Dan Campbell wants the Lions to be hardened in three areas when the season begins: running the ball, stopping the run and situational football. Drew Petzing wants his offense to embody two traits: "Physical, tough."
"Those are the two biggest, because that's the nature of this sport," Petzing said Monday on 97.1 The Ticket. "I think if you're not those two things, you're going to struggle in this league."
And Penei Sewell says the emphasis running from the top down is simple: "It’s the standard, in everything that you do, from the way it’s taught to the way it’s done -- how it’s done, what, why. There’s no grey area. It’s either you do or you don’t, and if you don’t then you’re not a Detroit Lion."
The Lions padded up on Monday for the first time in camp. "And now it’s time to build real football," said Sewell. We'll find out over the next month whether Detroit's rebuilt offensive line is ready to roll. It was the strength of the team when the Lions rose into contenders in the NFC. It became a weakness last year when they fell to fourth in their division.
Penei Sewell on 1-on-1’s with Hutch, as his son Malakai stops by:
"Not everyone is able to go against someone like that in practice every day, just battling, so every time our rep's about to happen I know I gotta lock in. If I’m able to block that guy, I can block anyone." pic.twitter.com/G3InGcaA4d
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) August 3, 2026
"It’s a new year, especially this one. There’s a lot of new parts, not only for the team, but myself position wise," said Sewell.
The three-time All-Pro at right tackle is switching to the left, with first-round pick Blake Miller sliding into Sewell's former spot. Cade Mays is stepping into center after signing a three-year, $25 million deal. Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany are expected to take jumps at guard.
It starts on the ground, and "from the ground up," said Sewell. "It goes back to technique for O-linemen and then five working as one, and the run game is a testament to that."
For three years under Campbell, the Lions were known for pounding the rock. The Cardinals' offense was known for the same thing under Petzing. Arizona's rushing attack fell off last year amid a rash of injuries. Detroit's, while still explosive, wasn't nearly as consistent on a down-to-down basis as it had been in the past.
Getting back to a downhill, in-your-face identity on offense -- "big-boy ball," as Campbell calls it -- will go a long way toward deciding the Lions' fate this season.
"One of the things where I’ve challenged our guys, and I believe this, if you’re really good at running the ball you should be able to tell the other team you’re running the ball. And if they can’t stop it, that gets scary for a defense," said Petzing, "when they’re sitting there and they know it’s coming and there’s nothing they can do about it. I think that’s a little bit of a mindset, and a lot of execution and ability that goes into being able to do that."
In 2024, the Lions were one of the only teams that held the Cardinals under 100 rushing yards. On the other side of the ball that day, the Lions rushed for almost 200 in a 20-13 win. The impression the Lions made on Petzing is part of what eventually drew him to Detroit.
"As a fan of the sport, you watch around the league and you look at organizations that you respect or teams that play a certain way," he said. "We played the Lions in 2024 and it felt like a 12-round fight. It was one of the most physical games I've been a part of, a one-score game down to the wire.
"And being part of that game, watching them on TV, knowing (offensive line coach) Hank Fraley, having worked for him for a couple years and some guys that have come in and out of the building as coaches with Dan, just so much respect for how the organization operates, how they do things and the way they play football. The opportunity to be a part of that and have an impact on that was second to none."
