Lions’ Linebackers Set the Tone in Statement Win Over Cowboys - and They’ll Need to Do It Again vs. Rams
The Detroit Lions didn’t just win in Week 14 - they made a statement. Against a high-powered Dallas Cowboys team, Detroit flipped the script with a physical, swarming defense that looked more like the unit we saw earlier in the season.
And at the heart of it all? The linebackers - flying around, punching at the football, and setting the tone for a team that knows the margin for error is razor thin down the stretch.
Yes, the offense found its rhythm again, but the real story was on the other side of the ball. The Lions forced three turnovers on the night - a massive swing for a defense that had been struggling to generate takeaways in recent weeks. The linebackers were the engine behind that resurgence, and head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hold back in praising their impact.
“We put a lot on our linebackers the other day,” Campbell said. “Some of those coverages we were playing, a lot of them put an enormous amount of stress on our linebackers.”
That stress turned into production. Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and rookie Jack Campbell were everywhere - reading plays, filling gaps, and attacking the ball with purpose. Barnes and Jack Campbell each forced a turnover, and Anzalone nearly joined the party with a forced fumble of his own.
Jack Campbell, in particular, drew high praise from his head coach for the way he hunted the football all night. “Jack almost got three more out,” Campbell said.
“He got his hands on three other ones. He’s going after the football.
He looks like he does in practice. He’s not just punching blind… he sees it.”
That kind of awareness and aggression is exactly what this Lions defense had been missing. Earlier in the year, Detroit’s ability to create turnovers was a key piece of their success.
But that edge had dulled a bit in recent weeks. Against Dallas, it came roaring back - and not a moment too soon.
Campbell emphasized that this wasn’t just about one game. It’s a mindset the defense needs to carry forward - especially with a dangerous Rams offense on deck in Week 15.
“Guys are going after the football and it shows. It pays dividends,” Campbell said.
“You go after the football, you see what you hit. You make a concerted effort.
One of your teammates gets him wrapped up, the other one comes in there and takes the ball away. Bite the football.
And we got to do it again.”
That’s the challenge now: sustain the intensity. Because next up is a Rams offense that ranks fourth in the league in total yards and can beat you in multiple ways.
Kyren Williams and Blake Corum form a one-two punch in the backfield that demands discipline and physicality from the second level. If the Lions want to slow down the Rams' ground game, their linebackers will need to be just as aggressive and fundamentally sound as they were against Dallas. That means filling lanes quickly, shedding blocks, and finishing tackles.
But it doesn’t stop there. With Matthew Stafford under center, the Rams can stretch the field through the air. For Detroit’s linebackers, that means staying alert in coverage, reading Stafford’s eyes, and being ready to jump routes or tip passes that can lead to game-changing turnovers.
The good news for Detroit? Their linebackers are heating up at exactly the right time.
Jack Campbell is playing with the kind of confidence and physicality the Lions envisioned when they drafted him. Barnes continues to bring energy and speed to the second level.
And Anzalone remains the steady veteran presence who ties it all together.
It’s no secret that this Lions team is built in the image of its head coach - gritty, tough, and relentless. When the linebackers are playing fast and physical, the entire defense feeds off that energy.
That’s what we saw in Week 14. And if the Lions want to keep stacking wins and make a real push in the NFC, they’ll need that same juice - and then some - against a Rams team that won’t go quietly.
The blueprint is there. Now it’s about executing it again.
Bite the football. Rally to the ball.
Make plays. The Lions linebackers are ready - and their time is now.