ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The devastation lingers. But now, the defiance grows.

The Detroit Lions are gone from the playoffs sooner than expected, sooner than their fans dreamed (or nightmared). If you’re still numb, you’re not alone.

Dan Campbell is over being numb, and almost over the anger, and fully ready for the rebound. Sometimes, when a championship-worthy team fails, it reveals fundamental flaws. Roster was too young, or too old. Strategy was too bold, or too bland.

Any theory rendered in the immediate aftermath of the Lions’ staggering 45-31 loss to Washington on Saturday night probably is invalid. You want to know how it happened, how the NFC’s No. 1 seed could crumble against the sixth seed with a rookie quarterback? Obvious answer: Duh, the Lions committed five turnovers, the Commanders none. Second obvious answer: The defense was reduced to rubble by injuries.

But those are explanations, not examinations. Campbell will dive deeper as the weeks go on, but after two days of restless reflection, one thing is clear: The Lions aren’t altering their identity. Nor should they.

“We fell short; it wasn’t good enough,” Campbell said Monday. “The players are extremely disappointed, I know the fans are, I certainly am. But we will reload, and we will be back.”

The Lions are an NFL-best 27-7 over the past two regular seasons, 2-2 in the playoffs, and Campbell struck the appropriate tone. He and GM Brad Holmes have built them for the long haul, with almost the entire core in its prime. Dramatic change will happen naturally, not by design. It already started Monday, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson heading to the Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn also expected to land a head-coaching job.

“I don’t see philosophy changing,” Campbell said. “What we are is what we are, and we’ve been that way since I’ve been here. A couple of things will get tweaked, just the nature of new coordinators. What I want is what we’re going to do, and what we’re about, and what (Jared) Goff’s about and what we are on defense. These things are not going to go away.”

Campbell didn’t spend a lot of time lamenting the Lions’ incredible spate of injuries. By the end, they were missing 13 defenders off their original 22-man two-deep. The elusive Jayden Daniels was not the type of quarterback they could handle.

The Lions deserve the same leeway that other great teams here have experienced. The Red Wings and Pistons were hardened by failure, and it took time. It’s preposterous to suggest the Lions’ Super Bowl window is closing. But are there questions? Sure.

Can they win it all with Goff? Yes, they can. He committed four turnovers against the Commanders but none in the previous run to the NFC Championship Game. He can’t dodge pressure and create plays like mobile stars Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Daniels. That reduces the Lions’ margin for error, but it’s far from debilitating. With savvy and accuracy, Goff reached career heights and directed the league’s most prolific offense.

So stop with that nonsense. It is fair, though, to wonder how Goff will be affected by Johnson’s departure. Campbell made it clear Goff would be involved in the search for a new coordinator, and the Lions won’t dial down their creativity anytime soon. The plays might be different, but the mentality will be the same.

“This thing is set up for Goff to have success with our playmakers, (Amon-Ra) St. Brown, our running backs, the O-line, the whole deal, (Jameson Williams) Jamo,” Campbell said. “I want to keep that in place, I want to keep our terminology in place, and I want to make sure that Goff is comfortable because he’s playing at a high level.”

Not done yet

Did the Lions get out of sync against Washington by trying too frantically to keep up? Yeah, a bit. I think Daniels’ explosiveness sped up the game, and Johnson sped up his plan. Goff’s end-zone interception in the closing minute of the first half — intended for Willams — was needlessly bold. Even riskier was a trick play in the fourth quarter that led to a wobbly interception by Williams that helped the Commanders expand their lead to 45-28.

But again, careful with rash overreactions. Errors amplify the Lions’ risk-taking mindset, but they don’t define it. The Lions did convert both fourth-down attempts Saturday night (the Commanders were 3 for 4). The Lions also scored on a nifty end-around, when Williams took a pitch from Jahmyr Gibbs and sprinted 61 yards to give Detroit a 24-21 lead. Their aggressiveness is rightly lauded — and copied. It’s why Johnson was the hottest coaching candidate on the market.

Because the offense has so many options, some inevitably get overlooked. Gibbs has become an elite back and should get more than 14 carries (for 105 yards) in a playoff game. That said, David Montgomery is extremely valuable, but he was returning from a knee injury.

Why does it matter who gets the yards, or how they get them? It usually doesn’t. But it mattered against the Commanders because they were controlling the ball with Daniels’ efficiency. They killed 8:28 on a 70-yard drive for a 1-yard touchdown by Brian Robinson early in the fourth quarter that made it 38-28.

Spectacular plays by Williams, St. Brown and others can be game-changers. But the Lions are toughest to beat when they’re mauling and managing the clock, running Gibbs and Montgomery behind their stellar offensive line. It was especially critical against Washington because the Lions’ decimated defense struggled to get off the field.

There’s no sense in belaboring the injury misfortune. I don’t think it’s a training issue or a turf issue or a curse issue because the Lions were relatively healthy the year before. Campbell chalked it up to “one of those bizarre, freakish years,” and that sounds about right.

At various times, the Lions lost their two best linemen, Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill, their best cornerback, Carlton Davis, and their best linebacker, Alex Anzalone. Glenn did a crafty juggling job and likely will land a new gig because of it.

The Lions will face fresh challenges, including a 2025 schedule that looks positively nasty. In addition to the standard division games, their road slate includes Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Kansas City and the L.A. Rams.

They’ll likely have two new coordinators, and Johnson’s innovation will be hard to replace. Holmes needs to add more defensive linemen, and the offensive line also could use bolstering, especially at guard.

But it’s hard to find glaring holes. The Lions led the NFC with seven Pro Bowl selections, and all their top players are 30 or younger: Goff (30), Gibbs (22), Montgomery (27), St. Brown (25), Sam LaPorta (24), Penei Sewell (24), Frank Ragnow (28), Anzalone (30), Hutchinson (24), McNeill (24), Brian Branch (23), Kerby Joseph (24), Jack Campbell (24).

You see those names and ages and you understand why Campbell’s mood is evolving, from devastation to defiance and back to hell-bent determination.

“It eats at me, it drives me, it motivates me,” Campbell said. “I got a text from St. Brown at four in the morning yesterday, so I know the guys it eats away at, and they’re the right guys; they’re our guys for a reason. And that’s what will always give me hope, and let me know we’re only going to be better, we’re going to come back stronger, we’re going to learn from this. It’s just more fuel on the fire, is what it is.”

It’s who they are, it’s who Campbell is, and it’s not changing. It ended too early this time, but it’s too early to call it an ending.

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