The Detroit Lions are treating their offense with a lot of respect. They discovered this year that perhaps some of the things they were doing had become predictable, and that the defense had started to notice. As a result, now is the time to implement some significant adjustments. The best way to accomplish that is to bring in outside staff. By hiring both Drew Petzing and Mike Kafka, the Lions accomplished just that. The Lions now benefit from the expertise of three of the greatest offensive minds in NFL history.
Sean Payton and Dan Campbell
First, let’s talk about Sean Payton. Payton, as we all know, led the Saints to victory in the Super Bowl, but prior to that, in the early 2000s, he played a significant role in the Dallas Cowboys offense. One of Campbell’s offenses was as a tight end. The Saints consistently ranked among the league’s top teams in yards and points during his tenure in New Orleans, and his aggressive playcalling style carried over to Campbell. Payton is still doing well. Even in the absence of Drew Brees.
Norv Turner, Drew Petzing
On the Browns and Vikings staffs, Petzing worked alongside Turner and Kevin Stefanski for his first few seasons in the NFL. Turner is the man who helped establish the careers of Troy Aikman, Cam Newton, and Phillip Rivers. Recall when LaDainian Tomlinson established the NFL record for most touchdowns in a season? Turner was the one calling the plays for that. With Turner at the helm, the Chargers maintained their position as one of the league’s best offensive squads. Regrettably, that strategy failed during the postseason.
Andy Reid, Mike Kafka
Since Reid assumed the head coaching role there, the Chiefs’ offense has been outstanding. Alex Smith’s career saw a complete revival under Reid; it’s not just a Patrick Mahomes thing. Reid led the Eagles to the Super Bowl before Kansas City, and before that, he assisted Brett Favre and the Packers in Green Bay in winning a Super Bowl.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that these influences don’t guarantee that everything will be flawless. The Lions still have work to do to make it happen. However, it demonstrates that the Lions intend to maintain their offensive identity as a run-first squad while introducing a plethora of innovative concepts to help advance this.
