NFL Analyst Reveals ‘A Lot of Momentum Constructing’ Between Lions OC Ben Johnson and 3-Time Tremendous Bowl Champions
With the firing of head coach Antonio Pierce and common supervisor Tom Telesco, the Las Vegas Raiders are but once more in search of new management.
And in response to NFL Insider Vincent Bonsignore, not solely is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson getting a ton of buzz across the league, however momentum is beginning to construct with him turning into the following head coach of the Raiders.
Ben Johnson Can Make Enhancements to the Raiders
Quite a lot of momentum constructing for Ben Johnson & @Raiders.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) January 15, 2025
It’s not stunning to see the Raiders transfer on from Pierce after one full season. The crew rallied and confirmed coronary heart whereas Pierce was the interim head coach in 2023, however that vitality died out in 2024. After recording a 10-game shedding streak, it’s exhausting to maintain your job with a streak like that, regardless of who you might be.
Pierce and the Raiders went 4-13 this previous season and struggled on offense all year long, an space the place Las Vegas can enhance with the hiring of Johnson. They want it, too, after rating twenty seventh within the NFL in yards per recreation (303.2), twenty eighth in yards per play, and twenty ninth in factors per play.
Johnson is simply 38 years previous and incomes loads of consideration in relation to head teaching gigs, because of his success as Detroit’s OC. He’s been concerned with the Lions’ offense since 2019, taking up full reigns because the coordinator in 2022. Their inventory has soared this season, nevertheless it’s been a development, one thing that factors to a real influence versus a single robust season.
Detroit’s Offensive Landing Charge by Season Underneath Johnson
- 2022: 29.5% TD charge
- 2023: 30.5% TD charge
- 2024: 37.4% TD charge
The working recreation is pretty much as good because it will get, permitting quarterback Jared Goff to flourish (profession highs in completion share, yards per go, and touchdowns). Nevertheless, reckless play-calling can sometimes inflate offensive numbers.
Not in Detroit. Not underneath Johnson.
The Lions don’t must put the ball in hurt’s option to entry their elite offensive ceiling. Their two lowest turnover charge seasons this millennium (2022 and 2024) have come since Johnson took over, giving them a no-risk, all-reward profile.
Within the 4 seasons earlier than Johnson assumed OC duties, Detroit ranked 14th in turnover charge, twenty third in factors per drive, and twenty fourth in punt share. In Goff’s final two seasons with the Rams, Los Angeles ranked twenty third in scoring share and twenty fourth in turnover charge. And it wasn’t instantly higher when he first joined Detroit in 2021 (twenty second in scoring share and turnover charge).
We dwell in an offensive-driven league, and Johnson’s résumé speaks for itself. At a younger age, he’s confirmed able to elevating the items round him in a major approach, one thing each crew within the NFL finds interesting.
