What the 2022 Lions did in each PFF grade category
Pro Football Focus has completed the regular season grades 2022 NFL season. The 9-8 campaign grades of the Detroit Lions offer an analysis-based view of how the Lions did.
The PFF grades aren’t always right on point, but they do serve as a generally effective tool for comparisons between players and teams. The team grades are a good way to see where the Lions rank among the 32 league teams.
This is how the Lions were ranked in the PFF primary metrics for the 2022 season.
Overall grade
The overall team grade for the Lions was 81.0. This was 15th. It’s a big climb up from the 2021 season, when the Lions earned a 62.2 overall grade that ranked 29th.
Offense
The Lions offense scored a score of 79.5, which was 8th in league.
Passing offense – 15th
Detroit finished in the middle with 71.7, a passing grade.
Running grade – 17th (tied)
With an 84.2 run grade, the Lions tied the Cincinnati Bengals (17th) The runners are what determine the run score, not the blocking.
Pass blocking – 21st
Pass blocking was the lowest score the Lions have ever received in any offensive metric. It also ranks 21st. This grade includes RBs as well as TEs.
Run blocking – 9th
9th place was occupied by the 68.8 run blocking score. As with the pass blocking, it’s for the entire offense and not just the line.
Overall defense
Detroit was able to finish with a defensive grade total of 60.4. This tied Detroit with the Chargers to finish 28th overall.
Run defense – 24th
Detroit’s run defense finished in 24th with an overall grade of 55.5. This includes runs by quarterbacks. That is where the Lions struggled with run defense in 2022.
Tackling – 11th
Finishing in 11th place in tackling with a score of 62.8 is a huge step forward for Detroit’s defense. The Lions were dead last by a wide margin in 2021 With a horrible 32.7 grade
Pass rush – 15th
Pass rushing was another area in which the Lions saw a huge leap from 2021 to 2022. Detroit’s pass rush finished 28th a year ago. The Lions have had the highest pass rush grade since 2013, with 71.2.
Coverage – 32nd
The Lions defense struggled with coverage all season. This grade includes all defense from cornerbacks to linebackers, and even DEs who are not covered. Detroit’s 48.8 mark improved over 2021 by 13 points, believe it or not.
1st. Special teams
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dave Fipp, special teams coordinator, led the NFL’s best special teams unit. The highest grade, 90.7, was the No. 1 was just ahead of the Commanders and Titans to claim the top spot.