The Detroit Lions are searching for answers after a rough showing on offense in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. While fans have voiced frustration, what’s more concerning is that tension and mixed messaging appear to be emerging inside the organization itself.
Head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator John Morton have given different explanations for what went wrong. Campbell pointed to poor communication as the biggest issue, while Morton insisted that wasn’t the case. Their opposing viewpoints have reportedly filtered down to the locker room, creating some visible friction.
Morton publicly blamed pass protection as the key reason for the Week 9 loss, but some of his offensive linemen didn’t share that assessment.
“I think last week had more to do with their game plan than our actual offensive line play,” Graham Glasgow told reporters Thursday (via @burchie_kid). “They schemed us up really well.”
Fellow lineman Taylor Decker echoed a similar sentiment, adding, “It wasn’t like guys were just getting beat one-on-one. It was more about us not all being on the same page.”
Morton’s postgame comments have drawn criticism from fans and analysts alike, as many felt he deflected blame instead of taking responsibility. That attitude seems to be becoming a pattern — one that could prove toxic if not addressed soon.
The Lions’ offensive problems aren’t catastrophic yet, but the finger-pointing isn’t helping. Coming off a bye week, Detroit was expected to show improvement after extra preparation time, yet the opposite happened. Instead of finding solutions, the unit left the game with more questions about direction and accountability.
Statistically, the offense hasn’t been poor overall. The Lions currently rank 11th in total yards per game (350.8) and second in points per game (29.9), surpassing 30 points in four contests this season. Still, their inconsistency in key moments is concerning — particularly on third downs, where they sit at 25th in the league with a 36.3% conversion rate.
Star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown recently voiced his own frustrations, saying the offense needs to find a better rhythm. He hinted that if coaches aren’t open to feedback from players, improvement could be difficult to achieve.
From the outside, it’s starting to look like Detroit’s offensive issues run deeper than execution. The disconnect between coaches and players — and among the coaches themselves — might be a bigger problem than anyone anticipated.
