Detroit Lions 2026 First Quarter Grades: Offense

The Detroit Lions have had plenty of success offensively early in the 2026 season.

Through five games, the Lions rank sixth in yards per game (393.8) and tied-for-first in points (32.8) under first-year coordinator Drew Petzing. While they've had to deal with some slow starts, the group has proven to be just as explosive as in years past.

Moving forward, putting forth more consistency in this area will be key to the team reaching its goals of contending for another division title.

Here are grades for each Lions offensive position group for their performance in the first five games of the 2026 season.

Quarterback: A-

Through five games, Jared Goff has been playing at a very high level. He remains without a turnover, and became the second quarterback ever to have at least 12 touchdown passes and zero interceptions through five games.

While Goff hasn't had many explosive throws, he's done exactly what he's done best in Detroit. He pilots the offense efficiently, and has distributed the ball amongst his plethora of playmakers across the board.

The veteran has had some issues with sacks, as he's been sacked 11 times through five games. Some of this deals with his overall lack of mobility, which has been a drawback throughout his career.

Still, Goff remains one of the top performing passers in the league through the first quarter of the season and could be in line for another big year.

Running backs: B+

Jahmyr Gibbs has been electric for the better part of his first season as the team's true bell-cow running back. He has two games of over 150 rushing yards, including last week against the Cardinals, and just passed Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns by a player under 25 years old.

Gibbs also has 27 receptions already, which puts him on pace for a career-high in that category. He has proven to be a reliable option in the short game, which allows the offense to continue to stay ahead of the chains.

With Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve, the second running back role has belonged exclusively to Sione Vaki. Though it hasn't resulted in many opportunities, as he's carried the ball 15 times for 51 yards, it's the closest to an extended look that Vaki has gotten in three NFL seasons.

Pass protection also remains an area of concern, as the two backs have been inconsistent in this area. However, both appear to be improving and capable of handling the workload that comes with the position.

Wide receivers: B

Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the NFL in targets through five weeks with 57, and is tied-for-fourth in receptions with 37. The USC product has been consistently utilized heavily throughout his time in Detroit, and the start of the season has been no different.

It was a quiet start to the season for Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa, but both have put together strong games in recent weeks. Williams scored his first two touchdowns of the season last week, and had his first 100-yard game of the season the week.

TeSlaa, meanwhile, had just two catches in the first two weeks before delivering some big moments in weeks 3 and 4. He didn't have a catch last week, but adds another threat in the passing game.

One area of concern that the team has is their depth, as Tom Kennedy is expected to be out for the season with an MCL injury. Tay Martin is the only other option on the active roster, so Detroit could look to the practice squad for more depth moving forward.

Tight ends: B+

Sam LaPorta has had a strong start to the season with 27 catches and three touchdowns. There's been some lingering drama off the field regarding his contract, but on the field he appears to be in top form.

LaPorta has anchored the run game with his blocking ability as well, performing well in this aspect of the game as well.

However, the backup option hasn't been as good as Brock Wright has struggled up to this point. The third spot has been revolving, as Tyler Conklin has been active in the role for three games while Jackson Meeks has been active for two.

Offensive line: B

The Lions' new-look offensive line has yielded some good returns. The biggest piece has been rookie Blake Miller, who has started four games and allowed nine total pressures in that span. While he has taken some lumps, returns have been overall encouraging regarding his performance up to this point.

Penei Sewell has been advertised amidst his change from right to left tackle. Meanwhile, they've gotten good performances from their interior line with guards Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge and center Juice Scruggs.

Change could be coming to the group, as Cade Mays is set to return in the near future from a training camp wrist injury. It remains to be seen what fallout that will have on the group, as Scruggs could slide over to left guard but it won't be easy for the team to move away from Mahogany.

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