Detroit Lions Deserved Massive Regression After Poor GM Strategy

Plain and simple, the Detroit Lions are not as good as they were a season ago. They're also not remotely close to as good as they were when they nearly advanced to the Super Bowl during the 2023 season.

And they proved it once again on Christmas Day in their devastating loss to the J.J. McCarthy-less Minnesota Vikings.

It was a dreadful performance from Dan Campbell's squad, with Detroit committing six turnovers – yes, six turnovers for the first time since 2015 – and averaging a measly 3.61 yards per play. It marked the Lions’ sixth-worst offensive efficiency in a game since 2010 (and their very worst efficiency in a contest since 2020).

And worse yet, the loss brought an end to Detroit's slim playoff hopes, eliminating Campbell & Co. from postseason contention.

Lions fans, I hate to admit it: Your team deserved this fate.

General manager Brad Holmes failed in the mission to keep the team a playoff contender with three poor drafts in a row.

For roughly two months now, Detroit has failed to consistently play well enough to be a playoff squad. And far too often, it's looked like the polar opposite of a team fighting for a playoff spot.

The Lions, in fact, have gone just 3-6 in their last nine games, a stretch which has seen Campbell's squad morph into a team physically inferior to its competition. It's been the very antithesis of the fabric of the NFC North-winning Detroit teams of the past two seasons.

Those 2023 and 2024 Lions squads were consistently tougher and grittier than those they lined up against. They bullied opposing defensive lines and thrived on the ground and pound. And because of such, they could dictate the tempo of games and sustain long drives, tiring out opponents in the end.

These are no longer those same Lions. Detroit's offensive line – a strength of the organization in past seasons – has significantly regressed, and no longer controls the line of scrimmage on a weekly basis. Most notably, the team has failed to find a suitable replacement for Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow, who served as the anchor of the line for much of his seven-year tenure in Motown.

And because of the offensive line's decline, the Lions are now the ones getting bullied up front, and it's had a detrimental effect on the run game.

Detroit's once-potent backfield, led by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, has not been nearly as effective in 2025. And in each of the last three games (all of which have been losses for Detroit), the Lions have been unable to produce more than 70 total rushing yards. Most glaringly, they were outrushed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16, 230-15.

Also, on the offensive side of the ball, the Lions have clearly missed the creative play-calling of Ben Johnson. Johnson, now the head coach of the rival Chicago Bears, has been a godsend to the Windy City's NFL franchise. He's elevated Caleb Williams and the offense to new heights, and in doing so, has played a major role in Chicago's transformation from cellar-dwellers (5-12) to NFC North leaders (11-4).

And on top of all that, Detroit's defense has clearly regressed – and it can't entirely be blamed on the rash of injuries.

The Lions lost several key playmakers on the defensive side of the ball a season ago – including Pro Bowl EDGE Aidan Hutchinson for more than half the season – and still managed to finish seventh in the NFL in points allowed (20.1/game). This season, that points per game figure has jumped to 24.8, which ranks as the 10th-highest total.

That is clearly unacceptable for a team whose preseason aspirations were to win a Super Bowl.

And once again, Detroit's issues on defense do not simply stem from its run-in with the injury bug.

Sure, it's been tough for Kelvin Sheppard's unit to play a bunch of reserves in place of starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, both of whom are invaluable members of the team's defense.

However, the Lions' defense is also lacking in other areas. For starters, Holmes has still yet to find a sufficient EDGE running mate for Hutchinson.

The injury-prone Marcus Davenport is clearly not the answer, and Al-Quadin Muhammad, for as good as he's been, is much more of a rotational EDGE piece. Subsequently, the Lions’ pass-rush department is still not good enough.

Additionally, Detroit is still in search of a No. 1 cornerback. Terrion Arnold, who was projected to be that type of corner after being selected No. 24 overall in the 2024 draft, has been unable to stay healthy since day one. It's stunted his growth as an NFL defensive back, hindering his ability to develop into an impact corner. And when the Alabama product has been healthy, his play hasn't been nearly good enough to warrant No. 1 CB status.

And for as solid as offseason acquisition D.J. Reed has been this season, his coverage skills have not been as proficient in recent weeks. He and Amik Robertson, who's been playing on the boundary in place of Arnold, have allowed far too many receivers to have big days against them. And it's certainly played a part in the slide of the defense.

I'd be remiss to not also mention that the Lions’ rush defense has had a hard time stopping anybody the past three weeks. In each of the team's last three contests, the opposing backs have totaled at least 158 yards on the ground.

The Lions, even while equipped with Hutchinson and Pro Bowl linebacker Jack Campbell, do not possess enough defensive talent to withstand the grind of a 17-game regular season.

As the season has progressed, the Lions have proven time and time again that they are not good enough – as currently assembled – to be a playoff team.

Consequently, serious work lies ahead for Holmes and the front office this offseason. They need to make a concerted effort to upgrade both sides of the ball, and most notably the offensive and defensive lines.

If Holmes & Co. fail to do so, Detroit will remain on the outside looking in of the playoff picture in 2026.

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