The Lions are being killed by their own culture

The Detroit Lions are having a bad season right now. To an extent, it's not a surprise. Losing Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, and Frank Ragnow in seemingly one fell swoop was a lot to undertake, and going into the season, nobody should have expected that the Lions would run it back with another 15-win season. But everyone expected better than 7-5 and being on the outside of the playoff picture at the end of November.

Everyone has their favorite thing to blame. Maybe you're an Aidan Hutchinson blamer. Maybe you're in the gang that believes Brad Holmes not getting any help on the defensive line was the issue. Maybe it's the offensive line having trouble, or maybe it's just good old-fashioned blame the quarterback for you. To me, it's not really any of those things. It's something much bigger.

The culture is the problem in Detroit right now

Don't take this the wrong way. The Lions don't have a culture problem in the sense that Dan Campbell has lost the locker room, or that the Lions are in-fighting, or any of that mess. It's the Grit, it's the aggressive play call, the rolls of the dice.

If you asked Dan Campbell about it today, he might say something to the effect of "that's who we are," and he would be right to a point. The Lions have gone as far as they've come in recent years because they weren't scared to take the gamble. They weren't afraid to fake a punt in their own territory against the defending Super Bowl champs, and they weren't afraid to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking a field goal against the Packers to end the game last year. The thing is, that team doesn't exist anymore.

The Lions have had way too many moments this season in which they had a fourth down where it was clearer than day that they needed to either punt or kick a field goal, and Campbell just refuses to play it safe and smart in those moments. I'm not saying never do it again, but I am saying that the Lions have gone 6-13 from fourth down since the bye week, and those six conversions were in Week 9 and Week 10.

On Thanksgiving, it cost them the game. It wasn't Huchinson, it wasn't Goff. It was those two fourth downs they didn't convert on. The first one, in their own territory, turned into a nearly immediate Packers touchdown that put the Lions down 10 points, and immediately killed the momentum they had at the end of the second half. The second one was an opportunity to kick a field goal and at least get the game to within seven points. They would get another drive afterwards. Who knows what happens then?

At the end of he day, Campbell has to realize that he's getting a fully healthy defense out there and despite these last two games, they have been one of the best units in the league. When you have everyone back out there, trust them. Punt when you need to punt. Stop giving teams opportunities in your territory. If you get in a spot to kick a field goal, do it. We've seen Bates hit from 50 plus. Use that guy. You're a different team now. Go with where a new culture can take you.

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Nov 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.