Three and Out: Total trench dominance, a mood shift, and arguing this is the Lions' best win of the Dan Campbell era
Baltimore, Md. — Here are three observations after a second viewing and a night to ponder the Detroit Lions’ 38-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Era’s best win?
At the risk of falling prey to recency bias, I’m prepared to contend this was the best win of the Dan Campbell era.
Let’s look at some of the other challengers. In 2021, there was the walk-off win against Minnesota, netting Campbell his first victory, a dozen games into his tenure. Then, two weeks later, the Lions unexpectedly hammered a 10-3 Cardinals team at Ford Field.
Both were strong performances, but had minimal stakes beyond avoiding the franchise’s second winless season.
In 2022, there was the season-ending victory that knocked Green Bay from the postseason. It was unquestionably a feel-good moment, softening the blow of being eliminated from playoff contention earlier that day. Still, all things considered, winning that game was hardly unexpected.
Besting the reigning champs on the road to open the 2023 season? A feather in the cap, without a doubt, rubber-stamping Detroit as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Still, Week 1 can be fluky, and the Chiefs were missing some key pieces. You can only knock the pins down as they’re set up, but it lessens the impressiveness.
Obviously, two gutsy playoff wins in 2023 meant more than Monday, but the Lions were both the better team and playing at home in those matchups. They did what they were supposed to do.
The season-ending win over Minnesota last year might be the strongest counterargument. Yeah, it was at Ford Field, but the way the Lions dominated that battle of 14-2 teams was something else.
Of course, there were plenty of blowouts of inferior opponents along the way, including Tennessee, Jacksonville and Dallas last year.
None felt quite like this.