NFL team season
The 1988 Detroit Lions season was the 59th season in franchise history. The team fell a step further from their 4–11 record in the strike-affected 1987 season, losing 12 of 16 games and suffering their fifth successive losing record. Head coach Darryl Rogers , who had served since 1985, was fired after 11 games and replaced by defensive coordinator Wayne Fontes .[ 1]
The 1988 Lions’ offense was historically inept; their 3,405 offensive yards gained is the second-lowest all-time in a 16-game season, and the lowest total of the 1980s.[ 2] Their 220 points scored (13.75 per game) is the fifth-fewest of the 1980s.[ 3] They scored 20 or more points only three times all season.
[ 4]
Undrafted free agents [ edit ] 1988 Undrafted Free Agents of note Player Position College Douglas Beaty Fullback Appalachian State
1988 Detroit Lions staff Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches Special teams coaches
Special teams – Carl Battershell Strength and conditioning
Strength and conditioning coordinator – Don Clemons
Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance 1 September 4 Atlanta Falcons W 31–17 1–0 31,075 2 September 11 at Los Angeles Rams L 10–17 1–1 46,262 3 September 18 New Orleans Saints L 14–22 1–2 32,943 4 September 25 New York Jets L 10–17 1–3 29,250 5 October 2 at San Francisco 49ers L 13–20 1–4 58,285 6 October 9 Chicago Bears L 7–24 1–5 64,526 7 October 16 at New York Giants L 10–30 1–6 74,813 8 October 23 at Kansas City Chiefs W 7–6 2–6 66,926 9 October 30 New York Giants L 10–13 OT 2–7 38,354 10 November 6 at Minnesota Vikings L 17–44 2–8 55,573 11 November 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–23 2–9 25,956 12 November 20 at Green Bay Packers W 19–9 3–9 44,327 13 Minnesota Vikings L 0–23 3–10 46,379 14 December 4 Green Bay Packers W 30–14 4–10 28,124 15 December 11 at Chicago Bears L 12–13 4–11 55,010 16 December 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 10–21 4–12 37,778 Note : Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text.
1 2 3 4 Total Falcons 3 0 0 14 17 • Lions 0 10 14 7 31
[ 5]
1 2 3 4 Total • Lions 0 7 0 0 7 Chiefs 0 3 3 0 6
Scoring summary Q2 KC Lowery 38 yard field goalKC 3–0 Q2 DET Chadwick 14 yard pass from Hilger (Murray kick)DET 7–3 Q3 KC Lowery 43 yard field goal DET 7–6
[ 6]
1 2 3 4 Total • Lions 3 6 0 10 19 Packers 0 0 3 6 9
Scoring summary Q1 DET Murray 42 yard field goalDET 3–0 Q2 DET Murray 37 yard field goal DET 6–0 Q2 DET Murray 19 yard field goal DET 9–0 Q3 GB Dawson 32 yard field goalDET 9–3 Q4 DET Williams 1 yard run (Murray kick)DET 16–3 Q4 DET Murray 26 yard field goal DET 19–3 Q4 GB Matthews 3 yard pass from Majkowski (kick failed)DET 19–9
[ 7]
1 2 3 4 Total Packers 0 0 0 14 14 • Lions 10 17 0 3 30
Scoring summary Q1 DET Murray 26 yard field goalDET 3–0 Q1 DET Mandley 21 yard run (Murray kick)DET 10–0 Q2 DET Murray 23 yard field goal DET 13–0 Q2 DET Mitchell 90 yard interception return (Murray kick)DET 20–0 Q2 DET James 2 yard run (Murray kick)DET 27–0 Q4 GB West 4 yard pass from Wright (Dorsey kick)DET 27–7 Q4 DET Murray 23 yard field goal DET 30–7 Q4 GB Sharpe 24 yard pass from Wright (Dorsey kick)DET 30–14
[ 8]
^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 114 ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1978 to 2011, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Total Yds. ^ In a 16-game season, Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1980 to 1989, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points For. ^ "1988 Detroit Lions Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved January 10, 2014 . ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Dec-28. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Nov-07. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved 2014-Nov-07.
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