Dan Campbell liked the win, not the run game. After the Detroit Lions beat Green Bay 20-17 on Monday and moved to 4-2, he said the offense still has work to do on the ground and called for better execution in a phase he believes is still paying off slowly.
The numbers explain why the concern lingers. Detroit gained 119 yards on the ground and averaged 3.6 yards per carry, enough to help close out a divisional game but not enough to make the rushing attack feel settled. Campbell said the Lions are investing a lot right now in the run game and need to be better there, even after a result that pushed them to 1-0 in the NFC North.
That is why the scrutiny lands now. The Lions have played well on defense in two straight games, but the offense has not yet matched that steadiness in the run game. Campbell said the issues are fixable with better technique and fewer missed assignments upfront, and he pointed to youth as part of the reason the operation still breaks down at times.
He also gave a clear reason for optimism. Campbell said getting center Cade Mays back will help, and that fits the larger picture he laid out Monday: the run game has flashed, but it has not been consistent enough to remove doubt from the tape. That is the gap Detroit still has to close before the schedule tightens again.
Campbell's postgame praise showed how much of the roster helped him survive a close finish. He called out Khalil Dorsey, D.J. Reed, Chuck Clark, Tyleik Williams, Aidan Hutchinson and Brian Branch for their defensive play, singled out Jared Goff for playing at an elite level, and pointed to Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright for their work. He also said DeAndre Carter nearly broke long returns in both the punt and kickoff games, highlighted DJ Wonnum's block of the late Green Bay 35-yard field goal try, and said Eric O'Neill and Jimmy Rolder had big games on special teams.
For Detroit, the win buys time, not comfort. The Lions are 4-2 and back in control of their division race, but Campbell's message was plain: the ground game still has to sharpen up before unbeaten Minnesota arrives Sunday at Ford Field.
