How the Lions Have Turned It Around

The Detroit Lions appear headed for a historic NFC North title, a run the Bears would love to imitate, and All Lions publisher John Maakaron reflects on how it's being done.

It would be inaccurate to say the Detroit Lions haven't won the NFC North in quite a while.

They never have.

It was the NFC Central with Wayne Fontes coaching, Rodney Peete as their starting quarterback and both Erik Kramer and Andre Ware playing in the run-and-shoot for several games when the Lions last won a division title.

In the meantime, the Bears have won the division five times, the Green Bay Packers 15 times, the Minnesota Vikings eight times and even Tampa Bay won it once before departing for the NFC South.

Every dog has their day, or in this case cat.

Unless someone suddenly bites the Lions' kneecaps and causes a collapse, or Josh Dobbs really is a modern day Kurt Warner, coach Dan Campbell's team appears headed for the franchise's first division title since 1993.

The Bears can have a say in this with two games in the final seven, as they hope to try and imitate the successful rebuild the Lions had by getting hot late in the year. It would take some doing because the Lions appeared to have momentum built even before making their turnaround last year.

FanNation's All Lions publisher John Maakaron sheds light on what has allowed the Lions to win 15 of their last 19 games after being doormats for so long.

Q: What has made Jared Goff so effective the last two years but especially this year, within this offense after he seemed to stagnate after going to the Super Bowl with L.A.?

Maakaron: Working with Ben Johnson has given the veteran signal-caller added confidence. The coaching staff has really empowered Goff to take ownership of the offense and have surrounded him with plenty of talent. Detroit has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and Amon-Ra St. Brown is emerging as a superstar who cannot be covered.

Goff is seeing the field much better and is gaining confidence each and every week. He is playing the best football of his career.

Q: What are the secrets to Ben Johnson's success as a offensive coordinator?

Maakaron: Johnson is really a student of the game. He is able to pick apart an opponents weakness and is very aware of defensive tendencies and what other teams have done well against an opponent. I think another thing Johnson excels well at is play designs. Detroit's receivers and tight ends are regularly open and the run game has become more reliable this season.

Also, a little more credit does need to go to head coach Dan Campbell, whose aggressiveness has allowed the offense to stay on the field longer. The duo is working to continue to improve the offensive performance in the red zone, which can be inconsistent at times.

Q: What is it the Lions have liked most about David Montgomery besides his outstanding two-handed bowling technique?

Maakaron: Montgomery is certainly a player that fits what the coaching staff is looking for. He is a gritty runner who can shed tackles. It has been also nice to see the veteran running back break off a couple of nice long runs this year. A rib cartilage injury took him out of the lineup for a few weeks, but he was able to return and shine against a poor Chargers defense.

Also, his ability to work well with rookie Jahmyr Gibbs has started to pay dividends, as the rookie is making more plays and is running much better in between the tackles.

Q: One thing the Lions were always good for was giving up yardage on the ground and the Bears could always count on this in games. It doesn't seem to be the case now. What happened to that soft touch up the middle?

Maakaron: It is a defensive mindset. Aaron Glenn has the young roster playing aggressive and running towards the football. All of the members of defense take pride in not giving up yards to opposing running backs. Another factor is the emergence of Alim McNeill, who is a player that really worked to train hard in the offseason to be able to play well all four quarters. He is having the best season of his career.

5. Is Dan Campbell the top coach of the year candidate?

Maakaron: I think it will be either Campbell or DeMeco Ryans of the Texans. Both have gained the respect of their team and have their organizations headed in the right direction. Dan Campbell is among the most popular coaches in the NFL due to his steady attitude and his ability to relate to NFL players. Having been a former player allows Campbell to connect with his team on a much deeper level.

Also, Campbell is really a student of the game who has taken what he has learned from Bill Parcells and Sean Payton and applied his own spin to Detroit's playing style. It took a while for supporters to adjust to his aggressiveness, but with the team executing well on fourth down, it is not surprising Campbell keeps deciding to go for it, instead of punting. If Detroit makes it to the playoffs and wins the NFC North, he has a great shot to win the award.

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