Coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history, the Detroit Lions have felt like a disappointment this season. Their 5-3 record would suggest otherwise, but there are a couple of things that haven’t felt the same as they did a year ago.
The offensive side of the ball is the biggest difference, even if the stats don’t suggest it. The Lions rank second in the NFL with 29.9 points per game and seventh with 5.8 yards per play ahead of Sunday’s game at the Washington Commanders. But in the mind of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit hasn’t been the same group that had its foot on the gas on the way to the best record in the NFC one year ago.
While there have been several problems, offensive coordinator John Morton has been the epicenter, and as the season enters its second half, Campbell’s decision to hire him in place of Ben Johnson is a decision that’s still haunting the team.
Dan Campbell’s Gamble on John Morton is Starting to Backfire for Lions
While the Lions have been an overall success, there are several issues that have popped up over the first eight games. One of the biggest mysteries is why Jameson Williams hasn’t taken the leap in his fourth season. Another has been the on-and-off usage of David Montgomery in the backfield and the team’s lack of success on third down.
However, the biggest issue may have arisen during last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. With Brian Flores throwing everything he could to rattle Jared Goff, the Lions couldn’t handle it, allowing Goff to be pressured on 42.9% of his dropbacks according to Pro Football Focus.
With each issue, Campbell has hinted at discussing with Morton, but not much has actually changed. Williams is still a mercurial talent, just as likely to have a long touchdown reception to no catches at all. Montgomery has seen an increased workload since Campbell’s discussion, but it’s led to Jahmyr Gibbs being put in tough situations, including 15 pass-blocking snaps with seven pressures last week.
But the most concerning thing is that Morton doesn’t sound like he’s concerned. When Graham Glasgow and Taylor Decker voiced their issues this week, Morton pointed his finger back at the players, simplifying it as the offensive line “getting beat.”
“It’s just a matter of some guys getting beat,” Morton said via SI’s John Maakaron. “That’s all it is, man. I’m just telling you. When you look at it over and over and over, it’s one or two guys that are just breaking down. We’ve got young guys, they’re still learning, and they really shouldn’t be because, man, we’re halfway through the season. Everybody’s a vet. And we’ve addressed it.”
Perhaps these are issues that Campbell should have seen coming. Morton’s previous stint as an offensive coordinator ended after just one season with the New York Jets in 2017 and while the unit has performed well statistically, it may have been worth sticking with some continuity as he did on the defensive side of the ball with Kelvin Sheppard replacing former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Tanner Engstrand would have been the most logical candidate had Campbell gone that route as the Lions’ passing game coordinator from 2023-24. While Engstrand has struggled after following Glenn to become his offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, he may have had better success had he stayed in Detroit with the knowledge of the players and system that made the Lions successful under Johnson.
Alas, the Lions went with Morton, and one of the bigger challenges of the second half is to find a way to rectify Campbell’s decision.