2013 Detroit Lions season

The 2013 season was the Detroit Lions' 84th in the National Football League (NFL), their 80th as the Detroit Lions, as well as the fifth and final under head coach Jim Schwartz, who was fired on December 30.^[1] It was also the final season under the ownership of William Clay Ford Sr., who died in March 2014.

The Lions improved upon their 4–12 record from 2012 when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 to go to 5–3 on the season. Also, their divisional record improved significantly from 2012 (when they were swept by all their divisional rivals).

At the end of Week 10, the Lions were in first place in their division following their first win at Soldier Field since 2007. With their Thanksgiving Day win over the Green Bay Packers, the Lions not only won their first Thanksgiving Day game since 2003, but they also went undefeated in division home games for the first time since 1999.

However despite starting 6–3, the lions suffered a late-season collapse, as the Lions dropped to 3rd place after their loss to the Ravens in Week 15, and then they were eliminated from postseason contention for the second straight year after their loss to the New York Giants in Week 16.^[2] They lost their last game as well, and lost their final 3 games by a combined 6 points. The Lions lost many close games this season, with 6 out of their 9 losses being by a touchdown or less. They ended the season at 7–9.