Eric Woodyard
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Leaving Lambeau Subject on Sunday after an 0-1 begin wasn't a pleasurable expertise for brand spanking new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton.
However even after shedding the opener at Inexperienced Bay 27-13, Morton mentioned “no person's in panic mode” contained in the Lions' constructing.
Coming into the Week 2 residence contest in opposition to the Chicago Bears, Detroit will attempt to keep away from going 0-2 for the primary time since 2021, Dan Campbell's first season because the Lions' head coach.
Nonetheless, Bears head coach Ben Johnson — who spent the earlier three seasons as Detroit's offensive coordinator — can be standing in the best way throughout his much-anticipated return to Ford Subject on Sunday.
“The underside line is that is about execution and the small print of all the pieces after which taking a little bit bit much less, so guys are taking part in a little bit bit quicker, so everyone is aware of precisely what to do,” Morton mentioned. “However I am inspired, there have been some encouraging issues within the sport, clearly, after which we transfer on.
“That is what we have completed, nice angle by the blokes, ‘How can we repair this?' As a result of we're within the fix-it enterprise as coaches.”
Underneath Johnson, Detroit led the NFL with 33.2 factors per sport in 2024 — the second time in staff historical past the Lions have led the league in scoring.
In opposition to the Packers in Week 1, Detroit almost went a full sport with out scoring a landing — till a 13-yard spotlight catch by rookie broad receiver Isaac TeSlaa with 0:55 remaining within the fourth quarter. The final time the Lions failed to attain a landing within the first three quarters was Week 7 of 2023 versus Baltimore, however Morton sees the errors as being correctable.
“Look, we're working performs that these guys have completed. Now, there's some new guys in there, however the backside line is you have to go execute, and we did not do that each single play. We simply did not,” Morton mentioned.
A few of the areas of emphasis have been fixing communication between the offensive line, enhancing within the crimson zone and establishing the run sport higher.
Detroit averaged 2.1 yards per rush in opposition to the Packers whereas averaging simply 3.8 yards per play, which was the second fewest in any sport below Campbell.
Lions veteran offensive deal with Taylor Decker missed a few practices this week with a shoulder harm, however Morton says they're “completely anticipating Decker to play” versus Chicago.
“The missed assignments seemed actually dangerous, however there wasn't, like, one man's getting his ass kicked the entire sport,” Decker mentioned of the offensive line. “It was simply a variety of issues that we are able to management and may clear up.”
Lions broad receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown additionally is not stunned by the surface response of followers and media members being important of Detroit's lackluster offensive output following the Week 1 loss, however he is assured the staff can get on monitor.
“We have an excellent group of men in our locker room, guys which have been right here after we have been shedding for some time in these first two years and have been in a position to flip issues round,” St. Brown mentioned. “So, a variety of us know what it feels to be on the opposite facet of issues, so we're resilient, guys that can by no means surrender, and we now have a bunch of excellent gamers on our roster. We will work out a technique to make issues shake.”
