Dan Campbell addressed reporters with a mix of frustration and composure after the Detroit Lions opened the season with a 27-13 defeat to the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit didn’t reach the end zone until the closing minute, coming up empty on its first three red-zone trips. In the debut of John Morton as offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson’s departure, it was the sort of offensive stumble fans had hoped to avoid.
Campbell admitted he expected a much cleaner performance with the new coaching setup and revamped interior line.
“We didn’t coach well enough, myself included, and we didn’t execute well enough,” Campbell said. “As I told the players, it’s tough when you don’t come close to your best. You hate opening with a loss. But despite that, it’s not what it seems.
“I reminded them that once we review the film, it’s clear we had costly errors in key moments. Take those mistakes away, and the outcome feels different. The situation could have been completely changed. But we did make those errors, so now we’ll learn and correct them.”
Campbell added that the loss serves as a “barometer” of where his team stands, stressing the need to grow from it and improve going forward.
To his credit, Detroit hasn’t dropped consecutive regular-season contests since Weeks 7 and 8 of the 2022 season. With Johnson and the Bears arriving next week, they’ll aim to extend that league-best streak.
“This is the same thing that happened with AG and Ben,” Campbell recalled. “Back in 2022, we were 1-6. I think people wanted Ben gone. But it took time to settle in and build rhythm. You go through the process, learn from it, and find the right chemistry together.”
Yet, the offseason worries surfaced against Green Bay.
The Lions’ pass rush barely affected the game. The offense pieced together lengthy drives but couldn’t finish them while the game was tight, and explosive plays were scarce. Only one snap exceeded 20 yards — Jared Goff’s 32-yard strike to Sam LaPorta off play-action and busted coverage.
Late in the first half, Detroit controlled possession for nearly 17 minutes across two drives but scored just three points despite seemingly building momentum.
One drive ended with a short field goal after stalling in the red zone, while the other ended in a poor interception on a throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Goff credited Packers safety Evan Williams for the pick but blamed himself for missing outside placement, believing a better throw might’ve given St. Brown a shot.
Even after so many wasted chances, the Lions still had hope entering the final stretch.
But Goff was sacked inside his own 10-yard line on first down, forcing the Lions into survival mode. The Packers gained the ball in prime position and scored to seal it with eight minutes left.
“I thought their staff had a solid plan,” Campbell admitted. “They came prepared, though that doesn’t excuse our own mistakes. They had early answers, but we adjusted in the second half and put ourselves in position. Still, we couldn’t generate enough offense to close the gap.”
