ALLEN PARK — After rewatching the Thanksgiving loss to the Packers, Lions coach Dan Campbell said the big issue is the turnover ratio.
The Lions had three turnovers against the Packers and four in a win over the Bears the previous Sunday. In those two games Detroit had just one takeaway – a forced fumble by Cam Sutton that was recovered by Alex Anzalone against the Packers.
“That’s the major issue. We can talk about these other things, but until we clean that up the other parts of this are a little bit irrelevant and honestly they’re not the big issues,’’ Campbell said on Monday. “So we need to take care of the football.”
It is not lost on Campbell that six of the seven turnovers fall on Goff. He was intercepted three times by the Bears and lost three fumbles to the Packers.
“We’ve talked, he knows. Like I told him this morning, once you start to break the line of scrimmage you have to tuck it away. It’s as simple as that, it’s an emphasis we work on at practice,’’ Campbell said.
The turnovers are uncharacteristic for Goff who had thrown just five interceptions in the first nine games. Those were his first lost fumbles this season. He fumbled twice in the loss at the Ravens, but both were recovered.
“All these little things that come up, we’re not going to just yell harder, we’re going to give substance, you teach them, you show them,’’ Campbell said. “Here’s where you can be a little bit better – everything from pass pro to the rush, to the way we cover, to the way we jam to the way we protect the football or don’t protect …’’
The turnaround in turnovers will not be easy this Sunday against the Saints who excel at creating turnovers.
They’re very good, it’s a tough place to play too. This is going to be an unbelievable environment. It’s hard to win there but it’s exactly what you want,’’ said Campbell who played for the Saints (2009) and was an assistant coach there for five seasons.
If anyone thinks Campbell is in the dumps after dropping the game on Thanksgiving, they are just wrong.
The Lions are 8-3 and still atop the NFC North.
“I’m not getting worried, I love this, I’m serious. I love this. It’s doom and gloom outside our building, we’ve got six to go, we’ve got an unbelievable opportunity and I love it, I really do,’’ Campbell said.
“This is what we find out what we’re made of and really everybody in this league for that matter. You talk about the month of December, there are some teams that will begin to rise and some teams will fall out of this. I love our team and I love where we’re at, and I know the guys we have in the locker room, I know these coaches. It should be good.’’
INJURY UPDATE: LB Alex Anzalone was injured Thursday and could be out for a bit, per Campbell. Safety Kerby Joseph was hurt but should be good to go. The coach was uncertain if left guard Jonah Jackson (wrist) will be ready to return after missing five of the last six games.
NEXT UP: Lions (8-3) at New Orleans Saints (5-6), 1 p.m., Sunday. The Saints are coming off a 24-15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
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