By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s head coach takes responsibility for his team’s struggles in all three phases following their 27-24 loss to Minnesota.
A Costly Opportunity Missed
The Detroit Lions had a golden chance to seize control of the NFC North after their bye week, facing a Minnesota Vikings team reeling from back-to-back losses. Instead, what could have been a statement victory turned into one of the Lions’ most frustrating performances of the season. The 27-24 defeat at Ford Field not only halted Detroit’s momentum but exposed flaws across all three phases of the game.
Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hold back in his postgame assessment — and he made it clear where the responsibility lies.
“We Looked Rusty” — Campbell Takes the Blame
Speaking to reporters after the game, Campbell called the loss “probably one of the worst games we’ve played in a while,” admitting that his team looked out of sync despite a week of rest and preparation.
“We looked rusty… that’s evident that I didn’t have ’em ready,” Campbell said, via SI.com.
For a team that prides itself on playing “complementary football,” Sunday’s performance was the opposite. Penalties, miscommunication, and mental errors plagued Detroit from start to finish.
“We did everything we needed to do to lose that game. We made every critical error you need to at the right time to lose it. Perfect storm,” Campbell explained. “When you don’t play well in all three phases, that falls on the head coach. I did not have them ready coming out of the bye.”
He added that discipline issues and penalties “caught up” with the team, emphasizing that the Lions failed to capitalize on key opportunities.
Fixable Problems — and a Familiar Path Forward
Despite his frustration, Campbell wasn’t sounding any alarms. He insisted that the team’s issues are correctable and that the season is far from lost.
“No concern, there’s certainly an urgency with fixing things. … There’s a ton to fix and a ton of things to get better at. It’s a long season and we gotta get to it,” he said.
Campbell’s composure mirrors his response earlier in the year, when Detroit dropped its opener to the Green Bay Packers before rebounding with four straight wins.
Offensive Struggles and Defensive Breakdowns
The Vikings’ defense, led by relentless pressure, kept Lions quarterback Jared Goff uncomfortable all afternoon. Goff was sacked six times despite throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were bottled up, combining for just 65 rushing yards.
Montgomery’s fumble proved especially costly, killing a promising drive that could have swung momentum back in Detroit’s favor. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy capitalized on his opportunities, throwing two touchdowns in his return from injury.
Looking Ahead to Washington
The loss dropped Detroit to 5-3, a half-game behind Green Bay (5-2-1) in the NFC North standings. The Vikings climbed to 4-4, keeping the divisional race tight heading into Week 10.
Campbell and the Lions now turn their attention to the Washington Commanders — a critical matchup that could determine how quickly Detroit can rebound from what their coach called “a perfect storm.”
In true Dan Campbell fashion, the message remains clear: take the punch, learn from it, and come back swinging.