The Detroit Lions are coming out of their bye week with a 5-2 record, and one of the most impressive aspects of their start is that it has happened despite the addition of two new coordinators. Kelvin Sheppard has been a resounding success as defensive coordinator and may be in line for a head coaching job as soon as this winter. But offensive coordinator John Morton has been more of a work in progress as the Lions head toward the second half.
Morton has had a lot of things go right in the first half, helping Detroit rank eighth in yards per game and third in points per game over its first seven contests of the season. However, some things need to be corrected as head coach Dan Campbell pointed out when speaking to reporters on Monday, including the need for the Lions to perform better on third down.
“I know some of it has been we have not converted like we should on third down,” Campbell said, via the Lions' official YouTube page. “Third down is the most glaring thing right now. We have to be better. I mean…it’s right there. So those are things that Johnny [and I] looked at and that’s been the focus. The big focus for us is, making sure we can find a way to convert.”
Dan Campbell Sends Clear Message on Lions’ Third-Down Woes
While Campbell noted the Lions’ offense has performed well as a whole, he’s right to point out third down as a collective issue. The Lions are 21st in the NFL with a 37.6% conversion rate on third down after their first seven games. While they’ve made up for it by going 8-for-13 (61.5%) on fourth down, Campbell stressed the importance of everyone getting their assignments correct to earn a fresh set of downs a play earlier.
“It starts there, but it’s also, man, it’s one player here, it’s one thing there, it’s one misstep,” Campbell continued. “It's, you know, everybody’s doing it right. One guy misses on the assignment, and then we got to the next play and now that guy got it right with the other nine [guys] but another guy missed his [assignment] and that hurts, you know? But that’s what happens. You get in the rhythm. You get in the flow. You do your job and then pretty soon, we’re clicking. So nothing to panic over, but there’s certainly room to improve.”
Third downs may be one aspect, but Campbell has also hinted that other adjustments may be coming after the bye. David Montgomery’s role has been a hot topic, and Campbell has suggested that he would get involved to get his veteran running back more involved alongside Jahmyr Gibbs after logging just 17 carries for 45 yards in the two games before the bye. Jameson Williams has also had a disappearing act, catching 17 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns after logging his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2024.
The adjustments will need to begin with Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings and carry through the second half of the season if the Lions want to continue to compete in a crowded NFC playoff picture.