Agree…
When ARSB, Dan Campbell and Morton keep preaching we need more explosive plays, too many people immediately assume they mean more deep bombs downfield…… That’s not how I see it.
When the Lions talk explosive play it is a run of 10+ yards or a pass of 16+ yards….anything that flips field position, creates rhythm, and breaks a defense’s back.
Last year under Ben Johnson, we ranked 2nd in the NFL in total explosive plays. Through the first half of this season under Morton, that number’s dipped… especially in the run game. And that’s the piece they’ve been hammering during the bye.
We’re only converting 37.6% of our 3rd downs this year and just 39.1% when it’s 4-6 yards to go. That’s brutal for a team built around staying on schedule. When Campbell says he wants to be better on 3rd down, that’s not coach speak….. that’s an acknowledgment that our identity has been off.
The offense isn’t broken. It’s just been too methodical, too predictable, and too reliant on perfect execution. You can see it in the tape….fewer plays with chunk yardage, more drives stalling around midfield. During the bye, they self scouted the hell out of this. I expect changes today….. Like the following
More perimeter runs they’ve been setting this up for Gibbs to hit the edge for those 12-15 yard chunk gains.
More intermediate throws 15–20 yards not necessarily bombs, but timing routes that stretch zones.
More Jameson Williams the staff’s hinted he’ll be more involved on third down and in motion looks to create mismatches.
Better Play Flow Campbell even said…..we haven’t played a complete game yet! ….That’s him calling out all three phases… including Morton’s play calling rhythm.
You’ll probably see a few new wrinkles they’ve held back… maybe some tempo changes, maybe some misdirection, but definitely an emphasis on getting those explosive gains back
And on the flip side don’t sleep on the defense’s side of “explosives.” Wr gave up too many of them before the bye. Expect tighter coverage shells and a more disciplined rush to limit what Minnesota can do downfield.
If we can pair our explosive offensive plays with shutting down theirs….. the Lions walk out with momentum and a statement win in the North.
Bottom line….. p
This team doesn’t need more hero ball. They need more impact plays that keep drives alive, flip field position, and break opponents spirits. That’s what they worked on all bye week, and that’s what I expect to see today.
I dont know about you but I’m excited to see what we do today.