Detroit Lions Podcast: Gibbs Sparks Must-Win Packers Prep

Firefighting, Then a Finish

The Detroit Lions survived a nail biter against the New York Giants. It was a big win. It was also a warning. The first half was chaos. Detroit’s defense gave up more points before halftime than it allowed to the Philadelphia Eagles across an entire game. Kelvin Shepherd had called his unit the firefighters. Dan Campbell talked about things being on fire. The metaphors showed up on the field. Then the Lions put the blaze out. Adjustments hit. Structure returned. The second half looked like a different NFL team.

This Detroit Lions Podcast leaned into numbers over narratives. The numbers say early-down disarray and loose edges put Detroit behind the chains. The narrative is tougher. Detroit cannot spot anyone that kind of start with six games to go. Thanksgiving against Green Bay is next at Ford Field. The word is must.

Gibbs Changes the Ceiling

Jahmyr Gibbs is the rising star of this offense. The tape and the totals both say it. Explosive cuts. Instant acceleration. Receiver polish. He does things other players cannot do. That matters when the Detroit Lions need a bucket. It is the biggest singular threat this team has rolled out since Calvin Johnson, whose energy echoed Barry Sanders. Different positions. Same gravity.

Touch distribution always stirs debate. David Montgomery is a hammer and a closer. Target share will move week to week. But there is only one Gibbs. In a league of special backs, he looks singular. The Detroit Lions should build Green Bay prep around that dual threat. Run structure. Motion. Angle routes. Screens. Numbers over narratives again. Create space for No. 26 and trust the payoff.

Campbell’s Play-Calling Tradeoffs

Dan Campbell taking over play calling was a midseason gamble. It looks better than what John Morton had. The sequencing has improved. Aggression has purpose. But it created new problems on the sideline. Time management slipped. Timeouts burned at bad moments. The challenge process wobbled. Head coach bandwidth is finite. Calling plays stretches it.

The fix must happen in real time. Delegate where possible. Tighten the clock menu. Script four-down packages to speed decisions. The Detroit Lions do not need perfect. They need clean. The pressure is rising with a short week and a division game.

St. Brown’s Grit, Packers on Deck

Amon-Ra St. Brown does not drop the football. Now he is dropping it. That points to pain. The transcript says he is still producing and leading in yards and catches. That tracks with his standard. It also says something is wrong. Manage him smartly. Keep him in motion. Shorten the asks on third down. Let others carry load until he is right.

Thanksgiving brings the Green Bay Packers to Detroit. It is a must win inside the NFL calendar and inside this locker room. The enemies list grows when you leave doors open. Close one on Thursday. Clean start. Feature Gibbs. Calm the sideline. Let the defense be firefighters only in name, not necessity. The Detroit Lions have the tools. Now they need the timing.

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About the Author

Chris
Chris is the founder of everything you see here. A former radio presenter and Detroit native, he now resides in sunny California – and like so many of us, he found himself marooned on an island devoid of other Lions fans. After spending a few years in the Detroit Lions Reddit community he decided to start the Detroit Lions Podcast. Its become the #1 Detroit Lions podcast, and regularly ranks with the top podcasts in Detroit. With a mixture of pre-recorded shows, live & recorded phone-ins, and live post-game broadcasts - this is his slice of Honolulu Blue heaven.