Dan Campbell had a blunt explanation for why the Detroit Lions need more from their running game.

“Our back’s too good.”

That was the standard Campbell returned to after Detroit’s 41–31 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. Jahmyr Gibbs finished with 52 yards on 16 carries, and the Lions managed just 66 rushing yards overall.

Detroit eventually generated enough offense to make the score respectable. It never established the balance Campbell believed it needed, and he made clear that the coaching staff shared responsibility.

“We had some run-throughs. Bottom line is we didn’t handle this well enough. I’m talking about us as coaches. All right, we have a hand in this.”

For a team that fell to 1–1, the correction starts with making sure Gibbs has a chance to use the ability Campbell trusts.

Campbell explains where the blocking broke down

Campbell pointed to defenders getting through the blocking, backside pursuit and a heavier dose of safety pressure than Detroit anticipated.

The Lions had limited regular-season film on Buffalo’s approach under Jim Leonhard, the Bills defensive coordinator who praised Detroit’s offensive talent before the matchup. Campbell said the staff supplemented that film by studying the defensive systems connected to Buffalo’s coaches.

But he also said the looks were manageable.

“They did a couple of things different. Nothing that we couldn’t handle, but we had some run-throughs and they ran us down on the backside.”

“They had some safety pressures. Look, we know they have safety pressure. They just did quite a bit more of them.”

“We’ve got somebody for them. We just didn’t get them blocked.”

Detroit entered the game without starting offensive linemen Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller. Even with those absences, Campbell’s assessment was direct: Detroit had answers available and failed to execute them consistently.

The early deficit narrowed Detroit’s options

The run-game problems became more expensive as Buffalo built its lead. Detroit was scoreless after the first quarter and trailed 27–10 at halftime.

“We knew we needed to score some points. We stalled out early in that game, and that got us early. You’re down three scores and really we haven’t done anything offensively, so a lot of that help needed to come there to be able to answer back. We fell short there.”

That sequence matters when evaluating the Lions’ 20 rushing attempts. Campbell described an offense that struggled to make its runs productive, then faced increasing pressure to throw as the deficit grew.

Simply calling more runs would not have addressed the missed blocks he identified.

“Offensively, when you play an opponent as potent as this, you don’t have the luxury of spitting and sputtering early. You don’t have that luxury. And we knew that coming into this game.”

Goff and St. Brown provided a response

Jared Goff finished with 327 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes for 142 yards and two scores.

Those performances gave Detroit a way back into the game. They also came with the added burden of trying to overcome an early deficit while Buffalo could increasingly anticipate the pass.

Campbell explained how the offense reached that point.

“It’s little stuff like that. At some point, you don’t get it going and then the score is getting away from you a little bit.”

“Then you’ve got Saint over there and Jamo and LaPorta. It’s time. We might need to put it in the air a little bit.”

“Then you’re into a different can of worms. Now you’re dealing with a rush and all those things. But anyway, it was just too little, too late.”

Goff was sacked four times for 38 yards in losses. Detroit scored 21 second-half points but could not complete the comeback.

Campbell wants a running game Detroit can count on

Campbell still sees room for the offense to improve. His concern is whether Detroit can produce a dependable ground game before circumstances force it into a different approach.

“I think we’re 1-1, and I think we have to be able to run the ball better than we are right now. We have to be much more efficient doing it.”

Gibbs still contributed as a receiver, catching six passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. His 113 yards from scrimmage showed he remained involved even when rushing lanes were difficult to find.

The larger problem was what Detroit could consistently create for him on the ground. Campbell made clear that fixing it requires work from the staff and the players responsible for the blocking.

“But I know the run game’s got to be big for us, and it can’t just dissolve. It’s there one game and it dissolves the next game. We can’t play that game. We have to find a way to make that work and get ourselves going.”