Everyone remembers Campbell’s epic introductory press conference, when he passionately talked about building a team that would “bite a kneecap off.” Clearly, the former NFL tight end was looking to build a hard-nosed squad in his own image, but a lot of people just laughed at Campbell’s colorful language, failing to take him seriously. Consequently, Detroit’s execution of championship-caliber complementary football has exceeded expectations.
In jumping out to a 5-1 start to take sole possession of first place in the NFC North, the Lions rank in the top 10 in scoring, total offense and total defense. In fact, the team is thriving in all three phases, with one-time Pro Bowl punter Jack Fox regularly flipping the field with his booming kicks. Moreover, Detroit is evolving into a championship-caliber outfit that can win in various ways.
Offensively, the Lions have become a scoring machine under Ben Johnson. The savvy coordinator, who’s sure to be a hot head-coaching candidate in the offseason, has coaxed a spectacular resurgence out of Jared Goff. Coming to Detroit in the Matthew Stafford trade, Goff has played lights-out football over the past 17 games, completing 391 of his 578 passes (67.6 percent) for 4,473 passing yards with 29 touchdowns against just four interceptions. During this prolific stretch, he has exhibited the poise, playmaking and production expected from a former No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s playing at a very high level,” Campbell said this week to the assembled media. “He’s making the throws that are there, he’s seeing the field, and he’s exactly what we need and he’s doing exactly what we’re asking him to do. But I’ve said this before: He is an evolving quarterback. He’s developing, he’s been developing and he just keeps getting a little bit better, little bit better.”
Goff’s performance has been bolstered by a strong supporting cast that includes Pro Bowl wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, second-round rookie Sam LaPorta and a top-five offensive line that bludgeons opponents at the point of attack. The Lions’ massive O-line overwhelms all comers with its size, strength and physicality while setting the tone for the rest of the team with a nasty disposition. As a unit that engages in bully-ball tactics with violent finishes at the end of blocks, the offensive line has become the lifeblood of an attack that knows how to close out games via a run-centric approach that produces teaching tape on the four-minute offense. Running back David Montgomery, who relocated from Chicago to Detroit in free agency this past offseason, had emerged as a devastating hammer before he was sidelined by a rib injury in this past Sunday’s 20-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions will undoubtedly miss him in this weekend’s trip to Baltimore, but their fabulous front still gives the run game a platform for success.
With the Lions’ stout ground attack enhancing a play-action passing game that enables Goff to target intermediate voids in the defense, the 29-year-old quarterback has been able to seamlessly shift from game manager to playmaker, based on circumstances.
2023-10-20 23:04:00
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