Dan Campbell faced reporters after the Detroit Lions opened their season with a tough 27-13 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers. While clearly frustrated, the head coach kept his composure and stressed that the defeat wasn’t as bad as it might appear.
Detroit’s offense sputtered for most of the afternoon, failing to reach the end zone until the final minute. The red zone was a problem all day, with three early trips inside the 20 coming up empty. It was also the first official outing under new offensive coordinator John Morton, taking over after Ben Johnson’s departure—something fans were hoping wouldn’t result in early growing pains.
Campbell admitted he expected a sharper performance with two fresh coordinators and a revamped offensive line.
“We didn’t coach well enough, and we didn’t play well enough,” Campbell said. “Nobody likes to start the season with a loss. But as rough as it looks, it’s not exactly what it seems. If we clean up some mistakes at critical moments, it’s a completely different game.”
The Lions’ coach acknowledged that Week 1 serves as an early gauge of where the team stands, but emphasized growth and improvement moving forward. His track record backs up that confidence—the Lions haven’t dropped consecutive regular-season games since late 2022. With a matchup against the Bears up next, they’ll look to extend that streak.
Campbell even reminded everyone of Detroit’s slow start in 2022 when fans were calling for Ben Johnson’s firing after a 1-6 opening. The Lions eventually turned things around, and Campbell believes this squad will follow the same path once it finds its rhythm.
Still, some old concerns showed up against Green Bay. The pass rush struggled, big plays were scarce, and long drives often stalled. Jared Goff’s 32-yard strike to Sam LaPorta was the lone explosive highlight. Otherwise, Detroit spent nearly 17 minutes on two lengthy drives in the first half but managed just three points—one ending in a field goal, the other with an interception intended for Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Goff later praised Packers safety Evan Williams for the pick but admitted he should’ve placed the throw better.
Even late in the game, Detroit was hanging around until a sack pinned them deep in their own territory, setting up a Packers touchdown that effectively sealed the win.
Campbell credited Green Bay’s preparation but didn’t shy away from responsibility.
“They had a solid plan, but we also failed to execute. We adjusted and settled down in the second half, but offensively we just couldn’t generate enough. We need to be sharper and more precise in everything we do.”
