Dan Campbell Shares How Lions Can Improve Ahead of Season Opener

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell believes the team can improve in a couple of areas, ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL season.

Following the Detroit Lions' 27-17 preseason loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell explained areas he feels the team could improve at, ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL season. 

The team did not win a preseason game, as it lost to the Bills, Steelers and Colts in its preparations for the regular season. 

“I think it reveals where we need to get better in areas," Campbell said. "That’s the biggest thing. We have to be much more efficient. We have to be able to hit some shot plays on offense. We have to be able to get off the field on third down. It was good to see us applying pressure today, but yet, we’re not getting guys down. We got to finish. We got to finish."

Against the Colts, defensive end Kevin Strong had an opportunity to sack the quarterback, but was unfortunately unable to finish and the Colts offense gashed the defense for a large gain at a crucial moment of the game. 

Campbell commented further, "I think from that standpoint, those are the things that are revealing, because now, you’re in a real game and it’s live bullets and guys are flying around. Just inside the scheme, offense, defense, special teams, we have to evolve better than we are right now, a little quicker, a little faster. Get better at those things, because it doesn’t matter who’s in there. They can all learn from it. When we get all of our starters back in there, yeah, that helps. But, guess what? We’re playing guys with all of their starters in there, too. If we haven’t cleaned some of this stuff up scheme-wise, we’re not going to be good enough. That’s my job, and that’s our job. We will clean this up.”

The Lions face the 49ers in their season opener Sunday, September 12, at 1 p.m. from Ford Field.