DETROIT (AP) — Coach Dan Campbell thinks it was easy to see what went wrong for the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s 27-13 season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Fixing it, though, is going to be much tougher.
The Lions didn’t force a turnover or record a sack and scored their only touchdown with 55 seconds left in the game.
“We were off on a lot of things that are just fundamentals,” he said Monday. “It is really that simple. There’s nothing easy about fixing it, but it is that simple to diagnose. The only way to fix it is to just get back to work.”
The problem started with the — a running game led by a tough O-line ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. It finished with 46 yards on 22 carries and didn’t get into the end zone.
Last season, the Lions rushed for at least 100 yards in 16 of their 17 games and also had a rushing touchdown in 16. The last time they had failed to do either was Oct. 15, 2023, when they ran for 40 yards and no touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They won that game 20-6, thanks to 353 passing yards and two touchdowns from Jared Goff and a swarming defensive performance. Against the Packers, Goff threw for 225 yards, and the defense allowed three touchdowns.
“You have to master bread and butter before you can start putting other things on the plate,” Campbell said. “The rest doesn’t matter if we can’t run the ball for more than 2.1 yards per carry. If we can’t, we’re out of our play-action game and defenders can just pin their ears back and come after us.”
What’s working
The rush defense wasn’t bad, holding Green Bay to 78 yards on 25 carries. The longest rush was only 15 yards and the Packers didn’t get a rushing touchdown until the fourth quarter.
What needs help
Sunday was supposed to be a renaissance for the Lions’ pass rush, with Aidan Hutchinson finally back from last season’s broken leg. No one seemed to have told the Packers’ offensive line, though. Not only did Detroit not record a sack, it hit Jordan Love only twice on 22 pass attempts.
Stock up
Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa’s NFL debut was spoiled by an illness that cost him most of last week’s practice time. As a result, he was on the field for only three offensive plays and had only one pass thrown his way.
He made the most of it, though, making a spectacular one-handed catch for Detroit’s only touchdown.
Stock down
The Lions knew they were going to need a big performance from a very young offensive line, but it didn’t happen. The running game struggled and Goff was sacked four times. It could have been worse if hadn’t been on a limited play count.
Injuries
Cornerback Terrion Arnold left the game with a groin strain. Campbell said he doesn’t believe it is a serious injury, but he doesn’t know if Arnold will be back next week against the Chicago Bears.
Key number
694 — The number of days since the Lions rushed for fewer than 2.1 yards per carry — all they were able to manage against the Packers.
Next steps
Get ready for what has become a crucial NFC North matchup against the Bears and new head coach Ben Johnson, the architect of Detroit’s high-flying offense during Campbell’s reign.
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