2026
Week 13 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Mercedes-Benz Stadium
vs
Falcons offensevsLions defense
Season numbers through Week 8: 8 games for Falcons, 7 for Lions. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.
Red zone touchdowns
Falcons score a touchdown on 64% of red zone trips (14th). Lions allow 74% (28th).
Deep right is open
Lions are worst against deep right throws, allowing +1.32 EPA per attempt. Falcons send 7% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.
Checkdowns go nowhere
Lions give up 23 yards a game to running backs (8th), against a league average of 32. Falcons' running backs produce 30 (19th).
EPA per play
Call this one even. Falcons average -0.10 EPA per play (29th). Lions allow +0.11 (30th). League average is +0.00.
Players to watch
Lions
Jared GoffQB · 168/248 · 1964 yds · 15 TD · 1 INTEPA per dropback +0.27 · 6th
Jahmyr GibbsRB · 157 car · 773 yds · 10 TD · 34 recEPA per touch -0.01 · 22nd
Amon-Ra St. BrownWR · 53 rec · 571 yds · 5 TD · 76 tgtEPA per target +0.31
Sam LaPortaTE · 31 rec · 367 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgtEPA per target +0.74 · 2ndAidan HutchinsonLeft Defensive End · 20 tackles · 5 sacks · 1 PD5 sacks · T-12th in the NFLDerrick BarnesWeakside Linebacker · 34 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 INT · 2 PD3 sacks
Falcons
Michael Penix Jr.QB · 104/168 · 1282 yds · 9 TD · 5 INTEPA per dropback +0.02 · 21st
Bijan RobinsonRB · 150 car · 780 yds · 5 TD · 25 recEPA per touch -0.07
Drake LondonWR · 39 rec · 624 yds · 1 TD · 62 tgtEPA per target +0.40
Kyle PittsTE · 22 rec · 197 yds · 4 TD · 32 tgtEPA per target +0.06Kendal DanielsLeft Inside Linebacker · 52 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 2 PD1 INTC.J. HendersonRight Cornerback · 39 tackles · 8 PD8 passes defended · T-7th in the NFLThe Falcons lead the series 7–6 since 1999 (they first met in 2000). Sep 24, 2023, at Ford Field: the Lions won 20–6. Jared Goff started at quarterback for the Lions and Desmond Ridder for the Falcons; Dan Campbell and Arthur Smith coached.
The last 5
| 2023 · Wk 3 | ATL 6 at DET 20 |
| 2021 · Wk 16 | DET 16 at ATL 20 |
| 2020 · Wk 7 | DET 23 at ATL 22 |
| 2017 · Wk 3 | ATL 30 at DET 26 |
| 2014 · Wk 8 | DET 22 at ATL 21 |
2026 records
| Lions | Falcons | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5–2 | 3–5 |
| Division | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Conference | 4–1 | 3–3 |
| Other conference | 1–1 | 0–2 |
| Home | 4–0 | 1–3 |
| Away | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Last 5 | WLWWW | WLLWL |
| Streak | Won 3 | Lost 1 |
| Points a game | 29.0 – 25.7 | 21.4 – 23.6 |
Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Lions' side. Records are this regular season.
Falcons offense · 3WR 1TE
- QBMichael Penix Jr.#9 · 104/168 · 1282 yds · 9 TD · 5 INT
- RBBijan Robinson#7 · 150 car · 780 yds · 5 TD · 25 rec
- WRDrake London#5 · 39 rec · 624 yds · 1 TD · 62 tgt
- WRJahan Dotson#4 · 14 rec · 337 yds · 2 TD · 30 tgt
- WROlamide Zaccheaus#14 · 5 rec · 21 yds · 0 TD · 13 tgt
- TEKyle Pitts Sr.#8 · 22 rec · 197 yds · 4 TD · 32 tgt
- LTJake Matthews#70
- LGMatthew Bergeron#65
- CRyan Neuzil#64
- RGChris Lindstrom#63
- RTJawaan Taylor#71
Lions defense · Base 4-3 D
- RDETyler Lacy#93 · 6 tackles
- RDTTyleik Williams#91 · 16 tackles
- LDTAlim McNeill#54 · 14 tackles · 4.5 sacks · 1 PD
- LDEAidan Hutchinson#97 · 20 tackles · 5 sacks · 1 PD
- WLBDerrick Barnes#55 · 34 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 INT · 2 PD
- MLBJack Campbell#46 · 58 tackles
- SLBMalcolm Rodriguez#44 · 18 tackles · 0.5 sacks
- RCBEnnis Rakestraw Jr.#2 · 10 tackles · 2 PD
- LCBD.J. Reed#4 · 41 tackles · 1 INT · 7 PD
- NBRoger McCreary#21 · 26 tackles · 1 sack · 7 PD
- SSBrian Branch#32 · 7 tackles · 1 INT · 1 PD
- FSChuck Clark#36 · 43 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 2 PD
Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.
| Stat | ATL off | Favors ATL · Favors DET | DET def allows | NFL avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||
| EPA per play | -0.10#29 | +0.11#30 | +0.00 | |
| Success rate | 43%#15 | 45%#25 | 44% | |
| Yards per play | 5.6#13 | 5.6#21 | 5.4 | |
| Explosive play rate | 9%#17 | 11%#30 | 9% | |
| Passing | ||||
| Pass EPA per dropback | -0.18#29 | +0.18#29 | +0.03 | |
| Sack rate | 7%#18 | 8%#7 | 7% | |
| Running | ||||
| Run EPA per carry | -0.02#9 | -0.09#12 | -0.08 | |
| Yards per carry | 4.7#5 | 3.9#16 | 4.1 | |
| Money downs | ||||
| 3rd down conversion | 35%#29 | 46%#27 | 41% | |
| Red zone TD rate | 64%#14 | 74%#28 | 61% | |
| Targets by position | ||||
| WR yards per game | 133#21 | 177#27 | 147 | |
| TE yards per game | 37#26 | 98#32 | 55 | |
| TE targets per game | 6.5#25 | 11.4#32 | 7.6 | |
| RB receiving yards per game | 30#19 | 23#8 | 32 | |
Falcons: EPA per throw
Lions: EPA allowed per throw
Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.