The Detroit Lions’ collapse against the Minnesota Vikings’ dominant defense was an eye-opener to some of their offensive problems. There were clear communication issues, and the team appeared out of sync. The Lions’ offense didn’t look its best. As criticism of the struggling unit continues to grow, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff addressed the concerns.

“Every one of us has our hand in it, getting a little bit better every week, trying to solve those issues,” he told the reporters when asked about the offense.

While he admitted the issues, Goff also explained that the team has been putting in effort in the right direction.

“A few weeks ago, we were the greatest thing since sliced bread, and now we are a horrible offense, apparently. We’re not naive to it and plan to get things fixed.”

Head coach Dan Campbell also addressed the 27-24 defeat to the Vikings and called it “worst game” they have played in a long time. He added that the team looked “rusty” and “undisciplined.” Campbell isn’t concerned, but he stressed the “urgency” to fix things. The Lions struggled throughout the game to recognize the blitz and block it effectively, and it showed. Goff was sacked a season high of 5 times.

As per Pro Football Focus, the Vikings racked up 24 pressures, 11 quarterback hits, and 10 tackles for loss. The Lions lacked in the run game, and the pressure on the QB disrupted the plays. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also pointed out the issue.

The team’s running game has struggled since the retirement of offensive lineman Frank Ragnow, raising questions about whether the offensive line needed a boost. However, the Lions seem focused on finding ways to improve internally and strengthen their lineup. One of the issues is the screen passing game.

“Practice. Getting better at it, working on it, reps,” the QB said about the screen passing game. “It’s timing. Screens are hard to get. It is hard to practice those because it’s hard to do it on a full-speed defense.”

Now, it’s not just the Lions’ offense that landed in hot water.

Andrew Van Ginkel criticized the Lions for “dirty play”

The outside linebacker, Andrew Van Ginkel, didn’t mince his words when he called out the blindside block he received from Detroit Lions WR Kalif Raymond. He was clearly upset and suggested the league should look into preventing such plays.

“I kinda thought it was a dirty play,” Van Ginkel said. “I’m not gonna go into too much detail about it, but I wasn’t too pleased with it, and I think that it’s something that the league should look at, if it’s something they need to take out of the game.”

Minnesota Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell later addressed the situation and praised the LB for staying alert. Van Ginkel was an important boost to the Vikings’ defense. This was Van Ginkel’s first game back since Week 3 after a neck injury. While his stats weren’t huge, his three tackles, one QB hit, and a tackle for loss were a good start.

Looking ahead, the Vikings are set to take on the Baltimore Ravens, while the Lions will be matching up against the Washington Commanders.