The Lions broke 50 points, 500 yards and the franchise record for yards per play last week against the Bears, and Dan Campbell felt like the offense could have -- should have -- been better.
During one stretch in the second quarter, Detroit's defense forced three straight turnovers only for the offense to come away with seven points. The Lions went three and out on the first two of those drives, the second of which started on Chicago's 37 and went nowhere.
The offense did score a touchdown off of the Bears' second turnover on downs, which came in the third quarter.
Asked Wednesday where the Lions need to improve this week heading into a showdown with the Ravens, Dan Campbell said on 97.1 the Ticket, "The most glaring thing that took place the other day just when you look at the totality of the team and what transpired was, man, we had a lot of missed opportunities off of takeaways.
"Man, our defense, you get two takeaways and two fourth down stops and we only come away with 14 points off of that, that’s not good enough. So that was my point to the team. And one of those was in plus territory. We have to capitalize on those, we do. When the defense gives you that and fights and scratches and claws to get a takeaway, you gotta turn those into points, so that’s where we can be a lot better and we’re going to have to be a lot better," Campbell said.
Still, the Lions' offense looked better across the board after an ugly showing in the season opener against the Packers. Particularly up front, the operation was cleaner. Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge, the two new starters at guard who struggled in Week 1, "played winning football," said Campbell.
"They were both much improved from game 1, and that goes with the whole O-line as well, and for the team. Good gosh, every one of us got better," said Campbell. "But Mahogany and Ratledge I thought really improved and I will tell you, it was the fundamentals, man. I thought we were all on point."
As much as it aided the offensive line to be able to communicate verbally back at home, "there’s so much of this that’s just about working through the kinks," said Campbell. "Their fundamentals, their techniques, their landmarks, they’re running off the football, man, they’re anchoring in pass pro, they’re passing off twists."
"So it was good, man. It was a step in the right direction. That's what you’re looking for, is just constant growth. It doesn’t all have to happen in one week and I don’t expect it to. None of us do. But just steady, constant growth," said Campbell.
A much bigger test looms for the offensive line in Week 3, on the road at Baltimore. It will be a measuring stick for the team as a whole. In their last trip to M&T Bank Stadium, the Lions were whipped 38-6 back in 2023. Asked how his team is better equipped to handle Lamar Jackson and the Ravens now, Campbell pointed to his defense and said, "Look, we're better on the perimeter, that's one."
"But I think also having faced that, it’s one thing to say or to see it on tape, but when you actually face it -- which we have a significant amount of guys that are still here that actually lived through that -- then you really know the task at hand," said Campbell. "You know the environment, you know what they’re made of. They're well-coached, I got a lot of respect for Coach (John) Harbaugh. Every year, man, they’re a tough team, they’re competitive, they’re rugged and they’re disciplined.
"This is going to be a good challenge and I’m looking forward to it, the guys are going to be looking forward to it."