By Moses Joshua 
Despite struggles and roster changes, the Lions’ offensive line remains a cornerstone of Detroit’s playoff hopes.
Belief Amid Adversity
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t ready to give up on his offensive line, even as the unit has faced a challenging season. The team’s offense has sputtered at times, and inconsistent line play has been a major factor. Running lanes have been limited, and quarterback Jared Goff is on pace for 34 sacks—matching the highest total of his Detroit tenure.
Some of these struggles were anticipated. The Lions lost key veterans in the offseason: All-Pro center Frank Ragnow retired, and Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler departed in free agency. In response, the team started rookie Tate Ratledge at right guard, second-year Christian Mahogany at left guard (later replaced by Kayode Awosika due to injury), and veteran Graham Glasgow returned to center after not starting there regularly since 2022.
Glimpses of Potential
Even with these challenges, Campbell sees signs of promise. “I believe in these guys, man. I do,” he said. “I just think the more they play together and they mesh, and we just do things that we do well.”
The Lions’ offensive line has shown flashes of consistency. In four of 10 games this season, they prevented the opposing defense from recording a sack. Likewise, Detroit’s rushing attack has exceeded 150 yards in four contests. Campbell believes there is untapped potential in the unit and that adjustments in strategy could help unlock it.
“Every game’s different. There’s a couple of things I wish yesterday maybe I do differently, and just the way that we go about attacking those guys. Just a little bit that I think maybe can help our guys, too,” Campbell explained. “There again, I just think – there’s a lot of things I think about that are always going around in my head, man. A number of different ways, ‘Well, we can do this, we can do this, we can try this.’”
Looking Ahead
The Lions now turn their attention to the New York Giants. Although the Giants are 2-9, their defensive line presents a formidable challenge, featuring players like Brian Bruns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Abdul Carter.
Even with a tough matchup on the horizon, Campbell’s confidence in his unit remains steadfast. “I just go back to, man, I just believe in these guys. I think that they’re good enough, they know how to play together, we’ve just got to be a little more consistent in areas,” he said.
As Detroit pushes toward the playoffs, the offensive line may hold the key to unlocking a stronger, more reliable offense. Campbell’s optimism suggests that with cohesion and strategic adjustments, the Lions could still make a late-season surge.