Dan Campbell isn’t pretending the Lions’ offense is above criticism, and that’s probably the most interesting part of what he said this week.
Detroit is 2-2, the defense has obvious problems, and yet Campbell didn’t spend much time pointing the finger that way. Instead, he put the spotlight on an offense that has still produced 29.8 points per game through four weeks, but hasn’t met the standard he wants.
“If you want to be great, they should want to score 35 points a game at minimum. That's what greatness is.
That's what they're charged with... We've got too much offensively right now.
Our quarterback's too good. Our playmakers are too good.
And we've got a young, hungry offensive line that's got a ton of room to grow.”
That doesn’t sound like a coach ripping apart his offense. It sounds like a coach who thinks there’s more in the tank, and he’s right about one part in particular: the penalties.
The Lions’ offensive line is young, and that inexperience is showing up at the worst times. Penei Sewell is the veteran voice of the group, but he’s only 25 and will turn 26 on Friday.
Tate Ratledge is still in his second year as the starting right guard. Christian Mahogany is in just his second season as a starter.
Blake Miller is a rookie. Juice Scruggs is handling the most snaps at center in his young career.
That kind of group is going to make mistakes, and Detroit paid for them in Week 4. Scruggs, Miller, and Ratledge all took penalties that repeatedly pushed the offense backward and wrecked field position. One Scruggs holding call in the first quarter was especially costly, wiping out an early drive in pretty ugly fashion.
Those are the sort of mistakes that can be cleaned up, which means there’s some responsibility on new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, too.
I didn't have Petzing on any sort of hot seat headed into Week 5 after this loss to the Carolina Panthers, and I still feel the same way. He's been miles better than John Morton in 2025, and is, at the very least, getting creative with both Goff and the Lions' receiving corp.
Even so, the slow starts are becoming a real issue. Detroit’s offense has to help cover for a defense with too many holes, and that starts by getting on top of opponents before the first defensive series even begins. Until the back end of the roster improves, the offense has to carry the load early and often.
Right now, the penalties are getting in the way of that. The Lions are giving away 56 yards per game through penalties, and most of that damage is coming from the offensive line. Experience should help as the season goes on, but at the moment the front looks a little out of sync - and, as the source material puts it, not quite motivated enough on offense with so little defensive resistance behind it.
In Other News...
Dan Campbell Just Put More Pressure On Detroit's Offense
The Lions have spent the early part of the season trying to keep pace in games that have turned into shootouts, and Dan Campbells message leaves little room for comfort. With the defense giving up big point totals in several outings, the coach made it clear that Detroits offense has to carry a heavier load if the team wants to stay above the middle of the pack and keep its bigger hopes alive.
Campbells benchmark is as blunt as it gets: the Lions need to be putting up at least 35 points a game to help cover for the defensive problems and give themselves a realistic chance to contend. It is the kind of standard that puts immediate pressure on every drive, and it also raises the obvious question of whether this roster can sustain that level long enough to matter in a playoff race. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Sam LaPorta Situation To Watch
The Lions and Sam LaPorta have put extension talks on hold after the sides were unable to find common ground early in the season, leaving one of Detroits most important offensive pieces in a familiar waiting game. For now, LaPorta is leaving the business side to his agent while he keeps his attention on helping the team, and Dan Campbell has made clear the organization still values what the tight end brings to the offense.
LaPorta has described the situation as a stalemate, but he has also sounded upbeat about the possibility of revisiting negotiations down the road. That leaves the Lions in a spot worth monitoring, because when a player has already established himself as a central part of the passing game, every pause in talks carries a little more weight than it might elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Holmes Keeps Facing The Same Lions Secondary Problem
At the 2024 NFL scouting combine, Brad Holmes made clear how much he values cornerback play, and the Lions general manager has kept acting on that belief ever since. Detroit has tried to patch up its secondary through the draft and free agency, bringing in Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in 2024 while also signing veterans such as Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, but the results have been uneven as injuries and inconsistent play have continued to complicate the picture.
Holmes has taken multiple swings at the position, yet the same problem keeps surfacing in Detroit: finding and keeping cornerbacks who can hold up over time. With players like Carlton Davis moving on and the secondary still a lingering concern, the Lions are left with a familiar question about whether the answer is simply adding more talent or finally solving the evaluation and retention side of the job. [Read more 🡒]