Right now, yes — Detroit is absolutely in a precarious spot. They’ve fallen out of the driver’s seat and now need outside help just to reenter the playoff picture. Their slump has opened the door for other NFC teams, and those teams have taken advantage. Chicago’s statement win over Philadelphia created even more distance in the division. With tough matchups ahead — including Dallas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Chicago — their margin for error is very thin.
1.) Are the Lions legitimately in danger of missing the postseason?
No question. Detroit sits two games behind Chicago for the division lead and trails Green Bay as well. Their playoff odds currently hover around 32 percent. Even finishing the year at 10–7 by going 3–2 the rest of the way might not be enough to secure a playoff spot. Unfortunately, the direction things are heading suggests they may fall short of the postseason in 2025.
2.) What’s gone wrong for Detroit in November?
Just about everything has unraveled at once. The offense has lacked rhythm, the defense hasn’t produced key stops, and even special teams have had issues. Detroit keeps stumbling at the start of games — they haven’t held a lead in regulation since Week 10 against Washington. Their trademark aggressiveness hasn’t paid off, either, making fans wonder if settling for points more often would help. Consistency has vanished, and every week brings a new problem.
It’s a mix of multiple shortcomings. The offensive line hasn’t protected well, Jared Goff lacks a reliable security-blanket receiver, and the defensive front has generated very little pressure. On top of that, both John Morton and Dan Campbell have struggled with play-calling. All of these issues feeding into each other explains the team’s recent downturn, and if things don’t get sorted out quickly, they’ll be watching the postseason from home.
3.) How do you view the Frank Ragnow situation?
First and foremost, it was unexpected. When the team announced his return, it seemed like any health-related obstacles had been handled. Given the roster deadline, the timing made sense, but it’s still disappointing. Ragnow is not only a talented center but also a strong presence in the locker room. With the offensive line already dealing with injuries, a rested Ragnow would’ve been a major boost. Now the bigger question is whether he’ll ever suit up for Detroit again.
Ultimately, it just wasn’t going to happen. And even if he had played, Ragnow wouldn’t have solved the deeper, multi-layered issues affecting both sides of the ball. He might’ve stabilized the line to a degree, but that alone wouldn’t have been enough to pull Detroit out of its slump
4.) Should Dan Campbell tone down the aggressiveness?
It’s hard to demand a total shift in philosophy because Campbell’s bold mindset has been a defining part of Detroit’s revival. He trusts his players to execute. Still, some improvement in situational awareness would help. Going back to the NFC Championship Game two seasons ago, every failed gamble is magnified. He’d be wise to take the easy points more often early in games, which could create more flexibility to be aggressive later.
Yes, he should. Fourth-down aggressiveness has increasingly hurt the offense and contributed to key losses, including the Thanksgiving defeat to Green Bay. This offseason, Campbell needs to hand play-calling responsibilities to a proven offensive coordinator. Morton wasn’t the answer, and Campbell’s own play-calling hasn’t been good enough. His focus should be on managing the entire team, not running the offense.
5.) Will the Lions respond with a strong showing against the Cowboys?
Typically, I’m reluctant to pick against Detroit after a loss — they haven’t dropped consecutive games since 2022, and Campbell’s teams usually respond well. But they barely escaped the Giants and could easily be on a three-game skid. Dallas is rolling and won’t make the same mistakes the Giants did, which makes a second straight loss very possible. I still trust the Lions’ resolve, but their recent volatility is concerning.
This is the least confident I’ve felt in Detroit’s ability to rebound in more than two years. Dallas has turned into one of the conference’s hottest teams, and at the moment, they might simply be better. Detroit can recover, but doing so requires their best performance — and based on their current level of play, that may be difficult to expect.
