Why Lions Are 'More Encouraged' after Packers Loss
The Detroit Lions have been the furthest things from clicking on all cylinders the past few weeks.
They barely came away with victories in Weeks 10 and 11 against the Chargers and Bears, respectively. And, then on Thanksgiving against the Packers, they laid an egg, and extended their losing streak in the annual holiday game to seven straight.
In all three of the aforementioned games, Detroit has produced a shoddy defensive effort. In fact, over the last three weeks, Aaron Glenn's unit has amassed just two total sacks (each of which came against Chicago's Justin Fields in Week 11), and has permitted north of 330 yards each time out.
Meanwhile, in its last two contests, Detroit has coughed up the football far too often. Lions signal-caller Jared Goff has been the main culprit, as he's been responsible for six of the team's seven total turnovers the last two weeks. He threw three interceptions in Week 11 against the Bears, and lost three fumbles in Week 12 against the Packers.
The onus now is on Lions third-year head man Dan Campbell to get his team back on the right track over the final six weeks of the season.
“Man, I’m not getting worried. I love this. I’m serious,” Campbell expressed to reporters Monday. “I love this, and I love that, man, it’s doom and gloom outside our building and we’ve got six to go. We’ve got an unbelievable opportunity, and, man, I love it. I really do, man. This is what we find out what we’re made up. And really, everybody in this league, for that matter.
“You’re talking about the month of December, and this is where everybody – there’s teams that will begin to rise and teams that will fall out of this. And, I love our team. I love where we’re at, and I know the guys that we have in the locker room, I know these coaches. So, this will be good.”
Detroit's recent sloppy play could've cost the team two straight games, if it weren't for the Lions’ miraculous comeback last Sunday against Fields & Co.
Detroit, which hasn't lost two in a row since dropping five consecutive games from Weeks 3-8 in 2022, will look to bounce back this upcoming Sunday against Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints. Campbell understands that key to that effort will be the Lions protecting the football far more effectively and cleaning up things on both sides of the ball.
And, despite Detroit's subpar effort against Green Bay, Campbell is confident that his team will ultimately resolve its issues.
“I went back and after watching it (Detroit's loss to Green Bay), I’m actually more encouraged because to me, it’s not what it appears to be,” Campbell told reporters. “Just on the basic level of this, it’s, man, it’s turnover ratio. It’s turnover ratio. We’re turning the ball over offensively. Special teams, we had one against Chicago. Given up four against Chicago, three against Green Bay and only have gotten one back. That’s the major issue right now. So, we can talk about all these other things. But, until we clean that up, the other parts of this are a little bit irrelevant.”
And, when it comes to Goff, Campbell has made it clear what the veteran passer can do to clean up his error-ridden play of late.
“And like I told him this morning, it’s the, ‘Man, once I’m starting to break the line of scrimmage, I’ve got to tuck it away.’ It’s as simple as that, and it’s an emphasis we work on at practice. We’re going to work on it,” the Detroit head coach said. “Like all these little things that come up, man, we’re not just going to yell harder, we’re going to give substance. You teach them, you show them and here’s where you can be a little bit better.”
