Matthew Stafford is on some kind of roll right now.
The 10th-year Lions quarterback has now logged a passer rating of 100.0-plus in five straight games. It's the longest streak of Stafford's career, in team history, and is currently the longest active streak in the NFL.
Only one other time in Stafford's career did he log four games in a row with a passer rating north of 100.0. That was in 2011.
"I think he's done a good job in his preparation every single week," Lions head coach Matt Patricia said of Stafford's play over the last five games. "He's just done a great job with his preparation.
"He's doing a good job in-game understanding the game plan and what we're trying to do and being very efficient in what he's doing out there on the field and doing a good job of just leading the offense. Just great overall. We just have to keep it going."
Greg Landry is the only other quarterback in Lions history to record four games of 100.0-plus passer ratings in a row. Landry did that during the 1976 season. Stafford is alone at five in a row.
Stafford is coming off an 18-of-22 passing performance in Miami with 217 yards and two scores. He's thrown just one interception over his last five games. His passer rating over those five contests – 101.7, 101.9, 131.5, 101.9, 138.1.
"He can manage the game, but he's more than just a game manager," left tackle Taylor Decker said of Stafford. "He's got that huge play ability. He's smart intellectually to diagnose the defense where we can check into a different (play). He can do that really, really well."
With a much improved run game at his side – the Lions are currently 11th in the NFL in rushing (122.3 yards per game) – Stafford and the offense have become very dangerous.
Pro Football Focus Week 7 stats:
Top 3 graded players on offense by Pro Football Focus vs. Dolphins (at least 10 snaps):
- QB Matthew Stafford (93.6)
- TE Michael Roberts (91.6)
- RB Kerryon Johnson (83.9)
Bottom 3 graded players on offense by Pro Football Focus vs. Dolphins (at least 10 snaps):
- G Kenny Wiggins (44.9)
- FB Nick Bellore (53.0)
- TE Levine Toilolo (55.0)
Top 3 graded players on defense by Pro Football Focus vs. Dolphins (at least 10 snaps):
- LB Jarrad Davis (91.0)
- DT A'Shawn Robinson (90.8)
- DL Da'Shawn Hand (89.9)
Bottom 3 graded players on defense by Pro Football Focus vs. Dolphins (at least 10 snaps):
- CB Nevin Lawson (44.1)
- LB Christian Jones (52.3)
- S Glover Quin (55.5)
Here are some other statistics, both good and bad, for the Lions after seven weeks of football:
- Through his first six games, Lions running back Kerryon Johnson has totaled 444 rushing yards. The only Lion to produce more rushing yards as a rookie through his first six games was Billy Sims (651) in 1980.
- Johnson is currently the ninth leading rusher in the NFL with those 444 yards.
- Detroit averaged 7.1 yards per rush on 35 carries Sunday. The last time the team averaged 7.0 yards per carry on 35+ attempts was on Nov. 4, 1991. Prior to 1991, the Lions last accomplished the feat in the 1980 season.
- Teams are averaging 5.6 yards per run on first down against the Lions. That's the highest in the NFL, with the league average being 4.3 yards per attempt.
- The Lions have lost just one fumble all season. Denver is the only team in the league this year that hasn't lost a fumble.
- Matt Prater is 13-for-16 kicking field goals this season and 16-for-16 on extra points. Prater's .813 field goal percentage is currently the eighth best in the NFL.
- The Lions have had just 65 offensive possessions in six games. Only Carolina (64) and Washington (63) have had fewer. The league average is 77.
