For years, the title of “America’s Team” was associated with flash, legacy and coast-to-coast marketability. But in 2025, that crown might finally belong to a team that built its reputation on grit, belief and blue-collar toughness: the Detroit Lions.
On Monday night, in a 38–30 road win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Lions didn’t just steal a game. They captured the attention, and perhaps the loyalty, of a national audience. In front of a roaring M&T Bank Stadium crowd, Detroit imposed its will on one of the AFC’s premier franchises and showed why it deserves to be at the forefront of any Super Bowl conversation.
“This was a 12-round heavyweight fight,” wrote Nick Shook of NFL.com, who called the back-and-forth clash “one of the most thrilling viewing experiences” of the early season. Detroit opened with an 18-play, 98-yard drive that immediately silenced Baltimore’s crowd and set the tone for the night.
Dan Campbell’s fearless leadership
Head coach Dan Campbell has long talked about his team being built to bite kneecaps. On Monday, they simply broke Baltimore’s will. Down the stretch, Campbell called three successful fourth-down conversions, including a gutsy fourth-and-2 pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown late in the fourth quarter that iced the game.
“Everything we talked about was right in that game: heart, resiliency, belief,” Campbell told his players in a raucous postgame locker room, captured in a video shared by the Detroit Free Press. “You just showed the world that this team is built for the moment.”
The moment was indeed massive: national television, on the road, against a perennial Super Bowl contender. But Detroit didn’t flinch. Not when Baltimore tied it. Not when Lamar Jackson threatened to take over late. Not when the noise reached playoff-level decibels. In fact, it was Detroit that delivered the final blow.
Montgomery, Gibbs fuel balanced attack
Detroit’s offensive balance was stunning. Running back David Montgomery rushed for a career-high 151 yards on just 12 carries, including four explosive runs of 10 or more yards. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Montgomery recorded +108 rushing yards over expected — the most by any player this season.
Second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs added 82 yards of his own, while quarterback Jared Goff threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Detroit didn’t miss former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who departed for a head coaching job last offseason. In fact, they may be better without him.
“The Lions don’t need Ben Johnson to thrive,” wrote CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr. “This offense is running smoother than ever.” Kerr argued that Detroit’s performance in Baltimore proved the team’s adaptability and staying power, even without its key coordinators from the 2024 season.
Defense steps up in biggest moments
Coming into 2025, there were questions about whether Detroit’s defense could step up against elite opponents. On Monday, it didn’t just step up, it dominated. The Lions sacked Lamar Jackson seven times, limited Baltimore’s explosive plays, and forced a critical fourth-quarter fumble by Derrick Henry, who continues to struggle with ball security this season.
Henry’s turnover was his third fumble in three games, a concerning trend that changed the momentum just when Baltimore was driving to potentially tie the game again.
Not just a fluke — a statement
Last season’s breakout was no fluke. The Lions are now 2–1, and their only loss came in a sluggish Week 1 performance that already feels like a distant memory. Monday’s win wasn’t just about execution; it was about identity. The Lions bullied a well-coached Ravens team at home and delivered long, demoralizing touchdown drives, two of which went for 95 yards or more. According to NFL Research, the Ravens hadn’t allowed that to happen since 2010. In short, the Lions are back and possibly better than ever.
Why Detroit is America’s Team now
Forget the star on the helmet. Forget the outdated narratives. Being America’s Team in 2025 means something different. It’s about perseverance. About building something from nothing. About connecting to the soul of a working-class city and then delivering wins through toughness, humility and courage.
The Lions have become the team that fans across the country admire not because of legacy, but because of journey. They’re relatable. They were bad, historically bad, and then got better through unrelenting work. They drafted smart, hired fearlessly, and built a culture rooted in unity.
That culture showed itself Monday night. From Goff’s calm in the pocket, to Campbell’s fearless calls, to the defense’s gritty stops, the Lions looked like a team that knows who it is and where it’s headed. And now, America knows it, too.