If I were to ask you two years ago if the Detroit Lions would ever be good, you would say “no,” as would anyone in their right mind. This season is proving that things can change though; the once 3-13-1 Lions are now 6-2, heading into their bye week two seasons later.
Now this begs the question: What changed? We have the same quarterback, head coach and the same angry fans, so what happened? The way I see it, all it took was a culture change. The Lions’ Head Coach Dan Campbell arrived in 2021 with many Detroiters upset with the decision – until Campbell started going after kneecaps.
Campbell has a combined record of 18-23-1 as head coach of the Lions. This may not look good on paper, but Detroit finished last year with a winning record of 9-8 and are 6-2 so far this year. Clearly something shifted in the Lions locker room – and the whole state is here for it.
With the Lions in sole possession of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division heading into their bye week, what’s worked so far for them, and what hasn’t? Quite frankly, the Lions rookie class for the 2023 season has been exceptional so far, with standouts being tight end safety Brian Branch and up and comer running back Gibbs.
The Lions would not be where they are right now without their veterans though. Jared Goff has been a mastermind out on the field, almost always throwing with both poise and purpose. This allows players like the aforementioned LaPorta and other pass catchers like Amon-Ra St. Brown to find success on the field.
Defensively, this Lions team still leaves a little to be desired. Especially week seven, where Detroit fans were put through an onslaught of Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. In my opinion, the Lions just got a little complacent with their 5-1 start and maybe took the Ravens a little less seriously than they should have. They also took care of business against a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team the following week, so it seems like they’re back on track.
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