The Detroit Lions’ top-ranked scoring success over the past few seasons has been credited to former OC Ben Johnson. While pundits are predicting a drop-off for Detroit this year, the Lions will be even better with John Morton running the offense.
Why The Detroit Lions Offense Will Be Even Better This Season
Johnson, in his first year with the Chicago Bears , is learning that a head coach job is a very different experience from being the Lions’ OC. Frustrated that quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense aren’t progressing quickly enough, Johnson kicked wide receiver Luther Burden III out of practice Tuesday. He blasted the rookie for repeatedly failing to line up properly at the line of scrimmage.
“That’s on par for Ben,” said tight end Cole Kmet. “If you’re not doing it right, he’s gonna get you out, and he’s not going to just see that stuff continue. It’s just a lesson to us that you gotta be on the details. We gotta be on the details going into practice, and we’re going to get our reps in. “
Johnson’s Expectations Based On His Success In Detroit
However, expectations for Johnson to duplicate his Detroit success with the Bears might be a bit premature. In 2023, the Lions ranked third in the NFL with 58 touchdowns. Last year, no other team came close to Detroit’s achievement. Recording a season total of 564 points and 70 touchdowns at an average of 33.2 points per game, the Lions were the NFL’s number one offense. What made the accomplishment all the sweeter, however, was that this amazing turnaround came after a decades-long history of failure.
Johnson’s Tenure In Detroit Preceded Holmes and Campbell
Before Sheila Ford-Hamp brought in Brad Holmes , the Lions spent decades floundering in the NFL cellar. When Holmes was hired in 2021, Johnson was one of the few employees he retained from the dysfunctional Bob Quinn / Matt Patricia era. Originally hired in 2019 as the team’s offensive quality control coach, Johnson was promoted a year later to tight ends coach.
Brad Holmes, Crafting A Premier Lions Roster From Scratch
Holmes and Dan Campbell began the Lions’ turnaround by rebuilding the entire roster from scratch. Today’s team bears no resemblance to the team Holmes inherited, with Taylor Decker as the lone survivor of the Quinn /Patricia era. Holmes’ first move as GM was negotiating the Jared Goff / Matthew Stafford trade that became the lynchpin for the Lions’ future success.
After trading for his quarterback, Holmes put together two stunningly successful draft classes. The 2021 draft class included OT Penei Sewell, DT Levi Onwuzurike, DT Alim McNeill, and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown . In 2022, he added EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, WR Jameson Williams, EDGE Josh Paschal, S Kerby Joseph, and LB Malcolm Rodriguez.
Johnson, A Play-Calling Genius
Johnson has been called a brilliant strategist. However, by the time he took over as the offensive coordinator in 2022, Holmes already had several of the foundational players for the Lions’ reconstruction in place. Johnson was set up for success. He could get creative in designing plays with an MVP-caliber quarterback. Working behind an offensive line anchored by All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and tackle Penei Sewell , Goff had time to complete precision throws to a receiver corps headed by elite talent St. Brown.
In 2023, Johnson was provided with a wealth of additional talent. Holmes put together the league’s top running back duo in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs , and drafted rookie Sam LaPorta, whose debut established him as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. The Lions’ offense began functioning like a well-oiled machine. But it’s a bit easier to look like a play-calling genius when you have an offense stacked with top-tier talent.
Why Johnny Morton Is A Better Fit Than Johnson
In 2022, Morton worked with Goff previously as Senior Offensive Assistant under Campbell . Working closely with Goff, he evaluated his performance and recommended subtle changes that improved his accuracy. Goff’s average number of yards per completion increased, and he committed fewer turnovers. Since 2022, those numbers have only continued to improve as he implemented the changes Morton recommended.
Morton’s Style: Detailed, Hard Working, and Collaborative
Although this is Morton’s first time as an offensive coordinator, he has already earned the respect and admiration of his players and coach Jon Gruden, who described him as a hard-working mastermind . “This guy is nuts. People thought I was nuts. This guy is freaking nuts, man. He loves it, he’s a creative guy, he’s a great competitor, and I can’t wait to see the Lions open up the season.”
Morton’s impressive work ethic has already been noted. Instead of taking time off following OTAs, he spent hours watching both the offense and defensive tapes and taking notes. He is also more laid back in his approach than Johnson. He is detail-oriented and collaborative in his approach to coaching, exchanging strategies and tips with Campbell and the defense. Morton listens to his players and solicits their input. In designing his offensive scheme, he incorporates plays that his quarterback is most comfortable with and that showcase his strengths.
Morton, A Lions’ Players’ Coach
Morton’s also earned the respect and trust of his receivers, allowing them to expand their route running. Fourth-year wide receiver Williams is delighted with the changes Morton made to the offense. “He’s putting his faith in his guys, and I love that about him. He’s aggressive, too. It’s not just me; everyone gets to run more routes. We expanded the offense. We expanded the playbook a little bit.”
St. Brown was equally effusive in praising his new OC. “I love him as a receiver coach. Not only because he knows us, he’s been here the last two years, but because he’s coached receivers. He’s done it,” St. Brown continued, “He’s coached the backs, he’s coached so many different things that when we’re doing the run game now, he’s teaching us what the running backs are doing, what are the cuts they want to make. What the running backs like in how we block the DBs, the safeties, whatever they may be.”
Detroit’s offense is in good hands this season with Morton and Campbell, a motivational guru who knows how to extract the best possible performance out of an athlete. Fans can look forward to a terrific season of Lions football that just might see the team go all the way.
Main Photo: [Lon Horwedel] – USA Today Sports
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