Why the Detroit Lions Were Thanksgiving’s Biggest Losers

Despite losing on Thanksgiving Day, the Kansas City Chiefs actually saw their likelihood of making the NFL Playoffs increase now that Patrick Mahomes understands his back is against the wall. While Baltimore also suffered an ugly divisional loss, the AFC North is a mess and the Ravens will have chances to rebound.

The same cannot be said for the Detroit Lions, who were the biggest losers on Thanksgiving after falling to the Green Bay Packers.

The Lions now sit in third place. The NFC North is crowded at the top, with the Chicago Bears and now the Packers ahead of them.

But worse than Dan Campbell’s Thanksgiving loss is the fact that Detroit has some serious issues heading into the back half of the season.

Amon-Ra St. Brown exited in the first half without a catch due to an ankle injury. After the game, Campbell told reporters the injury isn’t believed to be significant. Good news—but the Lions looked lifeless offensively without him.

Last year’s “Sonic and Knuckles” duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery has taken a step back behind an offensive line that simply isn’t as dominant as it was last season. Maybe bringing back previously retired center Frank Ragnow will help, but the 29-year-old will need time to get into game shape.

Outside of St. Brown, the Lions have too much talent to be this mediocre. Remember: Campbell took over play-calling duties from new offensive coordinator John Morton, who claimed he supported the move. Of course he did—when your boss takes your job, you’re not going to disagree. But the reality is the offense hasn’t been where it needs to be.

Had the Lions not beaten the lowly New York Giants in overtime in Week 12, they’d be entering December as one of the coldest teams in football.

And December needs to be the turnaround month. The Philadelphia Eagles appear to be figuring things out, and the Los Angeles Rams look like the NFC favorites.

As quickly as Detroit fans fell in love with the Campbell–Jared Goff pairing, the duo won’t survive if expectations aren’t met.

After Thursday’s loss, Campbell’s fourth-down aggressiveness came under fire again. Detroit failed to convert a critical opportunity in the fourth quarter. Those gutsy calls made him a beloved figure early on—but they could be his downfall if results don’t come.