.

For a team that already is at a talent disadvantage most weeks, being without nearly half the starting lineup after injuries to CB Jerry Jacobs and LB Alex Anzalone made winning a nearly impossible task. The Lions put up a spirited fight in the first half before the Broncos superior talent and better execution and attention to detail ran away with the victory.

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: Everything we know

Breaking down the keys to victory, stats, stars and more from the Lions 29-27 win over the Vikings

For the first time since Week 13 of the 2020 season, the Detroit Lions have won a game. It took until Week 13 of 2021, but the Lions finally secured the first victory of the Dan Campbell era as the team’s head coach with a 29-27 win thanks to a go-ahead touchdown on the last play of the game.

The thrilling comeback erased what was otherwise a forgettable second half for Detroit. The Lions raced out to a 20-6 halftime lead behind strong play from both QB Jared Goff and the young defense. Minnesota turned the tables in the second half and surged into a late 27-23 lead with under 90 seconds to play, but the Lions triumphantly answered the challenge.

Lions pull off the comeback, score last-second TD to beat the Vikings

Kalif Raymond has the NFL’s longest punt return in 2021

Raymond’s punt return against the Steelers is the longest in the league through Week 12

Believe it or not, a Detroit Lions player tops the NFL through Week 12 in an explosive play category. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond has registered the longest punt return in the league this season.

Raymond returned a punt 48 yards in the Week 10 tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Crazy as it might seem, no other return man has topped that through 12 weeks. Only four total punt returns have gone for at least 40 yards all season, with no touchdowns on any punt return.

Raymond ranks third overall in punt return average for the season. His 12.3 yards per return on 16 return attempts trails only Baltimore’s Devin Duvernay and Gunner Olszewski of the Patriots.

Thanks to Tim Twentyman of the Lions for pointing out the stat!

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game recap: Everything we know

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game recap: Score, stats, keys to the game, standout players and more

The opponent and the length of the kick might have changed, but the familiar script of the Detroit Lions losing on the last play of the game on an opposing field goal played out once again on Thanksgiving. For the third time this season, the Lions lost a game on the last play when the opponent kicked a field goal to seize the lead and the win.

This time it was the Chicago Bears, who prevailed 16-14 on Thursday when Cairo Santos drilled a 28-yard field goal as time expired. The Lions had led 14-13 for the entire fourth quarter but could not get a defensive stop when they needed it the most.