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Lions Rumors: OC Anthony Lynn 'to Part Ways' After Season Finale vs. Packers
January 9, 2022
The Detroit Lions are "expected to part ways" with offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn after Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Head coach Dan Campbell took offensive play-calling duties away from Lynn in November, so the writing may have been on the wall well before the 2021 regular season neared its conclusion.
The numbers aren't flattering to Lynn.
The Lions are 22nd in total offense, averaging 317.5 yards per game, and scoring the fifth-fewest points per game (18.0). Football Outsiders ranks Detroit 29th in offensive efficiency.
But Lynn isn't a miracle worker.
Two of the team's top three receivers (Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola) from 2020 didn't return. Kenny Golladay, who was limited to five games, signed with the New York Giants. The front office did little to meaningfully address those departures.
A change of scenery didn't result in a transformation for Jared Goff either. The two-time Pro Bowler has thrown for 3,007 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and he's 24th in ESPN.com's Total QBR (36.2).
D'Andre Swift has 1,023 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns, representing one of the few bright spots. But a sprained shoulder forced him to miss four games, symbolizing how little could go right in the Motor City.
Gambling on a bounce-back from Goff made sense for a team in rebuilding mode. It has become clear the experiment won't work out as the Lions had hoped.
Perhaps a different play-caller could've gotten more out of the offense, but the unit seemed to have some notable flaws that would've made life difficult for any coordinator.
Regardless, head coach Dan Campbell clearly soured on Lynn as the year unfolded, making their partnership untenable moving forward.
Lynn, meanwhile, can get a fresh start elsewhere. The head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2017 to 2020, he should be able to land on his feet with another team this offseason.