By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions enter Week 9 with a 5-2 record as they prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings. Their bye week couldn’t have come at a better time — it gave them a chance to reset and welcome back key defenders like Malcolm Rodriguez and Terrion Arnold. With both players returning to practice, Detroit looks to strengthen its lineup and stay close behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North race.
Still, there’s plenty of room for improvement — and Dan Campbell knows it. Even beyond the team’s injury troubles, the Lions’ offense has shown some worrying signs, especially when it comes to third-down conversions. So far this season, Detroit has struggled to keep drives alive, a surprising dip compared to how sharp they looked in 2024.
While the offense hasn’t fallen apart under new coordinator John Morton, it’s clear there’s work to do before they reclaim the dominance they once had. Campbell didn’t hold back when talking about it.
“We are not getting the plays we normally get because we have not converted like we should on third down. Third down is the most glaring thing right now. We have to be better.”
According to Lions reporter Tim Twentyman, Detroit’s third-down efficiency has indeed been an issue.
“The Lions are converting on third down just 37.6 percent of the time, which ranks 21st in the NFL. On third and manageable, which Campbell describes as third and four to six yards, Detroit ranks 20th converting 39.1 percent of the time.”
Campbell’s critique is simple but serious — winning games isn’t enough if the offense keeps stalling when it matters most.