Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has rejected calls for panic after his side fell to a 32-26 defeat by the Carolina Panthers on Sunday Night Football.
The loss left Detroit 2-2 after four games, with Campbell acknowledging on Monday that the team was not playing with enough discipline or consistency across all three phases.
“We have to play a lot smarter than we are right now in areas,” Campbell said. “Really across the board. We have to get things cleaned up.”
The Lions defence conceded 445 yards in Charlotte and has allowed at least 30 points in three of its opening four games. Campbell said the unit’s coverage had been poor early on before Carolina’s running game caused further problems after half-time.
He said Detroit would consider changes to its scheme and personnel but insisted he was focused on improving the players already in the building rather than making a dramatic intervention.
“We’re going to find a way to get better with what we got,” Campbell said. “There are things we can do. We’ve tweaked a little bit every week. There’s still some things we can try.”
Campbell also said the Lions needed to produce better complementary football, with the offence and special teams doing more to support a defence that has struggled to create turnovers.
There was some encouragement for quarterback Jared Goff, who passed for 412 yards. Jameson Williams made a 49-yard catch before half-time, while Isaac TeSlaa added a 57-yard reception in the third quarter.
Detroit could also be without cornerback Rock Ya-Sin for a period after he suffered a hamstring injury against Carolina. Campbell said Ya-Sin “doesn’t look good right now”, while defensive lineman Tyleik Williams was described as day to day with an undisclosed injury.
Despite the mounting concerns, Campbell said the Lions were not entering crisis mode with 13 games still remaining in the regular season.
“This is a work in progress,” he said. “We’re four games in. We just have to find a way to get better.”
