2014 Detroit Lions season
The 2014 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 85th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 81st as the Detroit Lions and the first under a new coaching staff led by head coach Jim Caldwell. The Lions suffered the passing of long-time owner William Clay Ford Sr., who died on March 9, 2014, at the age of 88, and wore patches with his initials on their jerseys in his honor. After the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Washington Redskins in Week 16, the Lions clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Game 24–20, ending their season. It was their eighth straight playoff loss, tying the Kansas City Chiefs for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history.
| 2014 Detroit Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Martha Firestone Ford |
| General manager | Martin Mayhew |
| Head coach | Jim Caldwell |
| Home field | Ford Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 2nd NFC North |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Cowboys) 20–24 |
| Pro Bowlers | Calvin Johnson, WR Glover Quin, FS Matthew Stafford, QB Ndamukong Suh, DT Golden Tate, WR |
| AP All-Pros | DT Ndamukong Suh (1st team) S Glover Quin (2nd team) LB DeAndre Levy (2nd team) |
The Lions defense finished second in the NFL in total defense, surrendering just 300.9 yards per game. They also finished third in points per game defense, giving up just 17.6 points a game while leading the NFL in rushing defense, yielding just 69.3 rush yards per game.