By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s third-down inefficiency is becoming a defining issue — and it’s one that offensive coordinator John Morton can no longer ignore.
The Detroit Lions entered Week 9 with a golden opportunity — a home game against a beatable divisional rival and extra time to prepare after their bye week. Instead, the 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings exposed a troubling and recurring problem that now sits squarely on offensive coordinator John Morton’s shoulders.
Third-Down Woes Continue to Haunt the Offense
The Lions’ inability to execute on third down has become an alarming theme this season, and Sunday’s performance only amplified the concern. Detroit converted just 5-of-17 third downs, with the offense repeatedly stalling in manageable situations.
The numbers paint a brutal picture. According to The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy, the Lions went 0-for-5 on third downs between four and six yards and 2-for-8 on third downs of seven or more yards. That means Detroit finished 2-for-13 on third-and-four or longer — an efficiency rate that simply isn’t sustainable for a team with playoff ambitions.
Head coach Dan Campbell had already flagged this issue leading into the game, calling third-down execution one of the team’s “most glaring” weaknesses. Unfortunately, the warning didn’t translate to improvement.
A Regression from 2024’s Offensive Identity
Last season, the Lions were among the NFL’s best on third down, ranking fourth overall with a 46.98% conversion rate. This year, that number has plummeted to 36.27%, tying them for 25th in the league — and over the last three games, that figure has dipped even lower to 31.71%.
As Pride of Detroit’s Al Karsten noted, since Week 7, Detroit’s offense on third-and-four or longer is 3-of-23, ranking near the bottom of the league in nearly every major metric:
– 1.4 yards per play (32nd)
– 8.1% turnover rate (30th)
– 25% sack rate (30th)
– 8.7% explosive play rate (24th)
Those statistics underscore a unit that has lost rhythm, timing, and confidence — all areas that trace back to offensive coordination and play design.
Pressure Mounting on John Morton
Fans have started voicing their frustration with Morton’s play-calling, and it’s not hard to see why. Detroit’s offensive talent — from Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown to Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta — is too deep for the unit to be this ineffective when it matters most.
Third downs are often called “the money down” for a reason: they determine whether drives end in punts or points. For a Lions team with playoff aspirations, continuing to falter in these moments could be the difference between a deep postseason run and another early exit.
Morton’s challenge now is to rediscover balance and creativity in critical situations. That may mean adjusting route concepts, diversifying personnel packages, or trusting the run game more when facing medium-yardage downs. Whatever the solution, it needs to come soon.
The Bottom Line
Detroit’s 5-3 record is still solid, but the flaws are becoming clearer with each passing week. The offense’s third-down inefficiency has gone from a concern to a defining weakness — and it’s threatening to undermine the team’s progress under Dan Campbell.
John Morton’s play-calling has been under scrutiny before, but now the evidence is overwhelming. If the Lions want to remain legitimate contenders, their offensive coordinator must find a way to turn those “money downs” back into winning ones — before this promising season slips away.