The Detroit Lions are not playing the same kind of dominating regular-season football that they did a year ago. Head coach Dan Campbell's team resembled a steam roller as the Lions won the NFC North title. They also finished the season as the No. 1 seed in the conference's playoff structure.
They were clearly the best regular-season team in the conference, but that did not carry over into the playoffs. The Lions lost their divisional playoff matchup with the upstart Washington Commanders by a 45-31 margin. The defense had been torn apart by injuries and that kept the team from performing at a peak level in the postseason.
This season, the Lions dropped their opening game to the Green Bay Packers, a road game to the Chiefs and lost their Week 9 home game to the Minnesota Vikings. That was something of a shocking performance because the Lions were coming off their bye week. They had beaten the Vikings in their five previous meetings.
Vikings were desperate against Lions
However, the Vikings were fighting to rescue their season and they evened their record at 4-4. If they had fallen to 3-5, their season would have almost certainly have been an attempt to regain respectability and their playoff aspirations would have been nothing but a desperate longshot.
The Vikings had been beaten physically in their previous losses to the Lions. Campbell's team had taken it to the Vikings in each of those games. They pushed the Vikings around and getting the best of them with their strength and skill.
Minnesota was not going to let that happen in a make-or-break game for their season. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell found a way to rally his team and not let the Lions intimidate them. The Vikings were able to match Lions physical game by scoring on their first possession, much as the Lions had done on their opening possession. The Lions had sent a message for the last three seasons that they were the toughest team in the NFC North and that anyone who wanted to compete had to stand up to the Lions.
The Vikings did that in one game, but it doesn't mean they have gained control of the series.
Opponents are now prepared for maximum effort against Lions
The next time the Lions play the Vikings, Packers or Bears, Campbell will almost certainly have his team whipped into a frenzy. That means their offensive and defensive lines will be playing at peak efficiency.
As a result, their key playmakers on offense will be able to make a statement. Jared Goff is one of the most accurate passers in the league and he can deliver the ball in a position that allows his receivers to make game-changing plays. He has completed nearly 75 percent of his passes.
Amon-Ra St. Brown may be just as good as Justin Jefferson of the Vikings and Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals. He runs crisp patterns and can outfight bigger opponents for the ball. He is a dynamic No. 1 receiver. Jameson Williams is one of the elite No. 2 receivers in the league and he demonstrated that on his athletic TD reception late in the fourth quarter. Tight end Sam LaPorta is one of the best at his position in the league.
The Lions also have a brilliant 1-2 punch at the running back position with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Gibbs is the team's breakaway threat while Montgomery has enough speed to run through the defense, but it is his power that makes him special.
Lions need to get healthy on defense
The Lions will punish opponents with their hard-hitting defense. They have several game-changing players in Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Brian Branch. They also have a game wrecker in Aidan Hutchinson.
The problem is that many of their key defensive players in the secondary are injured. Once those players return to the lineup, Hutchinson will take over and punish opponents. He had 2 tackles and 1.0 sack in the loss to the Vikings and he already has 8.0 sacks as the Lions near the halfway point of the season.
Hutchinson suffered a major lower-body injury last year and he was lost for the season in a Week 5 demolition of the Cowboys. If the Lions had him in the lineup, they likely would have found a way to advance in the playoffs.
Loss to Vikings shows opponents know they must come with best effort
The Lions are one of the elite teams in the NFL. They have gotten to the point that opponents have to completely focus as if the game was a brutal war. Any team that does not prepare in that manner will get steamrolled.
Opponents have woken up to how good the Lions are and that a maximum effort is required to compete. The battle has been joined and the Lions will make the next move and step up their battle level.
The Lions have no reason to panic
