National media finally gives John Morton credit after Lions' offensive explosion

The Detroit Lions have consistently been the best offense in football for the last few seasons, but coming into the 2025 season, there were questions about whether or not the standard could be maintained.

A change in coordinators left folks wondering all offseason, and an ugly Week 1 loss only fueled the fire. Since, though, the Lions have turned things around impressively. At 4-1, they are tied for the best record in the league. Best yet, their offense has remained explosive under John Morton.

Entering the season, Morton was seen nationally as one of the most controversial assistant coach hires given his track record with the New York Jets, and folks wondered if the Lions would take a step back. That hasn't happened, and finally, the franchise is getting some love for their decision making.

Analyst Jeffri Chadiha admitted the error of his ways in an NFL.com piece discussing narrative shifts early in the season. As he revealed, his eyes are now open as it relates to the viability of Morton's offense.

"So much for all the questions about Ben Johnson’s departure in Detroit. It looked rough in a season-opening loss to Green Bay, but the Lions have rolled offensively since that point with Morton calling the plays. Detroit had the league’s highest-scoring offense last season. It still holds that honor through five weeks this season. That offense has been especially potent over Detroit’s last four contests, as the team has averaged 40.3 points per game."

As Chadiha pointed out, the Lions always had elite players and a solid infrastructure of leadership, which is part of the reason skepticism was always quite baffling.

"In retrospect, it was silly to think about the Lions' offense taking a significant step back, given all the talent Morton has at his disposal. Detroit has at least one Pro Bowl-level player operating in every part of its offense. There is a major challenge coming next weekend with a road trip to Kansas City, but the Lions should come in feeling confident. This offense is as lethal as it’s ever been."

With tons of elite players at his disposal, Morton has found a way to keep the train on the tracks. While praise wasn't easy to come by months ago, now, pundits have become a believer in Morton's ability to scheme openings for his talent after seeing his work pay off.

Trey Wingo believes Lions have taken coordinator criticisms personally

Why have the Lions been successful? Not only are they well-led and talented, but they have a chip on their shoulder. Like Chadiha, Wingo has become a believer in how the Lions have kept things rolling this season, and recently admitted he may have jumped the gun on worries about the franchise.

Specifically, Wingo said on "Straight Facts Homie!" that he believes the Lions watched the media's offseason criticisms closely and took the slights to heart. The swirling narratives may have only motivated them to greater heights.

READ MORE: Despite big game, Amik Robertson blames himself for Lions' ugly defensive finish

"When I say they take it personal, I think they've heard everything of what people have said. 'Well, Ben Johnson's been such a wizard, and you know, he's the hot shot head coach, and now he's going to Chicago, and he's going to take all that wizardry with him.' Apparently, there's been plenty of wizardry left. Again, they are the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL. They're trying to do that two years in a row. The last time they did it, (New Orleans) Saints, 2008 and 2009, with Drew Brees and Sean Peyton, and they're basically doing anything they want."

If Morton's offense is able to remain atop the league, it will be a significant accomplishment. Perhaps by then more folks will join Chadiha and Wingo in realizing the error of their ways from last summer.