Despite sitting at a strong 5-2 record heading into Week 9, the Detroit Lions aren’t letting the wins lull them into complacency. Head coach Dan Campbell made it clear this week that there’s still a major issue the team must address—regardless of the favorable record.
Campbell pointed directly to one statistical area: third-down conversions. He admitted bluntly, “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 reported numbers, the Lions are converting on third down just 37.6% of the time (ranked 21st in the NFL), and on “third and manageable” (4-6 yards) they’re at 39.1%, which is around 20th in the league.
Here’s why this matters:
A 5-2 record gives the appearance of momentum and success—but when you face tougher defenses (as Detroit will over the coming weeks), inability to convert third downs may stall drives, reduce scoring opportunities and exert more pressure on the defense.
Winning games is important, but Campbell’s message is about sustainable performance. He’s not satisfied with results alone; he wants to see execution and consistency.
The contrast between the toolkit Detroit has (talented offense, dynamic weapons) and their actual conversion rate suggests there are missed opportunities. For example, they’ve got skill players who can make big plays but fewer of those drives are being extended.
In short: The Lions’ record is good, and the optics are strong—but Campbell won’t let that mask the gap between where they are and where they need to be. The wins are a foundation, not the finish line.
Record Looks Good but Campbell Sees One Huge Flaw Holding Detroit Back
