Dan Campbell is looking to someone new to spark the Detroit Lions’ struggling offense — himself.
Campbell said Wednesday he is taking a larger role in the offensive planning ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I would say just it involves spending a lot more time with the offense than maybe the other two phases, that’s all,” Campbell said. “Investment. I just want to be able to meet with the quarterback more, talk with him. Just know that I feel like I have a handprint in it, I guess if you will. It’s just investing a lot more time.”
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The Lions enter the week ranked 29th in the NFL in scoring offense, 26th in yards on offense and 30th in red zone efficiency.
They have not scored more than 19 points since Week 1, when they scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes of a 41-33 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. And they have not reached the end zone more than once in a game since an Oct. 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn will continue calling plays, but Campbell said he is trying to offer new ideas to help generate more points.
“I think we’re going to put (punter Jack) Fox on offense,” Campbell joked. “We’ll put him out there and throw him a hitch. We’ll use anybody. We’ll use Mac (Alim McNeill) at fullback.
“But no, look, I just think that we’re trying to get all of our guys involved. That’s really the best way to put it. They all have a hand in this. They’re going to have a piece. We’re going to ask them to do some things they do well, both in the run and pass game. I think everybody needs some nuggets, and so we’ll see if we can drop some nuggets and see how these guys respond a little bit, give them a little air and a little confidence.”
The Lions, at 0-8 the only winless team in the NFL, have leaned heavily on running back D’Andre Swift and tight end T.J. Hockenson for offense so far.
Hockenson leads the Lions with 48 catches and 448 yards receiving, but has seen his impact diminish amid constant double teams since a hot start. Swift has 47 catches for 415 yards, but is averaging just 3.2 yards per rush.
Before the bye, Campbell said he wanted to re-examine and perhaps expand the role rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was playing on offense, and on Monday he said it was up to coaches “to get more guys involved offensively.”
St. Brown, who leads all Lions receivers with 27 catches, said coaches have indicated he will see more time at the outside Z receiver spot going forward. The fourth-round pick played primarily out of the slot the first eight games.
“I’m ready for it,” St. Brown said. “I’m excited to see what else they’re going to do with me.”
While the Lions rank a disappointing 26th in the NFL in rushing at 93.1 yards per game, their biggest issue has been a lack of explosive plays, particularly in the passing game.
Quarterback Jared Goff ranks last in the league in metrics like air yards per completion and average intended air yards, and the Lions have few vertical threats in the passing game.
Goff, whose passer rating (85.3) is his lowest since his rookie season, said he welcomes Campbell’s increased involvement on offense.
“It’s been good,” he said. “It’s been really good. He’s taken a bigger hand in it, absolutely, and wants to and I think he’s the head coach and gets to make those decisions, obviously, and we’re excited to have him be a little more part of it.”
Campbell said the Lions need to “push the issue” of getting the ball downfield. Though Goff has relied heavily in checkdowns in recent years, Campbell insisted Goff will “do what we’re asking him to do” in that regard if the Lions create one-on-one matchups and give him the time he needs in the pocket.
“Look, I’m like anybody else,” Campbell said. “I want to help us and if maybe I’ve got something that I feel like I can help us, everybody’s got pretty good ideas but you never know when one idea may help so I’m trying to do my part if you will.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.