Dan Campbell 'Picked the Wrong Dude' to Lead Lions' Offense, Stephen A. Smith Says
The Detroit Lions were thoroughly outclassed on the road against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday, losing 27-13 in a game that showed the Lions are beatable in a tightly packed NFC North Division after years of resounding success with Dan Campbell steering the ship as the team's head coach.
The Lions' loss included an outstanding diving catch from rookie Isaac Teslaa in the left corner of the end zone after the game was out of reach, but few offensive highlights while the game was still close.
On Monday, ESPN pundit Steven A. Smith spoke about Campbell and the Lions' rough outing in Green Bay, during which he shared his true feelings on Campbell's hiring of John Morton as offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson skipped town to the coach the Chicago Bears.
Smith Not a Fan of John Morton Hire After Green Bay Game
The Lions had 246 total yards on Sunday, twenty less than coach Matt LaFleur's Packers.
The Packers' fierce defensive trio of Lukas Van Ness, Davonte Wyatt, and Rashan Gary made life miserable for the Lions' thin offensive line while Micah Parsons bullied Lions All-Pro starting right tackle Penei Sewell in a way that Lions fans haven't seen aside from practice clips against teammate Aidan Hutchinson.
Smith called out the Lions on ESPN's 'First Take' show saying that fans should keep their eyes on head coach Dan Campbell.
"Here's where it really gets tricky," Smith said. "I think he's done an outstanding job, he was a candidate for Coach of the Year, he's done an outstanding job since he's been the head coach.
"But you had Aaron Glenn who was your offensive coordinator, who's now the head coach of the Jets, and you had Ben Johnson as your offensive coordinator who's now the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Smith brought up New York Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand as someone the Lions could have hired instead of current coordinator John Morton after Smith was impressed by Engstrand's offense's performance Sunday against the Steelers.
"He lost two tremendous coordinators," host Molly Qerim said about Campbell, to which Smith replied, "But he picked the wrong dude it appears (to replace Johnson), at least after Week 1."
“We gotta keep our eyes on Dan Campbell.”
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) September 8, 2025
Stephen A. Smith calls out the Detroit Lions’ Head Coach after their 27-13 loss to the Packers via @FirstTake 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XdIyv4C8SV
Lions Welcome Bears Next Sunday
The Detroit Lions are preparing to welcome Ben Johnson's Chicago Bears to town next Sunday at Ford Field in downtown Detroit.
The game will mark a chance for the Lions to show their former offensive coordinator that the team's offense is still one of the NFC's best.
The Lions' offensive line depth and experience have strongly diminished since the retirement of Frank Ragnow this offseason which could be a storyline to watch as Johnson's team heads to Detroit later this week.
The Smith comments came as Detroit made an $83 million Jameson Williams decision before Week 1.
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs made NFL history during the Lions' Week 1 loss to the Packers.
Smith's name has officially been added to a list of Detroit Lions doubters heading into Week 2 of the season.
Detroit will look too show what Morton can do in the play-calling department next week against a defense that likely won't put anywhere near the same type of heat and pressure on quarterback Jared Goff that the Packers did on Sunday.
Lions HC Sends Warning Shot to Bears Ahead of Week 2, Dismisses Former Lions OC Ben Johnson as a Threat
Lions head coach Dan Campbell made his stance on facing his former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the Bears in Week 2 very clear.
Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season will feature a matchup between Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions and Ben Johnson's Chicago Bears.
Campbell and Johnson were colleagues from 2022 to 2024, elevating the Lions into playoff contenders overnight. With Campbell as the head coach and Johnson as the offensive coordinator, they led the franchise to their best playoff run in decades, reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2023.
However, their time together came to an end in the 2025 offseason following the squad's NFC Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders. Johnson decided to take the next step in his coaching career, accepting the Bears' head coaching job.
Campbell talked about his team's upcoming matchup with the Bears on Monday afternoon, per reporter Eric Woodyard. With the two teams being division rivals, Campbell sees their situations as ones on even ground.
“I think we're on even playing ground really. It's the same thing. He knows what we're about. We know what he's about,” Campbell said.
What lies ahead for Dan Campbell, Lions
It's clear that Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson have moved on to their separate paths, enjoying the three years they spent together forming the Lions into a playoff contender.
However, Johnson's exit does present issues for Detroit. They are coming off a brutal 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the season opener. The offense was noticeably different as the Lions' attack did not have the elite potency it had in past seasons in Week 1.
There is plenty of time for the Lions to bounce back from those early struggles. However, they will need to do that as soon as possible with playoff contention at stake. They cannot afford to miss the postseason with the star players they have at their arsenal.
The Lions will prepare for their Week 2 matchup against the Bears, being at home. The contest will take place on Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. ET.
