The Detroit Lions are unfortunately the talk of the NFL for all the wrong reasons after their 23-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day. It’s scary to see how a team that was at the top of the NFC the same time last season has fallen so quickly and sharply after losing their offensive and defensive coordinators. Meanwhile, the team’s former offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, is in the midst of taking the Chicago Bears to the postseason.
There’s plenty of finger-pointing going on, and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is certainly in the hot season. No, he’s not likely to lose his job after this season, but Campbell has some explaining to do, especially since he’s the one who has been calling the offensive plays since early November. So, the Detroit Lions are missing the postseason for the first time since 2022, and the team’s situation is something of a hot mess.
Now, Campbell is getting blasted yet again for the Christmas Day loss. This time, he and the Detroit Lions are even being called “losers,” at least just for that game.
Detroit Lions Make ‘Losers’ Tally, Dan Campbell Called Out
With their Christmas Day loss, the Detroit Lions have now fallen to an 8-8 record and have dropped three straight games. Now, the Lions are being featured in USA Today Sports’ column highlighting Christmas Day “losers.” This author personally dislikes the term “loser” and don’t think it should be used for anyone. But, USA Today Sports disagrees.
In the piece, Nate Davis points out Campbell and the team’s hard times, stating, “His team came up small in its biggest game of the year, the Lions coughing up six turnovers in a game for the first time in 10 years. To think all they had to do was beat a limited Minnesota offense and an overmatched Brosmer.”
Davis adds, “Considering the offseason narrative that a team which went 15-2 in 2024 on the way to the NFC’s No. 1 seed would suffer without departed coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn? Yep, it clearly did.”
He also noted that Goff struggled during the game, stating, “It had to be his most disappointing day as a Lion given they needed a win to keep their hopes of a third straight playoff appearance alive. Better luck next year, dude.”
Harsh Words for Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell
Davis isn’t alone. In a piece for SideLion Report out on Christmas Day, Jason Kandel also points out the Campbell troubles.
As for Campbell taking over the offensive play-caller in early November, Kandel states, “While that decision initially paid dividends, their over-reliance on the run game and the play-action game was something Brian Flores was easily able to neutralize.”
He added that before the loss to the Vikings, “Motown was home to the third-best offense in the NFL in terms of both total yards and passing yards per game, and Goff surpassed 4,000 passing yards once again. But he was held to just 197 passing yards against the Vikings since he wasn’t able to use the run game as a crutch.”
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