Throughout the considerable success the Detroit Lions enjoyed over the previous two seasons, head coach Dan Campbell received his fair share of well-earned accolades.
However, with his team’s rocky 2025 campaign now officially one in which the Lions failed to qualify for the playoffs, the pendulum has started to swing the other way.
Detroit Lions Offense Goes Through Season of Fits and Starts
While the Lions do lay claim to a four-game winning streak this season, there have been ample signs the team’s offense simply hasn’t been as in sync as it was during its 15-2 juggernaut of a 2024 regular season, one in which they finished with an NFL-best PFSN Offense Impact score (91.6, A-).
The first sign came early, in the form of an ugly 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 1. However, the malaise that appeared to portend was quickly forgotten when Detroit roared back to hang 52, 38, 34, and 37 points on the Bears, Ravens, Browns, and Bengals, respectively, over the subsequent four weeks.
At that juncture, all was right again in the Motor City, and the replacement of current Bears head coach Ben Johnson with John Morton as offensive coordinator appeared to be a rousing success.
Yet, a 1-2 stretch in Weeks 7-9 that included losses to the Chiefs and Vikings led to Campbell taking over play-calling duties in an effort to spark an offense that averaged 21.7 points per game during that span.
The move paid immediate dividends in the form of a 44-point outburst against the Commanders in Week 10, and a pair of 34-point tallies (one in defeat), along with another 44-point showing, followed in three of the next four games as well.
Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd Hone In on Dan Campbell As Primary Culprit in Lions’ Struggles
Despite those multiple occasions in which it appeared Jared Goff and company had the proverbial train back on track, the last three games, which came at the most critical point of the season, proved different, although the defensive side of the ball was far from exonerated.
Detroit managed to put up 34 points in a memorable offensive slugfest against the Los Angeles Rams, but it gave up 41 to fall to 8-6. Then, a 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field particularly stung, given the Lions nearly pulled off a miracle touchdown on the final play and rushed for only 15 yards at 1.3 yards per carry.
Then came a stunning Christmas Day clunker that sank the Lions’ record to .500 and officially eliminated them from postseason contention. Detroit mustered just 10 points and a lowly 3.6 yards per play, while Goff took five sacks, threw a pair of interceptions, and lost three fumbles.
The vaunted backfield duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery struggled for a second straight week, netting just 68 yards on 30 carries, with Gibbs also turning the ball over.
The whimper of a finish, with a now-meaningless remaining Week 18 game notwithstanding, to a season that was expected to serve as the prelude to a deep playoff run, unsurprisingly led to criticism of the man in charge.
Notoriously controversial NFL analyst Skip Bayless chimed in shortly after the game and made the bold implication that where it all went wrong can be traced back to Campbell’s decision to take over the offense.
The beginning of the end for the Detroit Lions came when Dan Campbell took over play-calling and they lost their identity with him as the tone-setting tough-guy commanding officer.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 26, 2025
Meanwhile, “The Herd” host Colin Cowherd struck a similar tone, even while acknowledging Campbell and his team were dealt a tough hand with the multitude of injuries the offensive line endured.
Yes the Lions OL is beat up. Chargers though, are 11-4 and it’s been even worse ALL season. LAC were also down to RB number 3. Let’s be honest—Dan Campbell took over play calling, third down has regressed BADLY, the Lions just aren’t as sharp in key spots. Good news — great GM.
— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) December 26, 2025
Cowherd’s more nuanced take included the point about third-down inefficiency that does ring true. The Lions were just 11-for-29 (37.9%) on third downs in Weeks 16 and 17.
Furthermore, the Lions had already gone into Christmas with just a 79.9 (C+) PFSN Offense Impact score, a middling number compared to last season’s aforementioned NFL-best figure.
Injuries Up Front Also Played Role in Lions’ Downfall
The absence on Thursday of 2024 Pro Bowler Taylor Decker due to a shoulder injury he had been managing all season certainly didn’t help matters, and it was just the latest domino to fall for his beleaguered position group.
The Lions also lost tackle Jamarco Jones to a season-ending training camp ankle/Achilles injury, while Penei Sewell and Graham Glasgow battled numerous ailments throughout the season.
In the end, the combination of losing Johnson, Morton’s spotty track record as his replacement, key players operating at less than full health, and Campbell’s decision to pull double duty appeared to have conspired to produce a significantly underwhelming season relative to preseason expectations.
