Notes: Detroit Lions offense leads NFL in explosive plays

The Detroit Lions are leading the pack in making big plays on the field two weeks into the 2022 season.

Marcus Mosher created a chart of which teams have produced the most “big plays” through Week 2. They come in two categories. The Lions have rushed for more than 10 yards on 11 plays and Jared Goff has completed eight passes of 20 or more yards for a total of 19 big plays.

Our NFC North rival the Green Bay Packers came in second with 18 big plays, tied with both the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles, who defeated the Lions in Week 1. At the very bottom are Russell Wilson-less Seattle Seahawks.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s work to revamp the Lions offense has caught a few eyes, including Brian Baldinger.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando recently wrote that when he asked NFL executives to rank NFC teams entering 2022, the Lions jumped to the No. 12 spot from the very bottom and 36-year-old Johnson was a major reason. In fact, one executive called him a “sneaky guy to watch — sharp young coach.” But when Johnson himself was asked Thursday if what the offense has shown so far in 2022 has exceeded his expectations, he was pretty blunt: “Not really.”

“If anything, the first two weeks have shown us how far we have left to go. I don’t think anybody right now in that room is necessarily happy or pleased with what we’ve put on tape so far. There’s certainly been some encouraging things but we’re not hitting our stride. We’re not clicking on all cylinders,” he said.

The Lions scored the second-highest number of points through Week 2, averaging 35.5 points per game. But apparently, that’s just the beginning. Sounds good to me.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• The Lions send their love to a sick fan.

• How does one begin to stop Justin Jefferson? Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye enlisted the help of an old friend, Darius Slay. The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett has that story.

• All-Pro defensive end Cam Jordan breaks down the best sacks from Week 2 for The 33rd Team. You’ll of course see a familiar face in the video.

• Should you believe in the Detroit Lions? The Michigan State Spartans? The Michigan Wolverines? The Detroit Free Press’ Jeff Seidel explains why he thinks all three teams will win this weekend. ($)

• Pfffft. Not enough players showed off their moves on the spot.