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Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will likely interview for head coaching openings again this offseason. But if he chooses to leave the Detroit Lions, it’s unlikely to be because he feels unappreciated.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell raved about the latest offensive play calling from Johnson a day after Detroit edged the Los Angeles Chargers in an offensive shootout, 41-38.
“I thought Ben [Johnson] called a hell of a game,” Campbell told reporters on November 13. “My gosh, I just felt like he was two steps ahead.
“I think you’d be hard pressed to call a better game than he did offensively. I was really proud of him. It was great.”
The Lions racked up a season-high 533 yards on their way to 41 points. Detroit had near perfect balance, as its offense posted 333 passing yards and 200 yards on the ground.
With Johnson as offensive coordinator since the start of the 2022 season, the Lions have three 500-yard performances in 26 games. Prior to 2022, Detroit last recorded 500 offensive yards in a game during Week 6 in 2015 against the Chicago Bears.
The last time the Lions had at least 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in a single game was Week 13 of the 2013 season versus the Green Bay Packers.
Ben Johnson’s Lions Offense Receives Massive Praise From Dan Campbell
Week 10 was a game for the ages on offense for Detroit. Lions quarterback Jared Goff averaged 10.1 yards per pass and only had 10 incompletions on 33 attempts.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the sixth time this season with a career-best 156 receiving yards. Goff had 2 passing touchdowns, one of which to Brown.
With a healthy backfield, the Lions dominated on the ground too. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs led Detroit to 200 rushing yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
Montgomery surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark. A 75-yard touchdown greatly helped his rushing total. Gibbs had more than 100 yards from scrimmage with 77 rushing yards and 35 receiving yards.
“Offensively, that was the best game we’ve played up to date. I felt like we were explosive,” Campbell told reporters on November 13. “I thought Goff made some critical throws. Our receivers really showed up not only in the passing game, but the run game.
“We wanted to be physical, and those guys on the perimeter did. That’s why we had explosive runs.”
For the first time in several weeks, the Lions were also healthy up front on the offensive line. Campbell didn’t leave that unit out of his superlatives on November 13.
“Ultimately, man, this offensive line, those five up front really set the tone,” Campbell said. “We needed them to. They’re the engine under the hood. Man, they make it go.”
Johnson arguably makes the Lions offense go too. While Detroit’s talented offensive players are executing his plan, Johnson is putting all of the team’s players on that side of the ball in places to experience success.
Campbell Trusts Offense With Game on the Line
With the Lions offense having their best performance and the team’s defense struggling, it wasn’t all that surprising that Campbell trusted Johnson’s unit with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter.
Campbell elected to go on fourth-and-2 at the Chargers 26-yard line rather than kick a field goal with the game tied 38-38 and 1:47 remaining in regulation.
Johnson called a pass play in shotgun formation. Goff found rookie tight end Sam LaPorta for 6-yard gain.
That allowed the Lions to run out the rest of the clock and kick the game-winning field goal as time expired.
“I wanted to finish with the ball,” Campbell told reporters in his postgame press conference on November 12. “I trusted our guys, I trusted Goff. Going into that situation — there’s going to be a lot of time left (if) you kick a field goal.”
With how successful Johnson’s play calling was in Week 10, it’s hard to argue with that decision.
After nine games, the Lions are second in yards per game this season. They are also sixth in points per contest.
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Lions’ Dan Campbell Sounds Off on Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson: ‘My Gosh’