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Campbell's change could be competitive edge Lions were missing

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Campbell's change could be the competitive edge Lions were missing

By Conor Killmurray | Last updated Nov 10, 2025 8:55 AM ET

The Detroit Lions offense is not quite the same powerhouse unit it was last season. On Sunday, though, head coach Dan Campbell looked to correct that by taking the direction of the offense into his own hands.

Dan Campbell orchestrated the Lions' impressive performance

According to NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo, he saw Campbell with a play sheet and talking into the headset in between plays early in the game against the Washington Commanders. Per Garafolo, this came after recent indications of a disconnect between Lions offensive coordinator John Morton and the rest of the players.

At halftime, Campbell confirmed with Fox sideline reporter Megan Olivi that he's calling the plays now because he wanted to mix things up. While it's just one game sample size, Campbell has to be happy with his playcalling after the Lions beat the Commanders, 44-22, and put up 546 total yards of offense.

"It was just, let's try something a little different," Campbell said in a postgame news conference when asked about his decision to take over play calling. "Look, I know what I want to do and how I want to do it. Now, that being said, this is a collaborative effort; I was taking input from John Morton that whole time, and from the other coaches."

Coach Campbell on the offensive playcalling today pic.twitter.com/aXphyN24uh
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 10, 2025

Heading into Week 10, the Lions' offense was averaging 372.4 yards per game and fell to the Minnesota Vikings, 27-24, in Week 9, even with 305 yards of total offense. There are plenty of NFL teams that would relish averaging over 300 yards per game and remaining competitive, but the Lions have bigger aspirations than just being competitive.

Campbell wants his team to win a Super Bowl and not to falter in the playoffs like they did against the Commanders last season. And having an elite offense is an essential piece of the championship puzzle.

Lions offense played like the juggernaut it was last season

In 2024, the Lions had the second-highest average yards per game (409.5) and the highest average points per game (33.2). That was under the previous offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who left for the Chicago Bears head-coaching job in the offseason.

So, it's not surprising the Lions offense hasn't looked quite the same, and it's not surprising Campbell wasn't going to settle for good enough. According to the broadcast, the Lions' Week 10 performance was the seventh time they've had over 500 yards of total offense since 2022.

Against the Commanders, quarterback Jared Goff had one of his best performances of the year, throwing for 320 yards and connecting on three touchdown passes. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 142 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns.

JG was dealin' in DC pic.twitter.com/zm03fUOmHh
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 10, 2025

When the Lions are at their best, Goff is highly efficient, and either Gibbs or David Montgomery is lighting up the box score. Of course, the Commanders' defense is banged up and has given up 394.6 yards per game.

It was the right team for the Lions to have a "get right" game, and it was the right team for Campbell to prove his play-calling ability. It could be the catalyst for the Lions to be the best team in the NFC again.

"I just wanted to change it up a little bit," Campbell reiterated. "Let's just see if maybe a different play caller can maybe get us a little rhythm, that's all. And it's honestly nothing more than that ... we made a change, and it was good for today."

Conor Killmurray

Conor Killmurray is a long-suffering fan of New York sports, particularly the Giants and Mets—a potent combination for heartbreak, if you ask him. He graduated from West Chester University with a degree in English and enjoys searching for the most interesting sports stories to write about.

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