Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Bengals' 2025 opponents. We will continue with the Detroit Lions, as the Bengals return to Paycor Stadium in Week 5 for America's Game of the Week on FOX.

2024

The Lions won a franchise record 15 games in 2024, going 15-2 to win the NFC North and clinch the number one seed in the NFC playoffs. Detroit lost to Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders 45-31 in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Detroit led the league with 33.2 points per game and finished second with 409.5 yards per game. The Lions were the only team to have a quarterback, running back and wide receiver finish in the top five in yards at their respective positions: QB Jared Goff was second with 4,629 passing yards, RB Jahmyr Gibbs was fifth with 1,412 rushing yards and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown finished fifth in the league with 1,263 receiving yards. Goff finished with 37 passing touchdowns, good for fourth in the league, while Gibbs' 16 rushing touchdowns tied for the league lead.

The Lions' defense suffered from injuries last season. As a team, Detroit had up to 21 players on injured reserve at once. DE Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg just five games into the season. As a result, the Lions defense struggled at times, but the unit still finished the season allowing the seventh-fewest points per game (20.1)

Offseason Changes

Detroit's biggest changes this offseason involved the coaching staff, as both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn took head coaching jobs elsewhere.

On the player side, Detroit brought back many of its key pieces. CB Carlton Davis III signed with the Patriots in free agency, and the Lions brought in former Jets CB D.J. Reed on a three-year deal. They also added depth to their cornerback room, signing former 49ers CB Rock Ya-Sin and former Eagles CB Avonte Maddox.

Coaching Staff

Head coach Dan Campbell begins his fifth season leading the Lions. An 11-year veteran in the NFL, Campbell has 16 years of experience as an NFL coach, spending time as an assistant in New Orleans and Miami, including a brief stint as interim head coach of the Dolphins in 2015.

Since starting with Detroit, Campbell has led the Lions to three straight winning seasons, the first time the franchise has accomplished that feat since 1993-95. They have won back-to-back NFC North crowns as well.

The Lions brought John Morton back to Detroit to be the offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson became head coach of the Chicago Bears. Morton spent the 2022 season as the team's senior offensive assistant and spent the previous two seasons as the Broncos' passing game coordinator. 2025 will be Morton's 23rd in the NFL.

On the defensive side, Detroit promoted Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator after Aaron Glenn took the New York Jets' head coaching job. Sheppard spent 2022-24 as the linebackers coach for the Lions after coaching outside linebackers in 2021. Prior to his coaching career, Sheppard was drafted in the third round by the Buffalo Bills in the 2011 NFL Draft and spent eight years in the league as a player. He returned to his alma mater, LSU, in 2020 as director of player development under then head coach Ed Orgeron.

Series History

The Lions and Bengals have played a total of 13 times. Cincinnati owns a 10-3 record over Detroit and has won seven in a row, not losing to the Lions since 1992.

What To Watch For

The Lions' rushing attack, spearheaded by Gibbs and David Montgomery, finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game in 2024, and both Gibbs and Montgomery ranked in the top-10 in individual rushing yards. The duo will face a revamped Bengals defensive line that brought in DT T.J. Slaton Jr. in free agency, who ranked first at his position in run stop win rate last season, per ESPN.