Even though the Detroit Lions healthily beat the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit, the team is already focused their next matchup, which is a big one. On Monday, September 22, the Lions will take on the Baltimore Ravens for Monday Night Football on the road. This game would be tough even in a home setting, but it will be extra difficult in Baltimore.
The Detroit Lions, of course, lost their initial game against the Green Bay Packers, and it wasn’t close. That hurt, but it was great to see them come back the following week and win by so much over the Chicago Bears. But, Lions head coach Dan Campbell and the crew haven’t forgotten that first game.
Ahead of the Monday night showdown, Campbell is putting the heat on his players and coaching staff. Even though the Lions are clear underdogs in this matchup, he wants to pull off a surprise victory, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just another chance to prove the naysayers wrong.
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Sends a Message
Heading into Monday’s game, Campbell is putting pressure on coordinator Kelvin Sheppard to have the defense ready to take on the NFL’s top offense, noting that, “We can’t give anything away on defense. We’ve gotta be very disciplined,” Lions insider Eric Woodyard reports of our favorite Metallica man.
So, Campbell is already putting some heat on Sheppard. But, Sheppard understands the pressure at hand, and on Friday, September 19, he told reporters that he’s lost sleep over it.
“This daunting matchup will be Sheppard’s first challenge as defensive coordinator,” Efstathios Savvidis of Detroit Jock City notes in a Thursday, September 18 feature. “So far, his unit has performed alright at best, ranking 17th against the run (106), 12th against the pass (196.5), tied 16th in sacks (4), and 21st in points allowed (24). ”
He adds, “This week, facing an intimidating offense, he must prepare his unit to limit the big plays from their high-powered offense.”
It’ll be a huge test for the Lions’ defense, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will likely be leading the pack on the field. “It’s going to be a challenge for the defense, but they must limit the Ravens and give Jared Goff and the offense a chance to outscore them,” Savvidis notes.
Ben Johnson and Jared Goff After the Detroit Lions Game
If you haven’t see this yet, this is absolutely a moment that you need to witness. After the Lions’ win over the Bears, Johnson first had a very quick handshake with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Then, footage caught Goff trying to catch up to his former boss and shake his hand.
Goff rushed over to Johnson and tried to catch him before he left the field, but Johnson didn’t seemed interested in at all. In a video shared on X by Dov Kleiman on Tuesday, September 16, Kleiman notes, “Ben Johnson’s beef with the Lions is real. Jared Goff literally had to chase him down. He didn’t wait to say hi to anyone.” This is a wild look and not a great one for Johnson.
https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1968008984138321998
It’s going to be epic to see these teams go at it again before the regular season is over. Reach out to me with your thoughts on it all.