Lions set embarrassing NFL record thanks to stellar Patriots defense

Lions set embarrassing NFL record thanks to stellar Patriots defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Detroit Lions came into Sunday’s Week 5 game against the New England Patriots leading the NFL in points scored and total yards of offense.

That won’t be the case entering Week 6.

The Patriots defense dominated the Lions’ high-powered offense in a 29-0 victory at Gillette Stadium. Detroit’s offense tallied 312 yards, went 4-for-12 on third downs and committed two turnovers. Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 19 of 35 pass attempts for 229 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception.

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But the worst stat of the day for the Lions didn’t include any of the above. The Lions went 0-for-6 on fourth down. That’s the most failed fourth down plays by one team in a single game in league history.

The Lions broke a 27-year-old record held by the 1995 Patriots, who failed on five fourth down attempts in a 37-3 loss to the Denver Broncos.

The shutout was the Patriots’ first since a 25-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 last season. The Lions hadn’t been held scoreless since Week 11 of the 2020 campaign.