By Mark Constance
Despite the win over the Chicago Bears Sunday, the 2025 season ended in letdown for the Detroit Lions.
Hopes were high. We started strong. Then the hits came — and they did not stop. Most of all, the damage showed up up front.
That is the real story.
Many of the bandwagon fans we’ve picked up the past few years have turned on Jared Goff, as if he is the problem. When drives stall, the blame falls on the man with the ball.
But football does not work that way. A quarterback lives and dies with his line.
We know what Goff can do when he has time. Clean pockets mean sharp throws, strong play fake calls, and long drives. Take that time away and the whole plan breaks down. Rush comes fast. Runs go nowhere. Calls get tight. Games slip away one bad snap at a time.
The line did not fail by chance. Injuries stacked up. The same five men were not there each week. Roles changed. Trust broke down. What once was a team strength became a weak spot, and once that base cracked, the rest soon followed.
The problem was made worse by timing. All-Pro center Frank Ragnow retired in June. That late call came after the draft, leaving the team with no real way to fill a key spot before the season began. From there, depth was tested fast — and often.
And the injuries didn’t stop there. Key players missed time or played hurt, including Brian Branch, Kirby Joseph and Sam LaPorta. When core pieces are in and out, even solid plans bend.
This also points to a clear need on staff.
Dan Campbell is the right head coach. He sets tone. He leads. He keeps the room tight. But the Lions need a real play boss on offense — one job, one role. Game flow. Clock use. Smart risk. That work needs full-time focus.
On defense, credit is due. The coach did solid work with a thin group, most of all in the back end. With so many hurt, holding ground was no small task.
The good news is this: The core still stands.
Most key players are returning. With Goff, Sewell, Gibbs, St. Brown, Campbell and Hutchinson will be back. As should the injured Branch and LaPorts. The base of this team is still strong. Skill is not the issue. Path is not the issue. Health and clean plans are.
This off season isn’t about a full reset. It’s about repair: Fix the line. Add a true offense lead. Give the quarterback time to work.
Do that, and things change fast.
And one fact stands firm, and there is no debate to this at all:
The Detroit Lions are undefeated in 2026.
