When the Detroit Lions travel to Baltimore for Monday Night Football, it won’t just be another game on the schedule. It’s a chance to erase one of the ugliest memories from the Dan Campbell era, that 38-6 beatdown in 2023 that left the Lions stunned and searching for answers.
The Painful Memory That Still Lingers
The last time Detroit visited Baltimore, the Lions were riding high at 5-1. By halftime, they were down 28-0. It was over before it even began.
Assistant head coach Scott Montgomery didn’t hold back when reflecting on that game this week.
“Physically, they wore us out,” Montgomery said as quoted by Justin Rogers. “Physically, they beat us up. That’s hard to do when we work the way that we work…We pride ourselves on physicality, and they put it on tape. That’s what we have to live with, because that’s what we put on the tape, our resume.”
For a team that prides itself on grit and toughness, that was a gut punch. And Dan Campbell knows his players haven’t forgotten.
“You don’t forget those because we didn’t give ourselves a chance,” Campbell said. “By the end of the first quarter, we were in a bad way. I think the environment, the opponent, most of our guys have seen them up close, in real time. If you didn’t have an idea, you’ve got a really good idea now, what you’re going into.”
Why This Matchup Is Different
Two years can change a lot. The Lions have grown since that humbling day, and Campbell believes the experience will serve as motivation, not a burden.
“We know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m telling you, we’re looking forward to it. I mean, these are fun, man. These are as good as it gets,” Campbell said.
This time, the Lions aren’t heading to Baltimore just happy to compete. They’re coming in with a proven quarterback in Jared Goff, an All-Pro target in Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a defense led by Aidan Hutchinson and Brian Branch. And unlike 2023, Detroit knows exactly what kind of physical fight the Ravens bring.
What Detroit Needs to Do to Flip the Script
So, how do the Lions turn this rematch into redemption? Campbell boiled it down to the basics:
- Win with physicality. Baltimore beat Detroit at their own game in 2023. That can’t happen again.
- Gang tackle Derrick Henry. Campbell stressed the need for “population of the football” to stop Henry’s momentum.
- Protect Jared Goff. Detroit’s offensive line must give their quarterback time to attack the Ravens’ secondary.
If the Lions stick to their identity, disciplined, physical, relentless, this game won’t be a repeat of 2023.
The Ravens embarrassed the Lions two years ago. The scars from that 38-6 loss haven’t faded. But this Detroit team is different now. Stronger, deeper, more experienced.
Baltimore might be the toughest test of the early season, but make no mistake: the Lions are hungry for revenge, and they’ve got the pieces to deliver it.
Jeff Bilbrey
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