A post-game critique from head coach Dan Campbell has drawn a direct counter from his offensive coordinator, revealing a difference of opinion on the Detroit Lions‘ recent offensive struggles.

“Listen, we did not handle some of the communication well. …That’s the bottom line. We’re better than that. We just are,” Campbell said just after losing the week 9 game to the Minnesota Vikings by 27-24.

Replying to it, Morton said on Thursday, November 6, “Our communication has been really good, ever since the Green Bay game (Week 1). It’s been really good.”

Dan Campbell was unhappy as they lost, and he told everyone what he saw in the game. The Vikes took a 14-7 lead in the first quarter as the Lions’ offense failed to find its groove. By halftime, they led by 17-14. The 3-point difference continued till the end.

Jared Goff faced heavy pressure throughout the game, getting rushed on 14 of his 42 dropbacks. And under that heat, he couldn’t find much rhythm, completing only three passes, taking five sacks, and managing just two first downs. The Lions looked off, especially up front, where their offensive line struggled to communicate and execute. Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hide his frustration, admitting the group needs to clean things up.

“I don’t know if concern’s the right word, but we’ve got to clean it up. We’ve got to find the right balance there to help us convert,” Campbell said. “We’ve probably got to do a couple things a little different and we were doing a few things different, but we may need to change up in some areas.”

However, Morton’s reply came 4 days later. While Morton dismissed concerns about communication, he pointed to a more physical problem as the root of the offense’s issues: the battle in the trenches.

He has seen all the films, talked to players, and studied the plays. Therefore, he is confident in the offense’s performance. Yes, the gaps were there. The Lions carried the ball only 20 times for 65 rushing yards, while the Vikings ran the ball 29 times for 142 rushing yards. Both scored 1 TD. But the Lions filled the gap in their receiving game.

Compared to the Vikes’ 14 receptions for 143 receiving yards and 2 scores, Dan Campbell’s players logged 25 receptions for 284 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. It was a closely fought battle, and the head coach believes they could have won it if the communication had been clearer. But the OC has found a different flaw. And it was an expected one.

Dan Campbell needs a stronger offensive line

The Detroit Lions know they haven’t looked sharp on offense lately. But they believe the biggest problem is clear: the blocking up front. When asked what went wrong in the loss to the Vikings, Morton didn’t hold back.

“The protection, that was the biggest thing. I mean, we draw up all these plays we want, it doesn’t matter. That was the biggest thing,” Morton added. “Winning our one-on-one matchups, that was big.”

Morton said the linemen lost too many one-on-one battles, which made things harder. The team kept ending up in second-and-long and third-and-long situations. The Lions have struggled badly on long third downs this season. They are just one-for-23 when they need 10 or more yards.

Things got worse after left guard Christian Mahogany got hurt, leaving the line short-handed. Quarterback Jared Goff has been sacked 18 times in eight games, including nine in the last two games. That pressure has hurt everything. The team is running for just 4.4 yards per carry, their worst mark since 2021.

“If you don’t protect and have sound protection so the quarterback can throw the ball, it doesn’t matter,” Morton added. “So, that’s the biggest thing. And listen, this is fixable, that’s the beauty of it. This is all fixable and we’ve addressed it.”

That’s another thing to counter for the head coach, Dan Campbell. He praised the rookie Tate Ratledge and Mahogany a few days back. The coach even claimed that both players were ready for bigger responsibilities. But things have gone downhill since then.

They are placed 2nd in the NFC North. The only way forward is improvement. Could this mean a lineup shuffle on the offensive line, or a change in blocking schemes?