By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions are one of only three NFL teams averaging more than 30 points per game this season, yet there’s a growing sense inside the building that their offense still hasn’t reached its true potential under first-year coordinator John Morton.
So what’s holding them back? For head coach Dan Campbell, the answer is simple — and frustratingly familiar.
“Third down is the most glaring thing right now,” Campbell said this week. “We have to be better. … Those are things that Johnny (Morton) looked at (during the bye week), (and) myself. That’s been the big focus for us, is making sure we find a way to convert. … Nothing to panic over, but there’s certainly room to improve.”
Through seven games, Detroit has converted on just 37.6% of its third-down attempts, ranking 22nd in the league. That figure includes three games below the NFL average of 39.1% — Week 1 against Green Bay (33.3%), Week 5 versus Cincinnati (25%), and Week 7 against Tampa Bay (23.1%).
Quarterback Jared Goff didn’t mince words when asked about the issue. “I think last week was a pretty good example of not being good enough in that area,” he said of the loss to the Buccaneers. “I think if we had converted a few more of those, the game is maybe a little bit different.”
For the past three seasons, third-down success has been one of the Lions’ strengths. They ranked 14th in 2022 (40.8%), 11th in 2023 (41.5%), and fourth in 2024 (47.6%) — a steady climb that mirrored their transformation into one of the NFL’s most efficient and explosive offenses.
That progress has stalled, and Campbell made it clear he’s determined to get things back on track. “We’ll just keep going until we get it improved,” he said. “We’ll find a way here.”
During the bye week, the Lions’ offensive staff took a deep dive into why their third-down efficiency has dropped off. Morton studied the schemes and player usage, while Campbell zoomed out to evaluate the bigger picture — how Detroit approaches third downs across practices and game planning.
“The biggest deal about our third down, and I think (Campbell’s) point to all of us, is, ‘Listen, if we’re going to get better at third downs, it’s not going to be a scheme, it’s not going to be a player, it’s not going to be how we’re using a player. It’s going to be a collective whole,’” assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said. “He’s watching how we practice it, he’s watching how we card it, making sure our guys, defensively, are doing exactly what the third-down card says. We’ve just got a big emphasis on that. We’ll continue to work (it) out, but it’s a collective whole.”
The Lions have never shied away from aggression. They rank among the league’s leaders in fourth-down attempts, averaging 1.9 per game, tied for ninth in the NFL. But Campbell doesn’t think that boldness has contributed to the struggles on third down.
Yes, there are times when Detroit knows it’s four-down territory and calls plays accordingly, preferring to set up a manageable fourth down instead of forcing a tough conversion on third. Still, Campbell said that mindset doesn’t fully explain their lack of success.
“Take those aside, we’re not good enough right now on third down,” Campbell said. “That’s what I do know.”
Improving in that area could unlock everything else. More third-down conversions would mean longer drives, more opportunities for Detroit’s playmakers, and a faster rhythm for an offense that has too often stalled between explosive moments.
The Lions currently average 60.6 offensive plays per game, ranking 21st. That’s well below their production in recent years — 64.2 in 2022 (13th), 66.8 in 2023 (third), and 65.9 in 2024 (second).
Those missing snaps add up. Compared to his breakout 2024 campaign, wide receiver Jameson Williams is averaging 1.7 fewer touches and 29.4 fewer yards per game through seven contests. Running back David Montgomery has seen a dip of 3.1 touches and 15.3 yards. Rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa has been used sparingly, earning just six targets on 101 offensive snaps — including 76 in passing situations.
“To really … hum the way you want to, you’ve got to convert, man,” Campbell said. “You’ve got to convert third downs into first downs, or fourth downs into first downs. Because now you’ve got another four plays — three to four plays — and then so on (and) so forth. … We are not getting the (amount of) plays that we normally get because we have not converted like we should on third down.”
Campbell knows that success on third down fuels everything else — time of possession, rhythm, confidence, and production. As the Lions push deeper into their schedule, that small but critical detail could determine how far this offense can truly go.