Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson interviewed for the Houston Texans head coaching position on Thursday. Deepi Sidhu spoke with Associated Press writer Larry Lage, beat reporter covering the Lions, about Johnson.
DS: The very first candidate to be interviewed was offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for the Detroit Lions. Larry, welcome in. We are going to pick your brain on everything, Ben Johnson.
DS: Just kidding. I’m just going to ask you a few questions because we want to get to know some of these candidates a little bit better. Johnson, of course, got a lot of traction for being the first time play caller for the Lions this year, dialed up some really unique plays at just the right moments. What sort of has been Ben Johnson’s approach or philosophy to when it comes to calling the Lions offense?
LL: I would say innovation. I don’t know how he does it, but Ben Johnson dials up the most innovative creative formations and plays I have ever seen from an offensive coordinator. I’ve been covering the Lions for the Associated Press for 23 years, covering Michigan and Michigan State, and it’s just incredible how many times they dial something up and you’re like, ‘Wow, I haven’t seen that before.’ I mean, just take, for example, in a huge situation late in the game at Green Bay, they basically ran a hook-and-ladder, like out in the flat in a huge down-and-distance situation. You’re like, wow, what was that? And we saw a lot of that this year. And frankly, in the second half of the 2021 season, when Dan Campbell demoted Anthony Lynn and effectively promoted Ben Johnson, and that really triggered the turnaround for Jared Goff and for the Lions who closed the 2021 season really strong. And after a slow start this year, they’re arguably the hottest team in the NFL, in part because Ben Johnson was calling the plays.
DS: Has anyone asked him what his inspiration is? Because I’ve heard the same thing about Ben Johnson. He just draws up these crazy creative plays….
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