Dan Campbell came away from the Lions’ bye week feeling better about this team than he did a year ago.
That was the blunt takeaway from the Detroit head coach, who spent the break looking at the roster, the staff and where the Lions stand after the first five games of the 2026 NFL season. When asked whether the offensive line has to be the backbone of the team’s identity this year, Campbell tied that question directly to how he sees the group trending.
“It's very critical. Oddly enough, there are elements of when you think about, our bye's earlier this year than last year.
Last year was one of those rare years where we had it really right in the middle. But that being said, we went in and I don't remember what we were, but we had just won and seems pretty good," said Campbell.
"But there were some things that you could feel a little bit. And that in some regards I feel better going into this bye than even I did last year, because I know we're ascending and we're young and we're growing and that's exciting."
Campbell’s read on the group is tied to what he sees in the broader operation. Last season brought problems with offensive coordinator John Morton, which led Campbell to take over play-calling duties. Morton also drew criticism for publicly blaming players for offensive mistakes, a move that likely didn’t sit well in the locker room.
There were other warning signs, too. Detroit’s rushing game wasn’t efficient, and the offensive line looked as if it still hadn’t fully come together.
This year, Campbell sounds like a coach who believes the team is moving in the right direction rather than trying to patch over cracks.
“Sometimes you feel like you're topped off and maybe you're beginning to deteriorate because of issues worn down, age, whatever it is. So that's exciting.
I do feel like we're on the rise here a little bit. We've just got to keep getting better," Campbell said.
"We've got to keep testing ourselves. And look, we're in for the long haul now and it's really about to get geared up and the competition is about to really raise up another level, and it starts with Green Bay.”
In Other News...
Why The Lions Contender Hype Suddenly Looks A Lot More Real
Through six weeks, the Lions have started to look less like a team riding early-season momentum and more like one with a real path to staying in the NFC race. The numbers back up the eye test, too, with the offense and defense both showing meaningful improvement from where this group has been in recent seasons. Detroit has been efficient enough to keep pace with almost anybody, and the way the unit is functioning now suggests the ceiling is higher than many expected back in September.
A big part of the optimism is what still appears to be coming. The defensive front has shown more bite, the secondary has steadied in stretches, and the team is set up to get healthier after the bye with key pieces coming back into the mix. Add in a remaining schedule that does not look overwhelming, and the case for the Lions as a legitimate contender suddenly feels a lot less theoretical. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Face A Packers Threat That Looks Much Worse
Green Bay has spent much of its recent stretch looking like a team trying to find its footing on the ground while leaning harder on the parts of its offense that can still stress a defense. The Packers have battled inconsistency in the run game, but they remain dangerous in the vertical passing game, and their safety play has given them a sturdy backbone as they head into a matchup with Detroit.
For the Lions, that creates a very specific kind of problem. Detroit has struggled to handle deep shots, and the Packers have shown they can punish teams in those areas while also targeting the middle of the field with confidence. A few personnel changes could shape how much balance Green Bay can bring back into the offense, and that is what makes this matchup worth watching closely as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Sees Something Even Scarier In Penei Sewell
Penei Sewell has already built a rsum that would satisfy almost any lineman in the league, but the Lions still believe there is more room to grow. Since Detroit drafted him in 2021, Sewell has handled the move from right tackle to left tackle with ease, and coach Dan Campbell continues to talk about him like a player still on the rise rather than one who has peaked.
That is what makes Sewell such a fascinating piece of Detroits foundation. He is already a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL All-Pro, yet both he and Campbell see more improvement ahead, and Sewell has pointed to his daily battles with Aidan Hutchinson as a big reason he keeps pushing his level higher. For a Lions offense and team identity built on toughness up front, that kind of internal competition is exactly the sort of thing that can keep getting scarier. [Read more 🡒]