Why Dan Campbell and the Lions don’t overlook any opponents since the last time they did
The Lions never want to relive the last time they thought they had an easy win
Man, the vibes were just unreal during this time. You were there, you remember. The Detroit Lions are good these days, but will you ever feel about them the way that you did in 2022?
After a 1-6 start, the Lions began doing crazy things, and they couldn’t stop winning. They went on this 6-1 run, and then they got to .500, and everyone was talking about the playoffs, and they were a real thing for sure. All the Lions had to do was beat a bad team. Then it happened.
The Lions’ loss to the Carolina Panthers in 2022 had to have left some scars and changed the way the team goes about ‘trap games’
The Lions went into this game favored; there was confidence around the building. There was confidence among the fans and media, too. This was supposed to be a big win. The win that took the Lions from that 1-6 team to a team with a winning record. A team that was headed towards a wild-card spot. Then the Lions walked into Carolina and got absolutely wrecked 37-23.
That game wound up being costly. Even though the Lions won the next two games and closed out the season with a 9-8 record, they missed the playoffs because they had to rely on the Rams, and the Rams lost their game, giving the Seahawks the spot.
The Lions have been such a better team since then. They won 12 games in 2023 and then 15 in 2024. They’ve largely taken care of business against bad teams. That’s why you had a lot of Lions fans asking about why Dan Campbell spent so much time ahead of the Browns matchup talking about how good the Browns are.
It’s because the moment you start overlooking these teams, that’s when they beat you. That’s the whole point of the “trap game” thing. It’s supposed to be a big win. It looks like a big win, it talks like a big win, and it walks like a big win. The moment you start believing it’s a big win, that’s when it morphs into an embarrassing loss.
DVOA comparison for Lions’ matchup with the Bengals:
- Total DVOA:
Lions: 2nd
Bengals: 30th - Offensive DVOA:
Lions: 4th
Bengals: 30th - Defensive DVOA:
Lions: 5th
Bengals: 27th - ST DVOA:
Lions: 7th
Bengals: 18th
On paper, the Bengals might be the worst team the Lions have faced in the Dan Campbell era. There is a wide separation in rankings; the Bengals have rushed for a combined 200 yards in four games, they lead the league in giveaways, and they’re missing one of the best quarterbacks in football. All the makings of a “trap game,” right?
The Lions might dominate this game, but don’t expect them to come out and act like that this week. They will go about this game like they’re playing the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and that’s the way you need to approach every game because you just flat out never know in sports.
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