Dan Campbell has sent a message to the NFC North with Detroit's 21-20 win over Kansas City, and ... [+]
The gauntlet has been thrown down by Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions, and it’s up to Kevin O’Connell to pick it up.
The Vikings coach has enjoyed his first 18 months on the job as Minnesota bypassed the Green Bay Packers last year and took over firm control of the NFC North. Preseason ratings said the Vikings would receive a challenge from the Lions since they won eight of their last 10 games a year ago. But there seemed to be every chance that estimation was nothing but overhype. The Lions had the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL last year, and how much better could they be in 2023?
A lot better.
The Lions did their best to answer that question in a definitive manner with a 21-20 triumph over the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on kickoff night. To think that the Lions defense could limit Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense to two field goals in the second half and hold Kansas City to 316 yards for the game is shocking.
Much of this is the result of Campbell putting high expectations and demands on his team. Campbell was most likely as shocked as Lions fans to see his team come up with a victory in Kansas City. The Chiefs had won 18 of their last 19 games against NFC opponents and they have the best quarterback in the game. They didn’t have All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce (knee) or dominating defensive end Chris Jones (holdout), but the Lions played a fearless brand of football.
“I didn’t learn anything,” Campbell said. “I got verification of what I already knew. That’s one of the reasons I love this team. They don’t get fazed by those things. And they know that the next one’s coming, the next play is the one that’s going to change the game for us and they played that way today.”
The next move must be made by O’Connell. The Vikings coach is an offensive innovator and he makes his players feel welcome and valued in the locker room. But when it comes to challenging them to be excellent, he only succeeded with those on the offensive side of the ball last year. Now he must find a way to reach the defense.
Yes, the Vikings hired a defensive mastermind in Brian Flores to serve as a new voice, but the overall success of the team is on O’Connell’s shoulders.
He saw the Lions defense respond against the best offense in the NFL and now his team must deliver as well. The assignment in Week 1 is nowhere near as tough as the one Lions had, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers no longer have Tom Brady under center. Instead, retread Baker Mayfield takes over as the No. 1 quarterback and he is supported by the No. 32 rushing offense in the league.
The Vikings defense must step up and demonstrate that they are not going to let the suddenly dangerous Lions take over the NFC North.
While nothing gets decided after the first game of the season, messages get sent and they will be heard loud and clear. A shutdown effort by the Vikings defense is needed. O’Connell needs to make sure that message is heard by Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport, Byron Murphy and Harrison Smith. Those are the most important players on defense, and they must start producing right away.
The Vikings have every reason to believe that Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins will lead the offense effectively, but the Vikings have been awful on defense for the last three seasons. That has to change now, or the confident Campbell and his suddenly roaring Lions will become the team to beat in the NFC North.