Julian Edelman just exposed the painful truth about Dan Campbell's Lions
After years of it feeling like it was the Detroit Lions' time to shine, 2025 has been a brutal wakeup call for this team. The Lions are 7-5, in third place in the NFC North, and if the season ended today, would not qualify for the postseason. It's a tough spot to be in, considering this team was a Super Bowl favorite before the season began.
That being said, it might not be fun but it's the timeline we're living in and Dan Campbell and the Lions only have themselves to blame. When asked about his takeaways from the NFC North's Week 13 games (three of the four teams played on either Thanksgiving or the day after), former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman did not hold back on what he thought about the Lions.
"My takeaway is that the Detroit Lions may have lost their toughness. How are you a tough football team? You can run the football, you can stop the run, you can protect the quarterback. Seven quarterback hits, three sacks on Jared Goff, seven hurries. I mean, they couldn't protect him... Jared Goff needs to have that middle of the pocket," Edelman said on FOX's pregame show before Sunday's slate of games. "And then on the other side, defensive line, zero sacks, three hurries, they just couldn't get anything on Jordan Love and Jordan Love made 'em pay."
Julian Edelman drops a harsh truth that Lions fans won’t want to hear
As difficult as this is for Lions fans to hear, Edelman isn't wrong with his critique of Campbell's crew this year. What's made this team so tough for opponents to take down in the past is what Edelman alluded to, being able to run the ball, stop the run, and protect the quarterback.
While the Lions are still a great rushing team, Edelman hit the nail on the head on the protecting the quarterback point. Well, that's lack thereof for the Lions, as Goff was sacked three times in the Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay.
In fact, Goff has been sacked 26 times in 11 games this year and when you consider that he was only sacked 31 times last regular season and only 30 times the year before that, that's telling as to how far this Lions o-line has fallen.
Unfortunately, Frank Ragnow won't be saving this team after failing his physical so Campbell needs to figure out what this team's identity is going to be and fast. Otherwise, this team is in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 season.
Panthers Playmaker Delivers Reality Check About Rams QB Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams suffered a disappointing defeat to the Carolina Panthers in Week 13, and it came in an unfortunately fitting fashion.
However, he was the source of 3 turnovers in Week 13.
The Panthers, meanwhile, were unapologetic in victory, making their feelings about Stafford and the Rams painfully clear.
Panthers CB Mike Jackson Takes Shot at Matthew Stafford
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before facing the San Francisco 49ers.
Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes (64.3%) for 243 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks taken, and 1 game-sealing fumble lost. One of his interceptions went for a Panthers touchdown.
It was Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson who did the damage on the play.
“We just came to play today,” Jackson told reporters postgame. “All week, ya’ll [the media] just kept talking about how great he is, and how he’s Superman with no cape. And it was just like, at the end of the day, it’s like who’s better today? And we were. We got the ball out twice – shoot! Three times. So, we got the result that we wanted.”
Stafford had not thrown an interception since Week 3, when the Rams lost on the road 33-26 to the Philadelphia Eagles. He had not thrown multiple interceptions all season.
This was just his second multi-turnover game of the campaign.
“Matthew Stafford has thrown 31 pick-6s in his career,” NFL senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming noted in a post on X on November 30. “1 behind
Panthers HC Dave Canales Drops Strong Message on Rams
GettyCarolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales looks on before the game against the
Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who coached against McVay and the Rams as a member of the Seattle Seahawks staff from 2010 through 2022, was confident in his team. They entered the contest as multi-touchdown underdogs.
“Canales told team: We’ve seen the Rams best football. They haven’t seen ours yet,” The Athletic’s Joe Person reported on X on November 30.
The Panthers got above .500 (7-6) with the win and find themselves back in the playoff hunt.
This is the first loss for Stafford and the Rams since Week 5 in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers. While that was costly in the NFC West race at the time, this loss has even greater implications for the Rams.
Rams Lose No. 1 Seed to Bears
Stafford and the Rams entered Week 13 as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, their loss shifted the balance of power
“With the Rams’ loss to the Panthers, the Bears will enter December as the No. 1 seed in the NFC,”
A Rams loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, combined with a Bears win, would sting.
The Rams have
