1990 Detroit Lions season

The 1990 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 61st season in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th as the Detroit Lions, and their second under head coach Wayne Fontes. The team failed to improve upon their 7–9 record from the previous season, suffering their seventh consecutive losing season.

Despite dropping in yardage from his rookie season, Barry Sanders led the league in rushing yards with 1,304, being named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro Team while the Lions offense ranked 5th, scoring 373 points in the season. The defense dropped from 19th to 26th, allowing 5,734 yards of offense. Punt returner Mel Gray was named to the Pro Bowl and was named to the All-Pro Team, averaging 22 yards a return.

For the second season in a row, the Lions selected the Heisman Trophy winner with their draft picks, taking quarterback Andre Ware seventh-overall.^[1] With their second round pick, the Lions selected defensive end Dan Owens who would record 20.0 sacks with the team between 1990 to 1995 and 1998 to 1999.^[2] The Lions looked at defense again with their third round pick, selecting defensive Marc Spindler who recorded 9.0 sacks with the Lions.^[3] Their fourth round selection Rob Hinckley didn't make the roster. Their other fourth round selection, cornerback Chris Oldham, recorded one interception in his lone season with the Lions.^[4] With their fifth round selection, the Lions looked offense again, selecting Jeff Campbell who would record 495 yards and three touchdowns with the Lions.^[5]

^[6]

Months before the draft, former first-round pick Chuck Long had requested a trade. The Lions had worked out a deal for the Colts to get Long contingent on them not being able to trade for the first overall pick to select Jeff George. However, the Colts were able to trade up and select George.^[7] Long was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round draft selection.^[8] The Lions let Tony Paige go in free agency: he signed to the Miami Dolphins.^[9] The Lions also traded their 1989 second-round selection John Ford to the Seattle Seahawks,^[10] and allowed Stacey Mobley walk in free agency, who then signed with Green Bay Packers.^[11] Walter Stanley, who led the league in yards per return in the previous season, had high interest going into free agency and was ultimately signed by the Washington Redskins.^[12][13]

The Lions signed cornerback William Judson who, after requiring knee surgery and being placed on injured reserve, was waived in October.^[14][15]

The Lions began their preseason visiting the Houston Oilers. Using their starters in the first half, the Lions outgained the Oilers with 223 yards to 69. The Lions scored on their opening drive when sophomore Rodney Peete completed a pass to Richard Johnson for the 9-yard score. On the Oilers' first play, Warren Moon fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Lions on the 7-yard line. Barry Sanders scored on a 2-yard rush to give the Lions a 14–0 lead. A missed field goal by Lions' kicker Wilson Hoyle missed a 32-yard field goal. The Oilers scored their first points on an 80-yard drive. The Lions responded with a 23-yard interception return to take the 21–7 lead, which grew to 24–7 on a Hoyle 19-yard field goal. A punt return early in the second half and a 25-yard field goal put the Lions up 34–7. The Oilers tacked on a field goal to bring the final score to 34–10, with the Lions clinching their first preseason win since 1987.^[16]

All game reports use the Pro Football Researchers' gamebook archive as a source.^[17]

The Lions hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season and home opener. The Buccaneers received the opening kickoff and took their first drive 4 plays and 71 yards into the endzone on a Vinny Testaverde 54-yard pass to Ron Hall. The Lions got the ball with a chance to respond on their own 20-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Rodney Peete completed a pass to Robert Clark four times in a row including the 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7–7. The Buccaneers took their next drive into Lions' territory when a Gary Anderson rush for 2 yards turned into a fumble that was recovered by the Lions. At their own 27, the Lions moved downfield with multiple 10+ yard passes and Barry Sanders rushes to cap off the scoring drive with a Sanders 1-yard rushing touchdown to put the Lions up 14–7. The Bucs' took their responding drive into the second quarter. Testaverde capped the drive off with a 8-yard pass into the end zone to tie the game 14–14. On the Lions next possession, an overthrown Peete pass intended for Clark fell into the hands of a Buccaneers defender. The Bucs took three plays to make it into the endzone with a Testaverde 19-yard pass to Anderson. The teams punted on each of their drives to end the first half.^[18]

The Lions received the second half kickoff, but fumbled it away on second down, turning it over. The Buccaneers quickly scored with aReggie Cobb 2-yard rushing touchdown to put the Buccaneers up 28–14. The Lions punted on their next drive, with the Buccaneers taking over on the Lions 47. The Bucs' got down to the Lions 25-yard line, but a Testaverde pass that went through the hands of Mark Carrier was intercepted which was returned 48-yard to the Bucs 32-yard line. The Lions moved the ball to the Bucs' 8-yard line. On 2nd and 7, Peete faked the handoff to Sanders and ran around to the right into the end zone for the 8-yard touchdown. However, upon review, the play was overturned. The Lions converted a 3rd and 1 on the 2 with a Sanders 1-yard rush. On 1st down from the 1, Peete fumbled the ball attempting a QB sneak which was turned over for a touchback. The Bucs took their new possession into the fourth quarter, settling for a 22-yard field goal by Steve Christie. On the Lions next drive, a 24-yard Sanders rush and a Bob Gagliano pass to Clark for 21 set up the 16-yard touchdown pass from Gagliano to Clark. The Lions attempted an onside kick, successfully recovering it with 5:28 left in the game. On the first play of their new drive, Gagliano threw an interception that was returned 62-yards for the touchdown. On the Lions first play after the turnover, the Lions turned the ball over again on a fumble. The Lions had one more drive to produce points, but a Gagliano interception leading to the two-minute warning sealed the 21–38 loss for the Lions.^[18]

In Week 2, the Lions hosted the Atlanta Falcons. The Lions received the opening kickoff. After a delay of game, Rodney Peete found Jason Phillips for 15 yards on 3rd and 16, electing to punt on the ensuing 4th and 1. On the Falcons' first drive, they got down to the 50-yard line on 3rd and 6, but were sacked and had to punt. On the first play of the Lions' new drive, Peete scrambled right and found Phillips for 29 yards. On the next play, Peete passed to Richard Johnson for a gain of 13 yards with an Atlanta 15-yard personal foul penalty bringing the Lions to the Falcons 15-yard line. A Barry Sanders rush brought them three before Peete found Terry Greer in the end zone to put the Lions up 7–0. After a three-and-out from both teams, the Falcons went from their own 27 to the Lions 13 with a Chris Miller 60-yard pass to Michael Haynes. After an incompletion and a three-yard rush, Miller found Andre Rison in the end zone on 3rd and 7 to tie it at 7–7. The Lions brought their responding scoring drive into the second quarter. They crossed midfield with a Peete pass to Robert Clark that went for 23-yards. They slowly inched down Falcons territory, converting a 3rd and 5 from the Falcons 13 with a Sanders 12-yard run that brought them to the goal-line. After Sanders was brought down 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage, Peete found Johnson in the end zone to go up 14–7. The teams exchanged punts along with a Peete intercepted followed up by an Atlanta punt. The Lions got possession with 1:14 left in the second half following a bad 24-yard punt that set them up at the Falcons 36. It took the Lions 54 seconds to reach the endzone with a Sanders 17-yard rushing touchdown to put the halftime score at 21–7.^[19]

The Falcons received the opening kickoff to start the second half. The Falcons, beginning at their own 37-yard line, moved into Lions territory with a Miller pass to Keith Jones for 11 yards. The Falcons got down to the Lions 3 on 2nd down and scored on a Steve Broussard 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the Falcons within 7 at 14–21. After two punts for each team, Peete threw an interception on 2nd and 20 to bring the Falcons' new drive into the fourth quarter. The Falcons looked poised to score when the team got down to the Lions 13-yard line. However, Miller fumbled the snap which was recovered by Detroit. After a total of four punts, the Lions drained the remaining clock with help from a Bob Gagliano 22-yard rush to bring up the final score of 21–14.^[19]

• Jerry Ball, Second-Team All-Pro selection
• Jerry Ball, Pro Bowl Reserve Selection
• Lomas Brown, Second-Team All-Pro selection
• Mike Cofer, Second-Team All-Pro selection
• Mel Gray, First-Team All-Pro selection
• Eddie Murray, Pro Bowl Selection
• Barry Sanders, First-Team All-Pro selection
• Barry Sanders, Pro Bowl Selection
• Chris Spielman, Pro Bowl Reserve Selection

• 1990 Detroit Lions at Pro-Football-Reference.com