Lions Believe These Two Things Are Hurting Team

The Detroit Lions had some uncharacteristic mistakes against the Green Bay Packers.

Head coach Dan Campbell is now under the microscope due to the decision made to take over play-calling duties from John Morton.

Against a division rival, the Lions only had 10 players on defense on the field on the Packers opening drive of the game. They went on sore a touchdown.

Later, Campbell's squad was penalized for having an extra defender on the field in the second quarter. Again the Packers capitalized and scored a touchdown.

With Campbell having extra responsibilities on the offense side of the football, many are wondering have in-game decisions, clock management and team discipline been impacted negatively.

Detroit has not been known the last couple of years as being a team that shoots themselves in their own foot repeatedly.

Speaking with local reporters on Saturday morning, Detroit's fifth-year head coach was asked about the uncharacteristic mistakes in the home loss to the Packers.

“I think ultimately, where we have to get better collectively as a team in all three phases, which I’m responsible for, is our detail and our discipline," said Campbell. "That’s what’s bitten us here a little bit, and some of it happens early. We dig ourselves in a hole, we don’t get off to the start that we went offensively, certainly, and then we need the defense to put that fire out and it doesn’t quite happen early enough.

"Then we get back on our feet and find a way, but we have, we kind of dig ourselves a hole," Campbell added. "I think all the little things we talk about, and it really is those two words, man, detail and discipline. We have to be so much better, a ton better than we’ve been. We’re too inconsistent right now.” 

The former NFL tight end accepted responsibility for the errors, but will not relinquish play-calling duties, expressing he felt it was still in the best interests of the team for him to call offensive plays.

“It’s frustrating. Those are the things that get you beat. Those are the little things that we have complete control of that have nothing to do with talent, or anything like that," said Campbell. "That’s part of being disciplined, and there again, I’m totally responsible for those. That’s on my watch, and that’s not okay.

"It’s not okay that we have 10, or we have 12, or we’re lined up wrong, and I’m responsible for all of it," Campbell explained further. "We’ve not been detailed enough. There again, the discipline, it’s something that I plan on hitting head on."