Today’s 2025 opponent review looks at the 2024 Detroit Lions and what to expect in 2025.
This is the first post in a series that will examine the Green Bay Packers’ opponents on their 2025 schedule. First up, we begin with the two-time defending NFC North champs, the Detroit Lions.
2024 results
- Week 9 in Green Bay: Lions win 24-14
- Week 14 in Detroit: Lions win 34-31
2025 Schedule
- Week 1, 9/7 at Green Bay
- Week 13, 11/27 at Detroit (Thanksgiving Day)
Coaching staff
- Head coach – Dan Campbell
- Offensive coordinator – John Morton
- Defensive coordinator – Kelvin Sheppard
- Special Teams Coordinator – Dave Fipp
The Detroit Lions entered the 2024 season with high expectations, building on their surprising success from the previous year’s 12-5 record. Under head coach Dan Campbell, the team has cultivated a gritty, resilient identity that resonates with the fanbase and promised continued improvement. Key offensive pieces, including quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, were poised to lead a potent attack.
Personnel Changes
Key additions
- CB D.J. Reed
- NT Roy Lopez
- LB Grant Stuard
- DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State, Round 1, Pick 28
- OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia, Round 2, Pick 60
Key losses
- OC Ben Johnson (head coach Chicago Bears)
- DC Aaron Glenn (head coach NY Jets)
- CB Carlton Davis
- G Kevin Zeitler
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu
- CB Kindle Vildor
- DE Za’Darius Smith
- DE John Cominsky: retired
- C Frank Ragnow: retired
Heading into the 2025 offseason, the Lions made strategic moves to bolster their roster, particularly on the defensive side of the ball by adding defensive tackle depth and signing DJ Reed to play corner. General Manager Brad Holmes focused his efforts at those positions, aiming to address areas that had been inconsistent in the past.
As you can see from the list above, the Lions also lost a ton of key pieces in the 2025 offseason that generated the move to add defensive depth. The players and coaches they lost were big components of the team that finished last year 15-2.
The Lions Offense
Detroit’s offense, characterized by a strong running game and efficient passing, consistently put up points last season, leading the NFL. Jared Goff’s 37 touchdown passes were a career high and he thrived in Ben Johnson’s passing game where explosives were the dominant mode on offense.
The Lions under Ben Johnson love throwing dagger routes over the middle to create explosive pass plays and that doesn’t look to change in 2025. Goff is one of the best quarterbacks throwing over the middle on those routes and they’re basically freebies in that offense.
And since they run a lot of dagger concepts, it makes sense to build in a change up off the route concept with a deep out. The stem is the same as a dagger and the receiver will give the initial move inside before bursting out to the sideline where Goff was also efficient, locating pinpoint accurate passes.
Another heavy favorite of the Johnson offense is the pylon sail concept off of play action. Usually, sail is run with a deep post and a shorter out route underneath it. Here, in pylon sail, the sail route is still the intermediate route but instead of a post, the offense runs a deep corner over the top to punish corners that like to cheat on the sail route. This is particularly effective against single high defenses and can be run either out of play action or traditional straight drop back.
Goff excelled in 2024 while demonstrating continued growth, making smart decisions and connecting with his receivers. The offensive line, a perennial strength, provided excellent protection and opened lanes for Gibbs and David Montgomery. Even in Goff’s low point in the season, a game in which he threw five interceptions, he still managed to lead the offense to a game-winning score against Houston in a prime time game on the road.
There really was no challenge the Lions could not overcome offensively. They lost a defensive battle to the Buccaneers in week two but also lost a shootout to Buffalo later in the season. The Lions faced a tough schedule, where three teams from the NFC North all made the playoffs.
Detroit’s Defense
Defensively, the Lions showed flashes of dominance, particularly in their ability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks and force turnovers. Aidan Hutchinson continued to develop into an elite pass rusher early in the season, and the revamped secondary made significant strides in coverage. There were still moments of inconsistency, but overall, the defense was improved until the injury bug hit.
In fact, injuries played a major role in derailing the Lions’ 2024 campaign. Like any NFL team, they had to navigate various injuries to key players. The depth of the roster was tested, and several younger players stepped up to fill critical roles when called upon. This adaptability was a testament to the coaching staff’s preparation and the overall team chemistry.
Defensively, by the time the Lions entered the playoffs, they were missing six opening day defensive starters due to injury, with the most notable being Aidan Hutchinson due to a broken leg. As a result, they could not keep up with the Commanders’ high powered offense.
Despite the injuries, the Lions finished the regular season with a strong record, securing a playoff berth. In the playoffs, Goff’s three interceptions sealed the deal in a 45-31 loss in the divisional round at home to the Washington Commanders.
Looking ahead to 2025
The biggest questions surrounding the Lions in 2025 are centered around the key losses of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. How will the team handle their departure, in addition to the losses of the players above in free agency and the sudden retirement of two pillars on the offense and defense? It remains to be seen how well they will bounce back with so many new faces around the building.
Ultimately, while they would fail to win a postseason game, the 2024 season solidified the Detroit Lions as a legitimate contender in the NFC. They proved that their previous success was not a fluke and they laid a strong foundation for future seasons, giving their dedicated fanbase plenty to be excited about.