The Detroit Lions are gearing up to travel and play the Washington Commanders as they seek to bounce back following a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC North tilt.
It wasn't a showing to write home about for the offense in Detroit's loss to Minnesota, and that was a topic of discussion this week. On Nov. 3, head coach Dan Campbell addressed areas where he felt the offense could improve, including getting Jahmyr Gibbs out in space more rather than having him spend time in pass protection.
And as the week progressed, it looks like Campbell and Morton aren't on the same page. On Sunday, Campbell said one thing, via Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, "Listen, we did not handle some of the communication well. ...That’s the bottom line. We’re better than that. We just are.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Morton preached a different tune as he said, via Pouncy, "Our communication has been really good, ever since the Green Bay game. It's been really good."
And based on these two comments, it appears that these two aren't on the same page at all when it comes to this offense.
Campbell and Morton's Offensive Opinions Contradict One Another
While the Lions' offense has found success this season, there are still areas for improvement. Having Gibbs, a 202-pound running back, stick in as a pass protector is one concern. Another area where immediate improvement is necessary is on the outside, as Jameson Williams must be incorporated into this offensive attack in a more meaningful way.
No team is perfect, but the offensive coordinator position on the coaching staff was a massive topic over the offseason once Ben Johnson left town. The Lions zeroed in on Morton as the replacement, yet some concerns remain despite the first half of the 2025 campaign being in the rearview mirror.
Every team inside the NFC North is at least 4-4 or better. That only makes the margin for error that much thinner for this Lions team, so it's natural that any problem is going to be nitpicked.
This weekend's matchup against the Commanders seems to be a golden opportunity for this offense to put forth a dominant showing. Washington is 28th in the NFL in total defense (377.8) and 24th in scoring defense (26.2). Just last week against the Seahawks, Washington allowed Sam Darnold to go 21-of-24 for 330 passing yards and four passing scores.
Following the Lions' performance last week, which rightfully received its fair share of scrutiny, this matchup presents Detroit with a chance to bounce back. It's clear that Campbell wants more from this unit and called out some areas that Morton needs to improve upon.
It isn't ideal when your head coach and offensive coordinator are presenting different opinions to the media, but that's the case for Detroit this week. It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds going forward.