According to DVOA statistics, the Detroit Lions are up to their greatest start to a season since at least 1981.
The Detroit Lions have a 4-1 record this season, their best start since going 5-0 at the start of the 2011 season. The Lions’ current point difference of +41 is the greatest since the 2011 season (+70). According to ESPN, the Lions’ three consecutive victory by double digits are the first since 1997.
All of those statistics are amazing and indicate that this team is for serious. But this one from DVOA inventor Aaron Schatz is the most impressive. According to Schatz, the Lions’ current DVOA of +39.0% is the best start in franchise history dating back to the inception of their database in 1981. And, if you’re familiar with Lions history, you’ll notice that if this is the best start in the franchise’s past 40 years, it’s also the team’s best start in the previous 65 years or so.
Here’s a breakdown from Schatz:
It doesn’t even come close. This Lions club has started far better than any prior Lions team in the past 42 years.
What exactly is DVOA? It stands for Defense-Adjusted Value of Average, and it’s a team success metric based on the outcome of every single play in the context of down, distance, time remaining, current score, and opponent strength. You can learn more about DVOA by clicking here.
In terms of where the Lions stand in relation to the rest of the NFL right now, DVOA ranks them third, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills. Surprisingly, the Lions are a fairly balanced club, ranking fourth in offence and third in defence in the NFL. When those figures are broken down even further, the Lions have practically all of the top-five units:
Even better, according to DVOA, the Lions’ remaining schedule ranks 27th—the sixth-easiest games remaining in the league.
It may be a memorable year, you guys.
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