The Detroit Lions didn’t appear to hold back offensively throughout Sunday’s Week 5 contest versus the Arizona Cardinals. That was evident with the Lions still aggressively throwing the ball down field while ahead by 24 points in the fourth quarter.
There may have been a reason why the Lions didn’t sit on the ball or just run out the clock late versus the Cardinals — Drew Petzing.
The Lions offensive coordinator and play-caller held the same position with the Cardinals from 2023-25. After last season, Arizona fired head coach Jonathan Gannon and didn’t retain any of the team’s coaching staff.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell then hired Petzing as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Quarterback Jared Goff suggested revenge narratives like the potential one with Petzing on Sunday are overblown in the media. But Goff didn’t deny it was “cool” to see his play-caller get the better of his former team.
“Yeah, I think it’s cool,” Goff said. “I really think it’s not as meaningful as it may seem outside to us.
“But yeah, I think it’s cool anytime that happens, your former team, that’s cool.”
The Lions registered 412 yards on their way to 45 points in their 45-21 victory against Petzing’s former team. Detroit had 249 passing yards on just 30 attempts and 163 rushing yards.
Furthermore, the Lions averaged 6.3 yards per play and scored on all four of their red-zone possessions.
Lions’ Drew Petzing Dominates Former Team
It wasn’t shocking the Cardinals parted ways with Gannon and his coaching staff after last season. Arizona posted just a 15-36 record in three seasons under Gannon.
Petzing’s offense did well running the ball in his first two seasons. Then last season, the Cardinals registered a lot of passing yards while leading the league in pass attempts. Overall, though, it was probably a below average unit.
Of course, a lot of that was likely due to Petzing’s personnel. In Detroit, he has elite talent across the board, and Petzing’s offense looks a lot better.
Entering Week 5, the Lions were fourth in points and sixth in yards. They should only move up in those categories after the strong outing Sunday.
Petzing has been an NFL assistant since the 2013 campaign. He previously held roles with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns before landing with the Cardinals for his first offensive coordinator job.
Petzing also has four years of college coaching experience at Harvard, Boston College and Yale.
Goff is off to a terrific start in his first season with Petzing calling plays. With two games still left in Week 5, Goff is leading the NFL with 1,485 passing yards. He has also tossed 12 touchdowns with zero interceptions while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt.
The Lions are dominating on the ground as well. Before Sunday Night Football, running back Jahmyr Gibbs was second in rushing with 504 yards and tied for first with seven rushing touchdowns.
Petzing and the Lions will have their bye next week and then host the Green Bay Packers on October 25.
Jared Goff Speaks out on Lions Dropping 45 Points on OC Drew Petzing’s Former Team