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'We embrace that': Lions have been NFL's best road team, courtesy of the right mentality
Paywall News article.
Richard Silva
The Detroit News
Allen Park — By this point in the season, every team in the NFL has a road loss.
Except the Detroit Lions, that is.
The Lions have been true road warriors in 2024, earning a 5-0 record so far ahead of their matchup at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Dating back to 2023, Detroit has the best road record in the league at 11-3. Even reaching back to 2022, when head coach Dan Campbell was still building in Year 2, the Lions were an even 4-4 in contests away from Ford Field.
The Detroit Lions are 5-0 on the road this season.
"Well, I think our guys do a good job of honing in on the game in front of you, you know? I think we like being on the road, too," Campbell said Friday. "We love home, you get your home crowd. Believe me, we're all about that. But there's also something about the challenge of going on the road, and it's just you. It's just us.
"When you do something good, you don't hear anything — until our fans start going. That's kind of what you're shooting for, man: Let's go make a play that shuts this whole place down and gets it quiet in here. I just think there's a little bit of a mindset about. We appreciate that, and we like the challenge of it."
Detroit's success on the road is made even more impressive when you consider the fact it typically plays in a dome. The Lions went to Green Bay on a cold, rainy night earlier this month and left with a victory that was never really in doubt, and they went into Houston — NRG Stadium opened its roof for the Sunday night showdown — and earned an impressive comeback win.
There's an old adage in the NFL: Defense and run game travel. That's been the case this season for the Lions, who have given up 89 points in five home games and 88 in five road contests. At Ford Field, Detroit has 778 rushing yards. Away from home, it has 744.
Nearly identical.
"Home games are very exciting; you feel the energy there," offensive line coach Hank Fraley said. "But there's nothing like going into an opposing stadium and taking it over or willing it and trying to win there, it's always fun because you're trying to silence that crowd. ... There's nothing like going in there and winning.
"It's always tough to win in this business, (and) it's even tougher on the road. The crowd definitely plays a factor in it. ... It's been exciting this year, and really the last two years here, the way our fans have traveled. It's felt like a home game sometimes, especially by the end of it."
So, what came first? The chicken or the egg? Are the Lions excelling on the road because of their instilled culture, or do they simply only draft or sign players who already have the necessary attitude to come out on top, regardless of the venue?
"I think it's all-encompassing," Campbell said. "I think, certainly, it's the guys we have. It's why you go and get competitive guys. I would say most of our guys — when you get in these tight moments, two things happen. You either crack, or you want it. Like, you want every bit of it. You want the ball in your hands, you want to be (thinking) run this ball behind me. If I'm a (defensive) tackle, try to run it at me. I'm the corner (and) I've got one-on-one, I hope you throw it out here my way.
"I think that's our guys. We embrace that."
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
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