Lions not in ‘panic mode’ as Thanksgiving struggles continue،
DETROIT — Dan Campbell took the blame for the Detroit Lions’ seventh straight loss on Thanksgiving Day.
After suffering a 29-22 home loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, the Lions head coach took responsibility but said his team was not entering “panic mode” despite recent performance.
“The easiest thing is to go into panic mode, and I know what that feels like and it wasn’t good enough there, but I’m not panicked,” Campbell said. “We have the right guys here. We know how to play, we have to clean up some things and we’ll be left with six when we come back. And the fight continues.
“They think it’s going to be cruise control; we’re going to have to fight and scratch and fight and claw for everything,” he said. “We have to do it. That’s the type of team we are. That’s where we’re at.”
The 8-3 Lions also survived a scare Sunday against Chicago, but emerged from that game with a 31-26 victory after a surge in the final three minutes. In Week 10 on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit escaped with a 41–38 victory behind a 41-yard field goal from kicker Riley Patterson at the end.
Despite being 8.5-point favorites on ESPN BET, the Lions couldn’t overcome their 17-point first-half deficit against Green Bay. Lions quarterback Jared Goff finished with three turnovers for the second straight week, with three lost fumbles for the first time in his career.
Two of the fumbles came in the first half. Goff finished 29 for 44 with 332 yards and two touchdowns on the day. He was also sacked three times.
“The turnovers in the first half were definitely the problem the last two games and put us behind,” Goff said. “That’s part of the reason why we lost today. Yes, the efficiency and the way we would like to play in attack can definitely increase and the last two games are not up to our standards. Absolutely .”
Goff’s six turnovers in the last two games matched his total in his previous 18 games combined. Goff was pressured 17 times by the Packers defense, his most in a game against the Lions. He completed 3 of 12 passes and committed three turnovers under pressure.
He refused to blame the offensive line despite recent injuries to guard Jonah Jackson (wrist), who was out for the second straight game, and veteran guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who was placed on the injured reserve list on the 14th. november.
“I’m behind what I believe is the best group in the league and these guys rushed well today. They did it. They rushed well and did a great job,” Goff said . “I’m not pointing at our O-line at all for that reason. I probably could have gotten rid of the ball quicker on some of them, too.”
With six games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Lions still hold the lead in the NFC North standings. They will hit the road on December 3 to face the New Orleans Saints as they try to get back on track. In its current position, the team is waiting for each team’s best shot, but looking to respond.
“Even last year, I mean, come play us, you know you have to give it your all and it’s this year,” said Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes, who had six tackles and a quarterback hit. quarterback. “I know, I think every team we play is going to give us their best and that’s what we want. It just challenges us to see what we can do and then lose again like It’s terrible, but we know who we are, we know our identity.
“We know we don’t care about outside noise, we’re going to come back next week and go to work.”
