Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, reflecting on a disastrous 37-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Christmas Eve, summarized the mistakes by pointing to a lack of aggressiveness, detail and discipline.
"There was a number of different things that showed up that were very uncharacteristic of how we've been playing," Campbell said Monday.
What never showed up — once again — was an efficient running game from the offense, as the first-half deficit forced the Lions to employ an all-out attack through the air in search of a comeback. Irrespective of Saturday's game script, though, the Lions have struggled to exude power and authority on the ground over the past eight weeks.