Dan Campbell
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell addressed his team's doubters Wednesday after the Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Detroit Lions shook off an ugly loss in their season opener, scoring 52 points in Sunday’s blowout win over the rival Chicago Bears.
While the win may have eased some fears about the team taking a step back following the departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, one analyst warns that there is still risk of a backslide for a Lions team looking to reach the Super Bowl.
Lions May Have More to Prove
The Lions looked like a version of last year’s team in Sunday’s big win, gashing the Bears on the ground and through the air. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 334 yards and five touchdown passes — three of them to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown — while the two-headed rushing attack of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each scored a touchdown on the ground.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote that it was a strong sign from the Lions, but not enough evidence yet to declare that all of their issues have been solved. Graziano said he has faith in head coach Dan Campbell’s new staff, but warned that they would need to find a way to make up for some big offseason losses.
“We have one bad and one good, so let’s see some more good before we assume all is well, right?” Graziano wrote. “I’m not necessarily as worried about John Morton’s ability to replace Johnson as offensive coordinator as I am about the interior of the Lions’ offensive line following the surprise offseason retirement of longtime center Frank Ragnow. It was the issues up front that were most worrisome in Week 1, and I think we need to see the reconfigured line in action for a few weeks before we decide whether it’s going to be able to hold up.”
Graziano added that the Lions have set the bar high, coming off a 15-2 season that ended with a bitter playoff exit.
“And remember, when we say ‘just fine’ about the Lions, we’re talking about Super Bowl contender fine. The standards are high in Detroit,” Graziano wrote. “The Lions could still be a very good team and not be the same kind of wagon they were on offense this past season. They also could still be elite on offense. I just don’t think we have enough evidence either way, and the interior offensive line questions leave some room to wonder.”
Dan Campbell Happy With Line’s Play
While the offensive line may be a concern over the course of the season, the certainty weren’t on Sunday. Campbell praised the unit, saying he was impressed with their play and credited them for the team’s overall success on offense.
“Well, look, it always starts with the O-line here,” he said, via SI.com. “It does and I would say probably most teams, and for sure us. When they play well, it really allows us to do a lot. It allows us to do a lot and that’s a prideful unit. There again, we had a couple of young guys in there that I thought played better, and they’re only going to get better the more reps they get. So, that was good to see.”