Detroit Fans Meltdown After Watching Ben Johnson Outcoach the Eagles
When the Detroit Lions visited Lincoln Financial Field on November 16, hopes were sky-high. Detroit had won six of its previous eight matchups and was coming off a dominant 44–22 win over Washington. A victory over the defending NFC champions could have set them up as the conference’s top seed. Instead, their offense sputtered, finishing with only 74 yards on the ground and a meager nine points. What bothered people most was the lack of offensive adjustments against Philadelphia’s defense — a problem they rarely experienced in earlier seasons. For the first time, fans began to wonder: maybe losing Ben Johnson mattered more than anyone wanted to admit.
Ben Johnson steals the spotlight with viral halftime moment
Back in September, Detroit crushed the Chicago Bears 52–21, leaving the fanbase convinced the Lions had more than enough pieces even without Johnson’s influence. Talent seemed to trump coaching. But fast-forward to this week: the Bears marched into Philadelphia and absolutely pushed the Eagles around, piling up 281 rushing yards in a stunning 24–15 upset.
Detroit fans didn’t take it well. Social media was flooded with panic, frustration, and resignation — spiraling might not even capture it.
Johnson’s rise is part of a familiar NFL reality
Big success in the NFL comes with a cost: top assistants get hired away. Every franchise faces this challenge. You either build a plan to replace them or risk unraveling everything you’ve built. The Lions always knew Johnson wouldn’t be theirs forever. They had two possible paths: brace for his eventual exit by lining up a successor, or fire head coach Dan Campbell and promote Johnson. The latter would have sparked chaos — firing the coach who delivered an NFC Championship appearance and the best record the franchise ever had was simply unrealistic.
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The issue is that Detroit never truly committed to preparing for Johnson’s departure either. They didn’t have a groomed heir or a proven play-caller waiting in the wings. Instead, they chose John Morton, whose play-calling résumé wasn’t exactly inspiring. And now, the Lions are left feeling the consequences of that oversight.
