Dan Campbell Conducted A Detroit Lions Play-Calling Masterclass

Following Campbell’s directives, the Lions delivered a resounding 44-22 victory over the Washington Commanders. Scoring on eight consecutive drives, Detroit steamrolled the Washington defense. The Lions controlled the time of possession with lengthy scoring drives and found the end zone on each of their first three series.

A 10-play 78-yard touchdown drive was followed by a nine-play 65-yard touchdown, and then a nine-play 87-yard scoring drive. The Lions’ offense was operating so flawlessly that Lions’ Pro Bowl punter Jack Fox took the day off and didn’t need to punt the entire game.

Jared Goff, A Master Of Precision and Efficiency 

Sunday’s game was another brilliant MVP-caliber outing for Jared Goff.  He completed 25/33 passes for 320 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished the day with a 135.9 passer rating.

Operating behind a stalwart, retooled offensive line, Goff had plenty of time to work his magic. Distributing the ball to six different receivers, he completed passes to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Kalif Raymond, and Isaac TeSlaa.

Lions Success Begins With the Offensive Line 

Gibbs had his most dominant performance this season with two touchdowns on 15 carries for 142 yards and another 14-yard touchdown catch. Williams also had a season-high game with six receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown. 

Pleased with the way the offensive line responded after the previous week’s letdown, Campbell praised the entire unit during Monday’s media session, “OK, well, just start offensively, O-line responded in a big way. Deck (Taylor Decker) and Yode (Kayode Awosika), Graham (Glasgow) Ratledge, (Tate), and Sewell (Penei) played big-time ball for us. No sacks and then a 6.8 average in the run game. Those guys played well together, did a good job, and that really got us going, started us off.”

Lions Preparing For A Showdown With Philadelphia 

Although the win improves Detroit’s record to 6-3 and puts them atop the NFC North Division after the Green Bay Packers’ 10-7 loss on Monday night, the Lions face a brutal schedule this month. Up next is a Sunday night road game against the NFC-leading, Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 13, the Lions host the New York Giants, followed by the Packers on Thanksgiving Day.  

As they prepare for this week’s showdown against the Eagles, the offensive line will be the key to the Lions’ success. If Detroit continues to dominate in the trenches, the Lions’ high-powered offense should prevail against a very tough Eagles defense.

Stopping The Tush Push

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense, featuring Saquon Barkley, A. J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert, are one of the league’s most talented units. The Eagles can be very effective in converting on crucial plays, particularly with the added advantage of their highly successful tush push maneuver.

Over nine games, the Eagles averaged 24. 22 points per game. By comparison, within that same time frame, the Lions averaged 31.44 points per game. 

The Lions Must Not Fall Victim To The Eagles’ Defense

As talented as the Philly offense can be, a bigger concern is the Eagles’ dangerous defense. One critical pitfall to watch for is ball security and avoiding fumbles. Always an issue with Vic Fangio’s defense is their tenacity in stripping the ball. On Monday night, Eagles safety Reed Blankenship punched the ball loose, causing Packers RB Josh Jacobs to fumble, and the Eagles recovered.  

It was a rough night for the Packers’ elite running back. Newly acquired EDGE Jaelan Phillips introduced himself to the Philly fan base, shutting down Jacobs on another crucial 4th-down play. He limited Jacobs, one of the NFL’s elite running backs, to just 3.5 yards per carry for a total of 74 yards on 21 carries. Phillips, the five-year veteran, is a workhorse. On Monday night, he joined Nolan Smith, Jr., and Jalyx Hunt to play 78% (53 of 68) of the defensive snaps.

Will It Be Another Defensive Showdown or A Shootout 

There is little doubt that this prime-time matchup is one of the most highly anticipated games of the season. Campbell has been open about the challenge the team faces, stating, “We’ve got our hands full this week and we’ve got to be hitting on all three cylinders against Philadelphia because if we’re not, it won’t be enough.”

The Eagles’ superb defense shut down the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. On Monday night, they held the Packers to seven points. The Lions have demonstrated an ability to put more points on the board this season than almost any other NFL team. But they have yet to face the Eagles.

The true test of the team’s offensive ability could come down to Sunday night’s game. Campbell has stated that he relies heavily on input from all of his staff, especially OC John Morton and Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line coach Hank Fraley. Although he plans to call the plays once again, Campbell is going to need all hands on deck this week to put together a game plan and play-calling strategy that can defeat the Eagles.