The Detroit Lions suffered their first loss of the season in Week 2, falling 20-16 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A critical error occurred at the end of the first half when the Lions, at the Buccaneers’ 17-yard line, failed to manage the clock.

Jared Goff completed a pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, but as the offense attempted to spike the ball, the field goal unit rushed onto the field, resulting in a “too many men” penalty. This misstep ended their chance for a field goal before halftime.

NFL analyst Jeremy Reisman gave the Lions’ coaching staff a failing grade for this blunder. He criticized the lack of communication and preparation, emphasizing that head coach Dan Campbell should not be let off the hook despite taking full responsibility.

Reisman also questioned the offensive game plan, noting that Goff threw the ball 55 times compared to just 27 rushing attempts, despite the Lions finding some success on the ground.

Reisman attributed much of the team’s red zone struggles, where they went 1-for-7, to poor play-calling rather than player execution. While the Lions have typically been strong in the red zone under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, this performance was an exception.

Brad Berreman, another NFL writer, also criticized Campbell and Johnson, naming them among the “losers” of the game. He highlighted how the Lions’ failure to secure a field goal before halftime changed the game’s outcome, as only a touchdown was needed in the final drive.

Berreman suggested that the Lions’ offense being out of sync might be due to the starters not playing in the preseason, and hinted that Johnson may have been figured out by opposing teams.