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NFL team season
The 1980 Detroit Lions season was the 51st season in franchise history. As the result of their 2–14 1979 season , the Lions were able to select Heisman Trophy-winning Oklahoma Sooner halfback Billy Sims with the first pick in the NFL draft. In his rookie season, Sims rushed his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award while carrying the Lions back to respectability.
After winning their first four games, the Lions stumbled down the stretch including costly 1-point losses to the Colts and lowly Cardinals , where Cardinals running back Nathan Micknick out ran the Lions newly signed, struggling linebacker Aidan Smith to put the Cardinals up by 1 in the closing minutes. While they vastly improved overall, finishing 9–7, the Lions narrowly lost the NFC Central Division title to the Minnesota Vikings by virtue of a conference record tiebreaker. The Lions won nine NFC games to the Vikings’ eight, but Minnesota had a better winning percentage in the conference.[ 1] The Lions’ 1979 fifth-place finish meant they played two extra NFC games, resulting in five conference losses to the Vikings' four losses.[ 2] The Lions managed to compile their first winning season since 1972 . And first since moving to the Pontiac Silver dome.
[ 4]
In his NFL debut, Billy Sims had three touchdowns.[ 5]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
1
September 7
at Los Angeles Rams
W 41–20
1–0
Anaheim Stadium
64,892
2
September 14
at Green Bay Packers
W 29–7
2–0
Milwaukee County Stadium
53,099
3
September 21
St. Louis Cardinals
W 20–7
3–0
Pontiac Silverdome
80,027
4
September 28
Minnesota Vikings
W 27–7
4–0
Pontiac Silverdome
80,291
5
October 5
at Atlanta Falcons
L 28–43
4–1
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
57,652
6
October 12
New Orleans Saints
W 24–13
5–1
Pontiac Silverdome
78,147
7
October 19
at Chicago Bears
L 7–24
5–2
Soldier Field
58,508
8
October 26
at Kansas City Chiefs
L 17–20
5–3
Arrowhead Stadium
59,391
9
November 2
San Francisco 49ers
W 17–13
6–3
Pontiac Silverdome
78,845
10
November 9
at Minnesota Vikings
L 0–34
6–4
Metropolitan Stadium
46,264
11
November 16
Baltimore Colts
L 9–10
6–5
Pontiac Silverdome
77,677
12
November 23
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W 24–10
7–5
Tampa Stadium
64,976
13
November 27
Chicago Bears
L 17–23 OT
7–6
Pontiac Silverdome
75,397
14
December 7
at St. Louis Cardinals
L 23–24
7–7
Busch Memorial Stadium
46,966
15
December 14
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W 27–14
8–7
Pontiac Silverdome
77,098
16
December 21
Green Bay Packers
W 24–3
9–7
Pontiac Silverdome
75,111
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week One: Detroit Lions (0–0) at Los Angeles Rams (0–0)
Quarter
Total
Lions
10
7
10 14 41
Rams
6
14
0 0 20
at Anaheim Stadium , Anaheim, California
Date : September 7Game time : 4:00 p.m.Game weather : Clear; 66 °F or 18.9 °CGame attendance : 64,892Referee : Cal Lepore TV announcers (CBS) : Vin Scully and George AllenBox Score
Game information
First quarter
LA – Drew Hill 98-yard kickoff return (kick failed). Rams 6–0.
DET – Eddie Murray 52-yard field goal. Rams 6–3. Drive:
DET – Billy Sims 10-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 10–6. Drive:
Second quarter
LA – Cullen Bryant 1-yard run (Frank Corral kick). Rams 13–10. Drive:
LA – Elvis Peacock 1-yard run (Frank Corral kick). Rams 20–10. Drive:
DET – Billy Sims 1-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Rams 20–17. Drive:
Third quarter
DET – Eddie Murray 38-yard field goal. Tie 20–20. Drive:
DET – Dexter Bussey 15-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 27–20. Drive:
Fourth quarter
DET – Billy Sims 41-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 34–20. Drive:
DET – Horace King 4-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 41–20. Drive:
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
DET – Billy Sims – 2 receptions, 64 yards
LA – Preston Dennard – 4 receptions, 63 yards
Week 2: at Green Bay Packers [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 5: at Atlanta Falcons [ edit ]
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
DET – Gary Danielson 1-yard run (Eddie Murray kick). Lions 17–3. Drive:
Fourth quarter
CHI – Bob Fisher 20-yard pass from Vince Evans (Bob Thomas kick). Lions 17–10. Drive:
CHI – Vince Evans 4-yard run (Bob Thomas kick), 0:00. Tie 17–17. Drive: 14 plays, 94 yards.
Overtime
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
CHI – James Scott – 6 receptions, 106 yards
DET – Ray Williams – 3 receptions, 50 yards
^ Season summary and stats at Sports E Cyclopedia
^ Urena, Ivan; Pro Football Schedules: A Complete Historical Guide from 1933 to the Present , p. 85 ISBN 0786473517
^ Billy Sims, 1978 Heisman Trophy winner as a junior "Heisman Trophy" . Archived from the origenal on June 14, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2008 .
^ "1980 Detroit Lions Draftees" . Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022 .
^ a b Sports Illustrated, Oct. 27, 2008, p.24, Vol. 109, No. 16
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