Sometimes, you notice things that others might miss—little details that stand out in a way that most people don’t even realize. But in this case, I wasn’t the one doing the noticing. That credit goes to TmanTrev on Twitter, who raised a very interesting question: Why have the Detroit Lions only drawn one defensive pass interference (DPI) penalty this season?

Honestly, Trev, this is a tough one to answer, and I’ll admit, it’s going to be challenging to give a comprehensive explanation without breaking down the film of every throw this year. But, challenge accepted! I’ll do my best to answer the question without watching every single play from the season. Here’s what I think is going on.

First, I believe your inquiry might have been sparked by a tweet earlier this week from Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders. He brought up an interesting observation that could shed some light on the situation. If you take a look at the quarterbacks who tend to draw the most DPIs, you’ll notice a pattern: these are the “gunslingers” of the NFL—the quarterbacks who throw the most deep balls and take more chances with their passes. These are the guys who lead the league in “big-time throws” and “turnover-worthy throws”—the kind of plays where a defensive back might get too aggressive and commit a DPI penalty. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:

Quarterback | Big-Time Throws | Turnover-Worthy Throws

• Matthew Stafford: 14 big-time throws, 9 turnover-worthy throws (leads the league)
• Sam Darnold: 20 big-time throws, 8 turnover-worthy throws
• Joe Burrow: 17 big-time throws, 3 turnover-worthy throws
• Geno Smith: 21 big-time throws, 3 turnover-worthy throws
• Aaron Rodgers: 18 big-time throws, 1 turnover-worthy throw
• Jared Goff: 9 big-time throws, 2 turnover-worthy throws

When you think about defensive pass interference, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the idea of a “spot foul,” which happens when a quarterback forces a deep throw down the field, hoping for a DPI penalty. The quarterbacks who throw the ball deep the most are the ones who tend to get these penalties. They take more risks, and sometimes they get lucky when aggressive cornerbacks or safeties get too handsy.

Jared Goff, however, doesn’t quite fit this mold. He can throw deep, and he occasionally does, but it’s not something the Lions have relied on a lot this season. In fact, if you look at the quarterbacks listed above, you’ll notice that many of them are on teams that are currently struggling. Sam Darnold is the one exception, as his Panthers are still competitive, but the others are playing on teams that are often trailing, forcing them to throw more in an attempt to catch up.

Now, let me double-check the data here… Yep, I’m back. After doing a quick comparison, it’s clear that, aside from Darnold, all of those quarterbacks are throwing the ball a lot more than Goff. For example, Joe Burrow has 557 pass attempts so far this season, while Goff has only attempted 472 passes. And if you take a look at the rushing stats of these teams, you’ll see that most of them are near the bottom of the league in rushing yards.

So, what’s going on here? It’s simple: these teams are playing from behind, which forces them to throw more in an effort to generate big plays and chunk yards. And it’s typically on those deep throws—those chunk yard plays—that you see the most DPIs. It’s an aggressive play by the quarterback, and defensive backs are often left with no choice but to grab or interfere in an attempt to prevent a big gain.

The Lions, however, have been able to maintain a balanced approach throughout most of their games this season. Goff hasn’t had to rely on throwing the ball deep just to make up ground. They’ve been able to establish a solid rushing attack and stay competitive throughout the game, which means Goff hasn’t been forced to air it out as often. That’s why, when you look at the one DPI the Lions have drawn this year, it’s a pretty tame 5-yard penalty inside the red zone. It wasn’t a desperation heave downfield; it was just a minor infraction in a more methodical, balanced offensive game plan.

So, there you have it, Trev. The lack of DPIs is likely because the Lions simply aren’t throwing the ball deep as often as some other teams, and when they do, it’s not in a high-risk, high-reward situation like those other “gunslingers” in the league. Goff’s style of play and the Lions’ overall balanced approach to offense just don’t create the same opportunities for defensive backs to commit interference penalties. And that, I think, answers your question.