DETROIT Lions coach Dan Campbell is worried his team’s recent ball security issues could cost them a Super Bowl run.
The Lions have lost their last two NFL games but still top the NFC North ahead of Week 13.
Campbell’s team lost 29-22 to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, losing three fumbles.
They leaked 20 points in a disastrous first quarter, with the offense playing catchup for the remainder of the game.
Detroit had raced to 8-1 by Week 10 and looked set for a very real Super Bowl push.
But after two painful losses, Campbell has put their recent slide down to basic mistakes.
He told reporters: “I went back and after watching it, I’m actually more encouraged because to me, it’s not what it appears to be.
“Just on the basic level of this, it’s turnover ratio. It’s turnover ratio.”
As well as turnovers against the Packers, the Lions committed a total of four against the Chicago Bears.
Campbel continued: “We’re turning the ball over offensively, on special teams we had one against Chicago.
“Giving up four against Chicago and three against Green Bay and we only got one back. That’s the major issue right now.
“We can talk about all these other things, but until we clean that up, the other parts of this are irrelevant and, honestly, they are not the big issues.
“We need to take care of the football, we’ve got to hold onto the football, which we can do.”
Lions quarterback Jared Goff began the season in hot form but has cooled off in recent weeks.
He has 3,075 passing yards and 18 touchdowns on the season, as well as 8 interceptions.
That’s more picks than Goff threw in the entire of the 2022 season, with the former Los Angeles Rams star recently giving up three interceptions against the Bears.
The Lions have a chance to put things right and get back in the win column as they face the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at the Superdome.
