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1987 Detroit Lions
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Record: 4-11-0, Finished 4th in NFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 269 points (17.9/g), 25th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 384 points (25.6/g), 26th.
Differential of -115 points (-7.7/g), 26th.
Expected W-L: 4.5-10.5.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -5 (-0.3/g), 18th.
Coached by Darryl Rogers (4-11-0)
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1987 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Chuck Long | 24 | 1 | 12 | 232 for 416, 2,598 yards, 11 td, 20 int, & 22 rushes for 64 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1986 |
| RB | Garry James | 24 | 1 | 7 | 82 rushes for 270 yards, 4 td, & 16 catches for 215 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 29th pick / 1986 |
| FB | James R. Jones | 26 | 4 | 11 | 96 rushes for 342 yards, 0 td, & 34 catches for 262 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1983 |
| WR | Jeff Chadwick | 27 | 4 | 8 | 30 catches for 416 yards, 0 td, & 1 rush for -6 yards and 0 td | |
| WR | Pete Mandley | 26 | 3 | 12 | 58 catches for 720 yards, 7 td, & 1 rush for 3 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 47th pick / 1984 |
| TE | Rob Rubick | 27 | 5 | 8 | 13 catches for 147 yards, 1 td | Detroit Lions / 12th / 326th pick / 1982 |
| LT | Lomas Brown | 24 | 2 | 11 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 6th pick / 1985 |
|
| LG | Scott Barrows | 24 | 1 | 10 | 1 fumble recovered | |
| C | Steve Mott | 26 | 4 | 11 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 121st pick / 1983 |
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| RG | Kevin Glover | 24 | 2 | 9 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 34th pick / 1985 |
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| RG | Keith Dorney | 30 | 8 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1979 |
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| RT | Harvey Salem | 26 | 4 | 11 | Houston Oilers / 2nd / 30th pick / 1983 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Eric Williams | 25 | 3 | 11 | 2.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 62nd pick / 1984 |
| NT | Jerry Ball | 23 | Rook | 12 | 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1987 |
| RDE | Keith Ferguson | 28 | 6 | 9 | 6.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1981 |
| RDE | William Gay | 32 | 9 | 5 | 2.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 55th pick / 1978 |
| LOLB | Jimmy Williams | 27 | 5 | 12 | 4.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 1st / 15th pick / 1982 |
| LILB | Shelton Robinson | 27 | 5 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | |
| RILB | Dennis Gibson | 23 | Rook | 12 | 1.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 8th / 203rd pick / 1987 |
| ROLB | Mike L. Cofer | 27 | 4 | 11 | 8.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 67th pick / 1983 |
| LCB | Duane Galloway | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | |
| LCB | Bobby Watkins | 27 | 5 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1982 |
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| RCB | Bruce McNorton | 28 | 5 | 12 | 0.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 4th / 96th pick / 1982 |
| SS | James Griffin | 26 | 4 | 12 | 1.0 sacks, 6 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 193rd pick / 1983 |
| FS | Raphel Cherry | 26 | 2 | 10 | 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Washington Redskins / 5th / 122nd pick / 1985 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Eddie Murray | 31 | 7 | 0 | 20 of 32 field goals & 21 of 21 extra points | Detroit Lions / 7th / 166th pick / 1980 |
| P | Jim Arnold*+ | 26 | 4 | 0 | 46 punts for a 43.6 average, 0 blocked | Kansas City Chiefs / 5th / 119th pick / 1983 |
| PR | Pete Mandley | 26 | 3 | 12 | 23 punt returns for a 10.9 average and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 47th pick / 1984 |
| KR | Gary Lee | 22 | Rook | 3 | 32 kick returns for a 22.5 average and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 12th / 315th pick / 1987 |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnest Adams | 28 | LB | 3 | 0 | 226 | 6-3 | Illinois | 3/12/1959 | Rook | |
| Jim Arnold*+ | 26 | P | 11 | 0 | 215 | 6-2 | Vanderbilt | 1/31/1961 | 4 | Kansas City Chiefs / 5th / 119th pick / 1983 |
| Steve Baack | 27 | NT-G-DE-DT | 7 | 0 | 264 | 6-4 | Oregon | 11/16/1960 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 75th pick / 1984 |
| Jerry Ball | 23 | NT-DT | 12 | 12 | 330 | 6-1 | SMU | 12/15/1964 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 63rd pick / 1987 |
| Scott Barrows | 24 | G-C | 12 | 10 | 278 | 6-2 | West Virginia | 3/31/1963 | 1 | |
| Bob Beemer | 24 | DE | 2 | 0 | 231 | 6-3 | Toledo | 5/14/1963 | Rook | |
| Charles Benson | 27 | DE | 3 | 3 | 267 | 6-3 | Baylor | 11/21/1960 | 4 | Miami Dolphins / 3rd / 76th pick / 1983 |
| Karl Bernard | 23 | RB | 8 | 3 | 205 | 5-11 | La-Lafayette,LSU | 10/12/1964 | Rook | |
| Mike Black | 26 | P | 1 | 0 | 197 | 6-1 | Arizona State | 1/18/1961 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 7th / 181st pick / 1983 |
| Carl Bland | 26 | WR | 10 | 0 | 182 | 5-11 | Virginia Union | 8/17/1961 | 3 | |
| Steve Boadway | 25 | LB | 2 | 0 | 240 | 6-4 | Arizona | 6/20/1962 | Rook | |
| John Bostic | 25 | DB | 3 | 1 | 176 | 5-10 | Bethune-Cookman | 10/6/1962 | 2 | Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 149th pick / 1985 |
| Thomas Boyd | 28 | LB | 4 | 3 | 210 | 6-3 | Alabama | 11/24/1959 | Rook | Green Bay Packers / 8th / 210th pick / 1982 |
| Danny Bradley | 24 | RB | 3 | 1 | 175 | 5-9 | Oklahoma | 3/2/1963 | Rook | Los Angeles Rams / 7th / 189th pick / 1985 |
| Lomas Brown | 24 | T | 11 | 11 | 282 | 6-4 | Florida | 3/30/1963 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 6th pick / 1985 |
| Paul Butcher | 24 | LB | 12 | 0 | 230 | 6-0 | Wayne State (MI) | 11/8/1963 | 1 | |
| Patrick Cain | 25 | C-G | 3 | 2 | 260 | 6-2 | Cal Poly-Pomona,Wichita State | 10/1/1962 | Rook | |
| Carl Carr | 23 | LB | 3 | 3 | 230 | 6-3 | North Carolina | 3/26/1964 | Rook | New York Jets / 10th / 272nd pick / 1986 |
| Jeff Chadwick | 27 | WR | 8 | 8 | 190 | 6-3 | Grand Valley State | 12/16/1960 | 4 | |
| Raphel Cherry | 26 | DB | 10 | 10 | 194 | 6-0 | Hawaii | 12/19/1961 | 2 | Washington Redskins / 5th / 122nd pick / 1985 |
| Dexter Clark | 23 | DB | 2 | 0 | 190 | 6-0 | Toledo | 5/5/1964 | Rook | |
| Mike L. Cofer | 27 | LB-DE | 11 | 11 | 245 | 6-5 | Tennessee | 4/7/1960 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 67th pick / 1983 |
| Jerome Davis | 25 | NT | 3 | 3 | 260 | 6-1 | Ball State | 2/27/1962 | Rook | |
| Jerry Diorio | 25 | TE | 2 | 0 | 245 | 6-3 | Michigan | 1/11/1962 | Rook | |
| Tony Dollinger | 25 | RB | 2 | 1 | 205 | 5-11 | Evangel (MO) | 10/18/1962 | Rook | |
| Keith Dorney | 30 | T-G | 5 | 5 | 268 | 6-5 | Penn State | 12/3/1957 | 8 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 10th pick / 1979 |
| Stan Edwards | 27 | RB | 3 | 3 | 208 | 6-0 | Michigan | 5/20/1960 | 5 | Houston Oilers / 3rd / 72nd pick / 1982 |
| Gary Ellerson | 24 | RB | 8 | 2 | 220 | 5-11 | Wisconsin | 7/17/1963 | 2 | Green Bay Packers / 7th / 182nd pick / 1985 |
| Russell Erxleben | 31 | P | 1 | 0 | 223 | 6-4 | Texas | 1/13/1956 | 8 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 11th pick / 1979 |
| Creig Federico | 24 | DB | 3 | 2 | 205 | 6-2 | Illinois State,Iowa Central | 5/7/1963 | Rook | |
| Joe Felton | 23 | G | 2 | 2 | 266 | 6-2 | Albion | 10/16/1964 | Rook | |
| Keith Ferguson | 28 | DE | 12 | 9 | 252 | 6-5 | Ohio State | 4/3/1959 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1981 |
| Anthony Fields | 23 | DB | 3 | 0 | 192 | 6-1 | Eastern Michigan | 1/17/1964 | Rook | |
| Brendan Folmar | 23 | QB | 1 | 0 | 200 | 6-1 | California (PA) | 4/2/1964 | Rook | |
| Duane Galloway | 26 | DB | 10 | 7 | 181 | 5-8 | Arizona State | 11/7/1961 | 2 | |
| William Gay | 32 | DE-DT-TE | 11 | 5 | 250 | 6-5 | USC | 5/28/1955 | 9 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 55th pick / 1978 |
| Chris Geile | 23 | G | 3 | 1 | 305 | 6-4 | Eastern Illinois | 4/14/1964 | Rook | |
| Dennis Gibson | 23 | LB | 12 | 12 | 240 | 6-2 | Iowa State | 2/8/1964 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 8th / 203rd pick / 1987 |
| Jimmie Giles | 33 | TE | 4 | 1 | 239 | 6-3 | Alcorn State | 11/8/1954 | 10 | Houston Oilers / 3rd / 70th pick / 1977 |
| Kevin Glover | 24 | C-G | 12 | 9 | 278 | 6-2 | Maryland | 6/17/1963 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 34th pick / 1985 |
| William Graham | 28 | DB | 2 | 1 | 191 | 5-11 | Texas | 9/27/1959 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 127th pick / 1982 |
| Curtis Green | 30 | DE-DT-NT | 12 | 0 | 256 | 6-3 | Alabama State | 6/3/1957 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 46th pick / 1981 |
| James Griffin | 26 | DB | 12 | 12 | 197 | 6-2 | Middle Tenn. State | 9/7/1961 | 4 | Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 193rd pick / 1983 |
| Darrell Grymes | 26 | WR | 2 | 2 | 182 | 6-2 | Central State (OH) | 12/4/1961 | Rook | |
| Alvin Hall | 29 | DB | 3 | 3 | 193 | 5-10 | Miami (OH) | 8/12/1958 | 6 | |
| Maurice Harvey | 31 | DB | 2 | 2 | 190 | 5-10 | Ball State | 1/14/1956 | 9 | Oakland Raiders / 4th / 86th pick / 1978 |
| Ivan Hicks | 24 | DB | 1 | 0 | 185 | 6-2 | Michigan | 6/30/1963 | Rook | |
| Mark Hicks | 27 | LB | 1 | 0 | 225 | 6-2 | Arizona State | 11/7/1960 | 4 | |
| Steve Hirsch | 25 | DB | 3 | 1 | 195 | 6-0 | Northern Illinois | 5/18/1962 | Rook | |
| Todd Hons | 26 | QB | 3 | 3 | 195 | 6-1 | Arizona State | 9/5/1961 | Rook | |
| Melvin Hoover | 28 | WR | 2 | 0 | 185 | 6-0 | Arizona State | 9/21/1959 | 5 | New York Giants / 6th / 145th pick / 1981 |
| Garry James | 24 | RB | 8 | 7 | 214 | 5-10 | LSU | 9/4/1963 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 29th pick / 1986 |
| George Jamison | 25 | LB | 12 | 0 | 232 | 6-1 | Cincinnati | 9/30/1962 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 47th pick / 1984 Supp |
| Gilvanni Johnson | 24 | WR | 3 | 0 | 195 | 6-1 | Michigan | 9/12/1963 | Rook | |
| Rick Johnson | 24 | T | 1 | 0 | 255 | 6-6 | Grand Valley State | 12/12/1963 | Rook | |
| James R. Jones | 26 | FB-RB-TB-TE | 11 | 11 | 229 | 6-2 | Florida | 3/21/1961 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1983 |
| Vyto Kab | 28 | TE | 7 | 2 | 243 | 6-5 | Penn State | 12/23/1959 | 5 | Philadelphia Eagles / 3rd / 78th pick / 1982 |
| Jeff Kacmarek | 24 | NT | 3 | 0 | 240 | 6-2 | Western Michigan | 4/12/1963 | Rook | |
| Angelo King | 29 | LB | 1 | 1 | 224 | 6-1 | South Carolina State | 2/10/1958 | 6 | |
| Matt Kinzer | 24 | P | 1 | 0 | 225 | 6-3 | Purdue | 6/17/1963 | Rook | |
| Paul Kiser | 24 | G | 1 | 0 | 272 | 6-4 | Wake Forest | 11/19/1963 | Rook | Atlanta Falcons / 6th / 153rd pick / 1987 |
| Nick Kowgios | 25 | RB | 3 | 0 | 216 | 6-0 | Lafayette | 11/19/1962 | Rook | |
| Gary Lee | 22 | WR | 12 | 3 | 202 | 6-1 | Georgia Tech | 2/12/1965 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 12th / 315th pick / 1987 |
| Mark Lewis | 26 | TE | 9 | 1 | 239 | 6-2 | Texas A&M | 5/5/1961 | 2 | Green Bay Packers / 6th / 155th pick / 1985 |
| Danny Lockett | 23 | LB | 13 | 1 | 239 | 6-2 | Arizona | 7/11/1964 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 6th / 148th pick / 1987 |
| Chuck Long | 24 | QB | 12 | 12 | 217 | 6-4 | Iowa | 2/18/1963 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 12th pick / 1986 |
| Pete Mandley | 26 | WR | 12 | 12 | 191 | 5-10 | Northern Arizona | 7/29/1961 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 47th pick / 1984 |
| Vernon Maxwell | 26 | LB | 12 | 1 | 233 | 6-2 | Arizona State | 10/25/1961 | 4 | Baltimore Colts / 2nd / 29th pick / 1983 |
| Bob McDonough | 24 | DB | 3 | 0 | 170 | 6-1 | California (PA) | 3/7/1963 | Rook | |
| George McDuffie | 24 | DE | 3 | 2 | 270 | 6-6 | Findlay,Salem | 1/20/1963 | Rook | |
| Bruce McNorton | 28 | DB | 12 | 12 | 175 | 5-11 | Georgetown (KY) | 2/28/1959 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 4th / 96th pick / 1982 |
| Joe Milinichik | 24 | G-T | 11 | 0 | 290 | 6-5 | North Carolina State | 3/30/1963 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 69th pick / 1986 |
| John Misko | 33 | P | 1 | 0 | 207 | 6-5 | Oregon State | 10/1/1954 | 5 | |
| Steve Mott | 26 | C | 11 | 11 | 266 | 6-3 | Alabama | 3/24/1961 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 121st pick / 1983 |
| Eddie Murray | 31 | K | 12 | 0 | 177 | 5-10 | Tulane | 8/29/1956 | 7 | Detroit Lions / 7th / 166th pick / 1980 |
| Mark Nichols | 28 | WR | 12 | 1 | 210 | 6-2 | San Jose State | 10/29/1959 | 6 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 16th pick / 1981 |
| Tony Office | 27 | LB | 3 | 2 | 250 | 6-2 | Illinois State | 2/24/1960 | Rook | |
| Greg Orton | 25 | G | 3 | 3 | 265 | 6-1 | Nebraska | 8/9/1962 | Rook | |
| Tony Paige | 25 | RB | 5 | 0 | 225 | 5-10 | Virginia Tech | 10/14/1962 | 3 | New York Jets / 6th / 149th pick / 1984 |
| Mike Prindle | 24 | K | 3 | 0 | 160 | 5-9 | Western Michigan | 11/12/1963 | Rook | |
| Jerry Quaerna | 24 | T | 3 | 3 | 275 | 6-6 | Michigan | 10/9/1963 | Rook | |
| Derrick Ramsey | 31 | TE | 1 | 0 | 230 | 6-4 | Kentucky | 12/23/1956 | 9 | Oakland Raiders / 5th / 136th pick / 1978 |
| Shelton Robinson | 27 | LB | 12 | 12 | 233 | 6-2 | North Carolina | 9/14/1960 | 5 | |
| Reggie Rogers | 23 | DE | 6 | 0 | 278 | 6-6 | Washington | 1/21/1964 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 1st / 7th pick / 1987 |
| Tim Ross | 29 | LB | 3 | 0 | 225 | 6-5 | Bowling Green | 12/27/1958 | Rook | |
| Rob Rubick | 27 | TE | 9 | 8 | 232 | 6-3 | Grand Valley State | 9/27/1960 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 12th / 326th pick / 1982 |
| Dan Saleaumua | 23 | DT-NT-DE | 9 | 0 | 305 | 6-0 | Arizona State | 11/11/1964 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 7th / 175th pick / 1987 |
| Harvey Salem | 26 | T-G | 11 | 11 | 283 | 6-6 | California | 1/15/1961 | 4 | Houston Oilers / 2nd / 30th pick / 1983 |
| Eric Sanders | 29 | T-G-C | 12 | 0 | 277 | 6-6 | Nevada-Reno | 10/22/1958 | 6 | Atlanta Falcons / 5th / 136th pick / 1981 |
| Chris Sheffield | 24 | DB | 6 | 0 | 193 | 6-1 | Albany State (GA) | 1/9/1963 | 1 | |
| Ricky Smith | 27 | DB-WR | 12 | 0 | 182 | 6-0 | Alabama State | 7/20/1960 | 5 | New England Patriots / 6th / 141st pick / 1982 |
| Chuck Steele | 23 | C | 3 | 1 | 255 | 6-1 | California | 6/22/1964 | Rook | |
| Rich Strenger | 27 | T | 3 | 3 | 280 | 6-7 | Michigan | 3/10/1960 | 4 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 40th pick / 1983 |
| Ivory Sully | 30 | DB | 11 | 1 | 198 | 6-0 | Delaware | 6/20/1957 | 8 | |
| Robert Thompson | 27 | LB | 3 | 2 | 227 | 6-3 | Michigan | 2/4/1960 | 4 | Houston Oilers / 8th / 198th pick / 1983 |
| Stuart Tolle | 25 | NT | 1 | 0 | 265 | 6-3 | Bowling Green | 2/7/1962 | Rook | |
| Eric Truvillion | 28 | WR | 3 | 3 | 205 | 6-4 | Florida A&M | 6/18/1959 | Rook | |
| Jim Warne | 23 | T | 3 | 3 | 315 | 6-7 | Arizona State | 11/27/1964 | Rook | Cincinnati Bengals / 11th / 296th pick / 1987 |
| Bobby Watkins | 27 | DB | 5 | 5 | 184 | 5-10 | Texas State | 5/31/1960 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1982 |
| Cleve Wester | 23 | RB | 3 | 1 | 188 | 5-8 | Concordia (MN) | 6/14/1964 | Rook | |
| Mark W. Wheeler | 23 | TE | 3 | 0 | 232 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 6/15/1964 | Rook | |
| Eric Williams | 25 | DE-DT-NT | 11 | 11 | 282 | 6-4 | Washington State | 2/24/1962 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 62nd pick / 1984 |
| Eric T. Williams | 27 | DB | 1 | 0 | 188 | 6-1 | North Carolina State | 2/21/1960 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 6th / 164th pick / 1983 |
| Jimmy Williams | 27 | LB | 12 | 12 | 228 | 6-3 | Nebraska | 11/15/1960 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 15th pick / 1982 |
| Scott Williams | 25 | RB | 5 | 2 | 234 | 6-2 | Georgia | 7/21/1962 | 1 | St. Louis Cardinals / 9th / 244th pick / 1985 |
| Mark Witte | 28 | TE | 3 | 3 | 236 | 6-3 | North Texas | 12/3/1959 | 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers / 11th / 297th pick / 1983 |
| Butch Woolfolk | 27 | RB | 12 | 0 | 210 | 6-1 | Michigan | 3/1/1960 | 5 | New York Giants / 1st / 18th pick / 1982 |
| Team Total | 25.9 | 15 | 228.2 | 6-1.9 | 2.4 |