After six games, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has guided the team to a respectable 4-2 record, including a 1-1 mark in the NFC North. Facing a rugged early schedule against opponents like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, this start has been acceptable to many fans.
Foremost, Morton orchestrated a dominant 52-point outburst against the Chicago Bears, led by his predecessor, Ben Johnson in the home opener, rebounding strongly from a disappointing Week 1 loss.
Last season under Johnson, the Lions ranked second in total offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game, trailing only the Ravens' league-leading 424.9. Through six games this year, Morton's unit averages 353.7 yards per game, ranking 11th in the NFL. However, the gap to first place is narrower: The Dallas Cowboys lead at 387.5 yards per game, a difference of just 34 yards. By comparison, last year's spread from first to 11th was about 66 yards.
The passing game has dipped slightly, averaging roughly 38 fewer yards per game than last season, placing Detroit 14th in passing yards. The run game is down by about 18 yards per contest — not alarming given the circumstances.
What stands out is scoring: The Lions rank second in the NFL at 31.8 points per game, close to last year's league-best 33.2. This production was anticipated, as Johnson left big shoes to fill after establishing himself as a top coordinator.
A year ago through six games, Detroit was 5-1 en route to just two regular-season losses overall, a tough benchmark to match.
Quarterback Jared Goff has thrived under Morton, posting a career-high 120.6 passer rating, up nearly 9 points from last season's 111.7 full-year mark. Through six games last year, Goff had 10 touchdown passes and four interceptions; this year, he has 14 touchdowns and just two picks. He threw five touchdowns in a single game just once all of last season but matched that feat in Week 2 this year.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is outperforming his early 2024 pace. Last year through six games: 401 yards and four touchdowns on 35 receptions. This season: 456 yards, six touchdowns and 40 receptions.
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs' production has dipped modestly, from 5.6 yards per carry last season to 4.5 this year, still a strong mark. In the first six games last year, he had 81 carries for 466 yards and six touchdowns; this year, 87 carries for 390 yards and five scores. This shouldn't fall on Morton, as the Lions lost two starting offensive linemen, including All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, making a slight regression expected.
Speedster Jameson Williams remains boom-or-bust, with stats mirroring last year: one game over 100 yards, but limited deep-ball connections amid Goff's chemistry with St. Brown.
Overall, Morton has done a solid job stabilizing the offense post-Week 1. Up next: a Monday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who allow the ninth-most points per game (25.2). With Detroit's depleted secondary and Tampa Bay's defensive vulnerabilities, expect a high-scoring affair. The Lions should secure a bounce-back prime-time win, resembling the explosive unit fans expect.