Lions Should Be Proud, But It Was Just the Bears

“We knew coming into this game that this is personal - really all these games (are) personal. But this one was just, we felt like we’d been betrayed from the staff to the players,” the Pro Bowl safety said after the game about facing Johnson. “And we love Ben, we still love Ben. He’s a great coach, he’s a great mastermind. But yeah, it was time to get after him.”

Furthermore, the Lions proved they didn't miss Johnson one bit in the explosive offensive effort. 

For starters, Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff played lights out football, throwing for five touchdowns and recording an ultra impressive 94.1 QBR. He led the Lions down the field with ease all game long, and re-established himself as one of today's most proficient quarterbacks.

Additionally, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams each had electric performances. They were each matchup nightmares for Chicago's secondary, and both exceeded 100-plus receiving yards in the Week 2 contest. On top of all that, St. Brown recorded three touchdown catches for the first time in his NFL career. 

Plus, the Lions got back to their bread and butter: running the football. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs each rushed for at least 5.2 yards a carry along with a touchdown. Gibbs led the way with 94 yards on the ground, including an astounding 7.8 yards per rushing attempt.

Detroit's aforementioned two-headed monster in the backfield also helped the organization set a record for yards per play on offense (8.8).

Not to be outdone, the Lions also produced a game with 500-plus total net yards, five passing touchdowns and two rushing scores for the first time in franchise history Sunday.

And all of this occurred with John Morton – not the offensive mastermind Johnson – calling the plays for Detroit's offense.

It was a great and much-needed bounce-back performance for Morton's unit – which accounted for just 13 points a week ago – and Dan Campbell's squad as a whole.

The Lions, on both sides of the ball, were motivated by Johnson’s presence on the opposite sideline. 

Detroit, however, won’t get to play its former offensive play-caller every week. 

At some point, the emotion of the moment gives way to the grind of the schedule, and Campbell & Co. must prove they can replicate their strong play against opponents that aren’t mired in transition.

If fans want to know where the Lions truly stand, they won’t get their answer from Week 2. Instead, they’ll get it next Monday night, when they square off with two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. 

Baltimore is the class of the AFC North, a team built to win double-digit games and compete for a Super Bowl every year.

The Lions also have a history of struggling against dual-threat quarterbacks, and Jackson, an elite mobile passer, proved to be a thorn in Detroit's side the last time the Ravens and the Lions met (Week 7 of the 2023 season). 

In the aforementioned tilt, Jackson completed 21-of-27 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Plus, he accumulated another 36 yards and an additional score with his legs.

That game exposed Detroit’s defense, particularly its difficulty in containing athletic QBs who extend plays. 

If first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s unit can hold its own this time, it will mean significantly more than what it accomplished in Week 2.

None of this is to suggest the Lions shouldn’t enjoy their home-opening rout. 

Winning in the NFL is hard, and doing so in a blowout provides confidence and momentum. 

However, there’s a danger in overstating what it really means. Championship teams are judged by how they perform against the best, not how wide their margin of victory is against middling rivals.

Campbell knows this, and his messaging after losses has been consistent: the standard is higher now in Detroit. 

With Super Bowl-or-bust expectations firmly attached to this roster, victories over struggling franchises like Chicago are no longer cause for celebration – they’re the baseline.

The Lions showcased Sunday they can still overwhelm an opponent when everything clicks. 

Yet, until they prove it against a heavyweight, Week 2 should be viewed more as a reset than a revelation. The real litmus test for Detroit will come against Baltimore, when it has a chance to measure itself against one of the NFL’s elite franchises.

If the Lions emerge victorious then, the Super Bowl chatter will feel deserved. However, until that occurs, fans would be wise to keep the Bears blowout in perspective.