DETROIT LIONS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME WEEK 6: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 The following are post-game notes from the Detroit Lions 52-38 loss against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, October 15, 2017. POST-GAME NOTES CB JAMAL AGNEW In the third quarter at New Orleans, rookie CB Jamal Agnew returned a Saints punt 74 yards for a touchdown, his second of the season. He joined Hall of Fame CB Jack Christiansen (4 in 1951) as the only rookies in Lions history to return 2+ punts for touchdowns. Agnew became the fifth Lions player ever to record 2+ punt return touchdowns in a season, joining Christiansen (4 in 1951, 2 in 1952), Tom Watkins (2 in 1964), WR Eddie Drummond (2 in 2004) and WR Andre Roberts (2 in 2016). With punt return touchdowns of 88 yards (at NYG 9/18) and 74 yards this season, Agnew joins Christiansen (1951) as the only players in team history with two 70+-yard punt return touchdowns in a single season. Lions Leaders, Single-Season Punt Return Touchdowns Rk Player PR Yds Avg TD Year 1 Jack Christiansen 18 343 19.1 4 1951 2t Jack Christiansen 15 322 21.5 2 1952 2t Tom Watkins 16 238 14.9 2 1964 2t Eddie Drummond 24 316 13.2 2 2004 2t Andre Roberts 20 246 12.3 2 2016 2t Jamal Agnew 11 261 23.7 2 2017 Agnew also registered a 26-yard return against the Saints and accumulated 106 punt return yards on 4 returns, averaging 26.5 yards per return. His 106 punt return yards are the ninth-best single-game total by a Lions returner since 1948. Punt Return Yards, Game (Since 1948) Rk Player Yds Opp Date 1 Eddie Drummond 199 at Jax 11/14/04 2 Tom Watkins 184 SF 10/6/63 3 Jack Christiansen 175 GB 11/22/51 4 Robbie Martin 140 Pit 11/24/83 5 Jack Christiansen 126 LaRm 10/14/51 6 Desmond Howard 119 at NO 9/3/00 7 Pat Studstill 113 at LRm 11/4/62 8 Pete Mandley 109 Atl 12/21/86 9 Jamal Agnew 106 at NO 10/15/17 TEAM PUNT RETURNS TOUCHDOWNS With two punt return touchdowns this season (88 and 74 yards) along with two in 2016, the Lions have now registered 2+ punt returns in back-to-back seasons for the first time since accomplishing this in three-straight seasons from 2002-04. Lions Leaders, Single-Season Punt Returns Touchdowns Rk Year TD 1 1951 4 2 1952 3 3t 1945 2 3t 1949 2
3t 1954 2 3t 1964 2 3t 2002 2 3t 2003 2 3t 2004 2 3t 2016 2 3t 2017 2 DT A SHAWN ROBINSON DT A Shawn Robinson scored his first career touchdowns and narrowed the Lions deficit to 45-38 in the fourth quarter when he intercepted a pass and ran it back for a 2-yard touchdown. Additionally, he set career single-game highs in tackles (7) and pass defenses (2). Robinson is the first Lions defensive lineman to record a Pick-6 since DE Cliff Avril vs. San Diego December 24, 2011. Robinson recorded the Lions first interception return touchdown by a defensive tackle since Shaun Rogers vs. Denver November 4, 2007. With two pass defenses against the Saints, Robinson now has 10 pass defenses in the first two seasons of his career. Since 2000, Robinson is tied for 10th among defensive linemen for the most pass defenses in a player s first two seasons. Robinson joined DT John Henderson (12) as the only defensive tackles to knock down 10+ passes in their first two seasons since 2000. NFL Leaders, Pass Defenses by Defensive Linemen in 1 st 2 Seasons (Since 2000) Rk Player Pos PD Years 1 J.J. Watt DE 20 2011-12 2t John Henderson DT 13 2002-03 2t Jason Pierre-Paul DE 13 2010-11 4t Greg Hardy DE 12 2010-11 4t Courtney Brown DE 12 2000-02 4t Fred Wakefield DE 12 2001-02 7t Charles Grant DE 11 2002-03 7t Darren Howard DE 11 2000-01 7t Corey Liuget DE 11 2011-12 10t A'Shawn Robinson DT 10 2017-10t Anthony Weaver DE 10 2002-03 TEAM INTERCEPTION RETURN TOUCHDOWNS The 2-yard interception return touchdown by DT A Shawn Robinson accounted for the Lions third pick-six of 2017 through six games. This is the fourth time since 1940 that the Lions have registered 3+ interception return touchdowns through the first six games of the season and the first since 1970 (3). They also recorded 4 in 1967 and 3 in 1950 through the first six games of those respective seasons. The last time the Lions had 3+ interception return touchdowns in a single season was 2011 (5). Lions Leaders, Interceptions Return Touchdowns in 1 st 6 Games (Since 1940) Rk Year G Int 1 1967 6 4 2t 1950 6 3 2t 1970 6 3 2t 2017 6 3 TEAM RETURN TOUCHDOWNS With the punt return touchdown by CB Jamal Agnew (74 yards) and interception return touchdown by DT A Shawn Robinson (2 yards), the Lions now have five total return touchdowns in 2017 through the first six games. The five return touchdowns by Detroit is the team s most through the first six games of the season since 1971 (5). This season marks just the fourth time since 1940 that the Lions have scored five return touchdowns through the first six games of the season (6 in 1950, 5 in 1954, 5 in 1971). Lions Leaders, Total Return Touchdowns in 1 st 6 Games (Since 1940) Rk Year G KR PR Int Fum Other TD 1 1950 6 0 0 3 3 0 6 2t 1971 6 2 0 2 1 0 5 2t 1954 6 1 1 1 2 0 5
2t 2017 6 0 2 3 0 0 5 CB DARIUS SLAY CB Darius Slay recorded his third interception of the season when he picked off the Saints in the second half. Slay now has registered a new single-season career high in interception (3). It was also the first interception thr0wn by Saints QB Drew Brees through the first six games of the season. QB MATTHEW STAFFORD With 25 pass completions at New Orleans, Stafford (2,770) set a new NFL record for the most career pass completions by a player under the age of 30 by surpassing the previous best set by QB Peyton Manning, who completed 2,769 passes before turning 30 years old. Stafford will turn 30 following the 2017 season (2/7/18). (Credit: Elias Sports Bureau) NFL Leaders, Completions - Under Age 30* Rk Player Cmp 1 M.Stafford 2770 2 P.Manning 2769 3 D.Bledsoe 2544 4 D.Marino 2511 5 M.Ryan 2508 Stafford threw for 312 passing yards at New Orleans and passed QB Eli Manning (31,527) for the FIFTH-most passing yards in a player s first nine NFL seasons. Stafford now has 31,731 passing yards in his first nine seasons. NFL Leaders, Passing Yards - First 9 Seasons Rk Player G Yds Years 1 M.Ryan 142 37701 2008-16 2 P.Manning 144 37586 1998-06 3 D.Marino 135 35386 1983-91 4 J.Flacco 138 32639 2008-16 5 M.Stafford 115 31731 2009- His 312-yard outing was Stafford s 35th career 300-yard game as he tied QB Warren Moon (35) for the SEVENTH-most 300-yard passing games by a quarterback in his first nine seasons. NFL Leaders, 300-Yard Games - First 9 Seasons Rk Player G Years 1t D.Marino 41 1983-91 1t M.Ryan 41 2008-14 3t P.Manning 40 1998-06 3t T.Romo 40 2004-12 5t D.Brees 37 2001-09 5t K.Warner 37 1998-06 7t W.Moon 35 1984-92 7t M.Stafford 35 2009- With three touchdown passes against the Saints, Stafford has now thrown 199 career touchdown passes in nine NFL seasons. Stafford moved past QB Tom Brady (197) for the eighth-most touchdown passes during a player s first nine seasons in NFL history. NFL Leaders, Passing Touchdowns - First 9 Seasons Rk Player G TD Years 1 P.Manning 144 275 1998-06 2 D.Marino 135 266 1983-91 3 M.Ryan 142 240 2008-16 4 B.Favre 129 235 1991-99 5 E.Manning 137 211 2004-12 6 D.Brees 123 202 2001-09 7 J.Kelly 132 201 1986-94 8 M.Stafford 115 199 2009- Stafford s career totals now include 29 games with 3+ touchdown passes, which ties QB Drew Brees (2001-09) and QB Eli Manning (2004-12) for the SEVENTH-MOST career games with 3+ touchdown passes in a player s first nine NFL seasons.
NFL Leaders, 3+ TD Games - First 9 Seasons Rk Player G Years 1 D.Marino 46 1983-91 2 P.Manning 42 1998-2006 3t B.Favre 35 1991-99 3t A.Rodgers 35 2005-13 5t T.Brady 31 2000-08 5t M.Ryan 31 2008-16 7t D.Brees 29 2001-09 7t E.Manning 29 2004-12 7t M.Stafford 29 2009- RB THEO RIDDICK With 5 receptions at New Orleans, Riddick passed Dexter Bussey (193, 1974-84) for fifth on the Lions all-time receptions list amongst running backs. In 60 games, Riddick now has 194 career catches. Lions Leaders, Career Receptions by RBs Rk Player G Rec Seasons 1 B.Sanders 153 352 1989-98 2 J.Jones 85 285 1983-88 3 H.King 123 198 1975-83 4 C.Schlesinger 181 197 1995-2006 5 T.Riddick 60 194 2013- Riddick accumulated 45 receiving yards against the Saints as he also passed RB Horace King for the seventh-most receiving yards by a Lions running back in team history. Lions Leaders, Career Receiving Yds by RBs Rk Player G Yds Years 1 B.Sanders 153 2921 1989-98 2 D.Walker 67 2539 1950-55 3 J.Jones 85 2318 1983-88 4 B.Sims 60 2072 1980-84 5. J.Bell 63 1638 2012-16 6 D.Bussey 150 1616 1974-84 7 T.Riddick 60 1590 2013-17 TE DARREN FELLS TE Darren Fells caught a 22-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter against the Saints. With three touchdowns this season, Fells has now tied his career single-season high that he set in 2015. In each of the past two games, Fells has registered touchdown receptions of 20 yards (vs. Carolina) and 22 yards (at New Orleans). He became the first Lions tight end to record 2+ receiving touchdowns of 20+ yards in a single season since David Sloan had touchdown catches of 74 and 22 yards in 1999. Fells also became the first Lions tight end since David Hill in 1976 to record two 20+-yard touchdowns catches over a two-game span. Hill recorded touchdowns of 24 and 21 in a single game against Buffalo November 25, 1976. In the modern era of the tight end (since 1960), Fells is the fifth Lions tight end to record at least two 20+-yard touchdowns in a single season, joining David Hill (4 in 1976), Hall of Famer Charlie Sanders (2 in 1969), Sloan (2 in 1999) and Jim Gibbons (2 in 1964). Lions Leaders, Single-Season 20+-Yard TD Receptions by Tight Ends (Since 1960) Rk Player TD Year 1 David Hill 4 1976 2t Charlie Sanders 2 1969 2t David Sloan 2 1999 2t Jim Gibbons 2 1964 2t Darren Fells 2 2017
Lions Leaders, Career 20+-Yard TD Receptions by Tight Ends (Since 1960) Rk Player TD 1 Charlie Sanders 5 2 Jim Gibbons 4 3t David Hill 2 3t David Sloan 2 3t Darren Fells 2 P JEFF LOCKE At New Orleans, P Jeff Locke punted 5 times while averaging 48.6 yards per punt and finished with a net punting average of 47.4. Among games in his career with 5+ punts, Locke set new single-game highs in both gross punting (48.6) and net punting average (47.4). Locke s 47.4 net punting average is the fourth highest in a single game since 1991 by a Lions punter with 5+ punts. Lions Leaders, Single-Game Net Punting with 5+ Punts Since 1991 Rk Player Date Opp Pnt Yds Avg Net In20 Lg 1 Sam Martin 9/15/13 Ari 5 261 52.2 50.2 0 58 2 Sam Martin 11/20/16 Jac 6 291 48.5 48.0 3 61 3 Sam Martin 10/13/13 Cle 5 229 45.8 47.8 3 52 4 Jeff Locke 10/15/17 NO 5 243 48.6 47.4 3 49 5 Sam Martin 9/27/15 Den 5 266 53.2 46.6 1 66