Lions Players Need to 'Trust' Each Other

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell believes his players need to build trust in each other heading into the 2022 season.

Did the "Same Old Lions" reappear in Friday night's preseason-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons? 

To some fans and pundits alike, it definitely seemed so.

The Lions led, 23-20, after Riley Patterson executed on a 28-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining in the Week 1 exhibition contest. Then, on the subsequent Falcons drive, Detroit forced Atlanta into a three-and-out.

At that point, the overwhelming thought among the fans gathered at Ford Field was that the Lions would run out the clock and hold on for the victory. However, the complexion of the game changed in an instant.

It started with Detroit backup quarterback David Blough fumbling at his own 33-yard line with 2:00 to go.

The Falcons recovered, and proceeded to make Blough and the Lions pay for the miscue.

Aaron Glenn's defense did force a fourth-down situation. However, with 1:37 left and facing fourth-and-9 from Detroit's 21-yard line, Atlanta rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder connected with wide receiver Jared Bernhardt for the go-ahead, game-winning score.

The late-game collapse was reminiscent of an "SOL"-type of loss for Dan Campbell's squad.

However, rather than chew out his team in the locker room after the game, Campbell, as seen on episode No. 2 of this season of "Hard Knocks", opted for a more reserved approach, and emphasized to his players the importance of trusting one another.

"Look, that’s frustrating,” Campbell said. “It’s frustrating, because you want to win that game and we should’ve won that game. But, we didn’t earn it. We didn’t earn it. Man, we did some good things early. Some real good things, but man, you’re gonna see in this league, when things don’t go right, it’s probably your own fault. It’s probably our own fault.

"Man, I’m not fitting the right gap. End of game, I don’t contain when I should contain, guys being selfish, not trusting their teammates. Just little stuff, but that’s the little stuff that bites you in the (expletive).”

Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK

The Lions are comprised of a young core of players (i.e. 21-year-old Aidan Hutchinson and 26-year-old Amani Oruwariye). So, the team is expected to take its fair share of lumps throughout the course of the 2022 season.

Yet, to Glenn, enough is enough with the excuses, and it's time to start consistently winning football games in the Motor City.

"It’s time for a change,” Glenn expressed, as captured by the Hard Knocks film crew. “It’s time for a change for you as players, for this organization, for us as coaches. Man, I’m trying to get something that’s gonna stir you up from the inside that’s gonna change exactly who you are as a player, who this organization is, so that we can move forward on this journey.”

Glenn's impassioned plea to the team didn't end there.

“It’s time to get that feeling back,” he added. “Y’all dig what I’m saying? It’s time to get that feeling back. At some point, man, we’ve got to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.”