The 1985 Detroit Lions season was their 56th in the National Football League. In Darryl Rogers first year as head coach, the team improved upon their previous season's output of 4–11–1, winning seven games. The Lions beat four playoff teams at home, Dallas, San Francisco, Miami, and the New York Jets, but lost to Tampa Bay and Indianapolis on the road. The Lions stood at 5–3 at the halfway point of the season. However, despite their overall improvement, the Lions went winless in December (0–3) and missed the playoffs for the second straight year with a 7–9 record.
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1985 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeScott AlwardTight endFerris StateScott BarrowsGuardWest VirginiaJim BrowneFullbackBoston CollegeRich CapolongoGuardRhode IslandAlan ChriteLinebackerColoradoJeff ColvinTight endColoradoRon CrossSafetyFresno StateKen GraeberNose tackleNebraskaJason GrimesWide receiverTennesseeDoug IsbellTacklePurdueJeff JacksonDefensive endToledoJack KeslarTackleWest VirginiaJoe MasaniaiDefensive endKansasBurt MuenhlingTight endKearney StateGary MullenWide receiverWest VirginiaMike NorthcultWide receiverAngelo StateJeff PierzynskiLinebackerEastern MichiganDwayne RogersLinebackerYoungstown StateMark RoysterSafetyWichita StateKevin SpitzigLinebackerIowaMike WhiteTackleArizona State
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance 1 September 8 at Atlanta Falcons W 28–271–0 37,785 2 September 15 Dallas Cowboys W 26–212–0 72,985 3 September 22 at Indianapolis Colts L 14–62–1 60,042 4 September 29 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 30–93–1 45,023 5 October 6 at Green Bay Packers L 43–103–2 55,914 6 October 13 at Washington Redskins L 24–33–3 52,845 7 October 20 San Francisco 49ers W 23–214–3 67,715 8 October 27 Miami Dolphins W 31–215–3 75,291 9 November 3 at Minnesota Vikings L 16–135–4 58,012 10 November 10 at Chicago Bears L 24–35–5 53,467 11 November 17 Minnesota Vikings W 41–216–5 54,647 12 November 24 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 19–16(OT)6–6 43,471 13 New York Jets W 31–207–6 65,531 14 December 8 at New England Patriots L 23–67–7 59,078 15 December 15 Green Bay Packers L 26–237–8 49,379 16 December 22 Chicago Bears L 37–177–9 74,042Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text
Season summary
Week 1
Gainesville Sun. 1985 Sep 9. Retrieved 2017-Nov-01. Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2017-Nov-01.
Standings
References