Detroit Lions Report Card after the first six weeks of the season, MVP, biggest disappointment, and more

The Detroit Lions' season is a third of the way done. We've passed the first trimester after Week 3. Now is a perfect time to have a first-trimester report card. We've broken it down in superlatives and by offense and defense. Here's what we got:

Offensive superlatives

MVP: Jared Goff

Goff is playing at an elite level right now. He's completing 75.9% of his passes, which is leading the league, and it's an insane number. He's ninth in passing yards, first in passing touchdowns, second in passer rating, and third in QBR. It's just been an unreal year for him, and if he keeps playing this way, he'll be in the MVP conversation at the end of the year.

Glue guy: Penei Sewell

The Lions have essentially a brand-new offensive line this year, and they've also had a brand-new offensive line every week with Taylor Decker's injuries. They've started three different left tackles. Sewell has been the guy keeping this thing together the entire time. He's allowed five pressures and no sacks his year.

Biggest surprise: Jacob Saylors

I'm cheating just a little bit here since Saylors has mostly played on special teams, but he deserves a shoutout for going from a guy who was fighting for a practice squad to a guy who just came in to fill a roster spot to a guy who's likely holding this job down all year. You get the feeling he's coming really close to breaking one soon.

Biggest disappointment: Sione Vaki

I really hate to put him here because I'm really high on him as a player, and I'm high on his potential to take some big steps. It seemed like this could be the year that happened, but he's been dealing with nonstop injuries since training camp, and you have to wonder how far that puts him behind the eight ball.

Turning point of the last six weeks: Taylor Decker

The Lions need Decker back pretty badly. Giovanni Manu didn't work out well in his first start, and while Dan Skipper was better and didn't allow a sack, he certainly could have been better in the run game. Getting Decker back makes an already really good offense even better.

Offense overall grade: A-

Defensive superlatives

MVP: Aidan Hutchinson

If you were worried he'd take a step back, man, you don't have to worry about that anymore. Hutchinson has been very good this season. He once again is leading the league in pressures with 36 and is third in sacks with seven. He's in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation already.

Glue guy: Jack Campbell

Campbell has stepped up and balled out this year as everyone expected him to do. Right now, Campbell Pro Football Focus's fifth-highest graded linebacker and their 25th-highest graded defensive player. He's having a Pro Bowl-caliber season, and he's angling towards a big extension if he keeps going this route.

Biggest surprise: Al Quadin-Muhammad

We always knew that Muhaamad was a decent player in terms of rotational help, but nobody expected him to be this good as a starter. He has 18 pressures and five sacks this season, and has been really good against the run. When Marcus Davenport comes back from his injury, it wouldn't be a shock to see Muhammad remain as a starter.

Biggest disappointment: Marcus Davenport

It just really sucks for him that he can't stay healthy, and it sucks for the Lions and their fans that they believed there was a chance it could happen. Everything was going so well, and then he just landed awkwardly, and now we wonder when he'll be back. The Lions said it wasn't a season-ending thing, so he'll be back.

Turning point of the last six weeks: Al Quadin-Muhammad

I have to put Muhaamd here too because the season he's having has helped make the Lions defense even better. They needed someone to take advantage of the attention that Hutchinson gets, and he's been able to do that. It's made a big difference.

Defense overall grade: B

2025 draft class superlatives

Best Rookie: Tate Ratledge

Ratledge keeps getting better and better every week, and I know that the Lions plan to have him be their center at some point, but he is just so good at right guard that it feels like it would be crazy to move him.

Rookie we need to see more from: Isaac TeSlaa

We've seen some big highlight plays from him this season, but that's been it. TeSlaa is coming along slowly, and it's reminiscent of Amon-Ra St. Brown's rookie year, where we didn't really see much from him until about Week 8. He just needs to keep growing that route tree, and he'll be good to go.

Underachiever: Dominic Lovett

I'm telling you, I saw some special things on special teams from this guy this summer, but so far we just haven't seen any of that during the season. It seems like 2026 is going to be the bigger year for him.

Draft class overall grade: C

Coaching report card

Grade: B+

There really isn't much to complain about here. The Lions have been good in all phases of the game, and the loss to the Chiefs doesn't change that. But the two losses do change the grade from an A to a B+.