LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

November 20, 2023        

Opening Statement: “Just, from yesterday, the – we talked about it last night, but you dig yourself in a hole with turnovers, but really, one of the reasons we were able to win that too, our defense put out the fires. I mean, that was – four turnovers and two of those in plus-territory. They did score on one of them, but we hold one to a field goal. We had a takeaway on the other one and we force a punt on the very first one of the game. So, if that doesn’t happen, any one of those doesn’t happen, we don’t get back in that. So, I thought our defense did some really good things and that was the biggest part of that. And then certainly at the end of the game, that sequence with just under four minutes was pretty big, so.”

On if the quick turnaround for this Thursday’s game is easier this year because they will be facing a divisional opponent they have already played this season: “Yeah, it does just because you have common knowledge of what they do and then you just – as you watch the tape, you want to see how much of it still lines up and their personnel, but they have the same thing on us too, we’ve said that. So, I guess if anything, it’s a little easier on both of us, but – from that regard. But then you can’t overthink it and you can’t underthink it because you don’t – you’ve got to have just enough wrinkles to make sure you’re not a sitting duck, but yet, you don’t want to do so much that you slow your own guys down and they’re not able to play fast, so that’s kind of the balance.”

On what he has seen from the Packers’ defense since they played them in September: “There’s a lot. And look, they’re going to be pretty much what they’re going to be. (Packers Defensive Coordinator) Joe Barry’s done a really good job. He’s a hell of a coordinator and he’ll have a little something for us, he does for everybody, but they’re going to play their solid defense and – because they’ve been pretty good at it. I mean, they’ve got good personnel and they do, they play good defense, they have all year and they have since he’s been there, so we have to be ready. They move a lot, they stunt a lot, there’s enough pressure in there. I mean, (Packers LB Rashan) Gary’s playing well. (Packers DL Kenny) Clark is always a force in there, (Packers LB) Quay Walker, I mean these guys are – (Packers LB) Preston (Smith)’s out doing a pretty job over there, so. It’s a challenge, like every week.”

On what he thinks Packers QB Jordan Love will do better this game compared to their last contest in September: “Yeah, I just think it’s – he’s connecting on some of these throws, man. He’s – I feel like he’s always been pretty poised, really. Just some of these connections haven’t – they haven’t been able to connect on some of these critical moments. I feel like he’s making those. He just – he looks pretty composed. He’s certainly, he’s athletic enough, he’s got a big arm talent. And the run game has helped them with that as well, just for what they’re able to do and what they want to do, so I would say they’re executing, he’s executing.”

On if the balance between the run and the pass game will change with Packers RB Aaron Jones potentially being out this Thursday: “Yeah, I mean I think they’re still going to want to – I think, for the most part, they’re no different than anybody else. They’ll have these principles with what they do in the run game and the play-pass off of it, to boot off of it and even if it keeps you honest, they’re going to want to do some of that. Now, I think more importantly, man our thing – we can’t give up explosives. So, kind of to your point, yeah, that could be something you come out and then eventually, if you’re able to get some explosive in the pass game, then it’s going to open your run game up. I think that’s the big thing for us is man, we’ve got to play this top-down. We can’t give up any of these chunk plays because they are having some success with those.”

On the difference between his preparation for this Thanksgiving game compared to the last two he has coached: “No, honestly, no. It’s really pretty similar to what we’ve done since year one. I mean, there’s only so much you can do, right, as far as practice. So they came in, they got a lift, we met with them, kind of give them an intro to Green Bay and then we’re going to have a walkthrough here in a little bit, about an hour, a little over. And then get them out of here, get them off their feet, let them rest, because that’s big since they just played yesterday. And then come back in tomorrow, they’ll get a lot of more of the gameplan, the base, the third down and then we’ll have another walkthrough. So, it’s been really status quo, if you will, for the last couple of years.”

On what he thought of Lions OL Colby Sorsdal’s first start at left guard on Sunday against the Bears: “Yeah, look, I – some good and then some that will – wasn’t as good as you would like, but I – that was his first time to start over there at left guard and I say this again, it’s not too big for him. I thought he fought in there. I know this, at the end of that game, he really – he played well, as really all those guys on offense did. I mean, that was some of our best football we’ve played all year in the last four minutes of the game. They just – we executed at a high level and he really did, he stepped up and that’s a lot of pressure for a rookie to go in there first time at left guard and game’s on the line and thought he played pretty good. So, look, it’s something to build off of on that side. We believe he’ll get better with more reps. We believe he’ll continue to grow. So, it’s good.”

On why Lions QB Jared Goff is able to be successful in tough situations in games: “Well, I think just understanding the menu, the plays. These are things that, for the most part, we’ve had these for two years now. And we have a menu of, as all teams do, we have a pretty large menu of staple plays that we can get to by what coverage we think they’re going to play, or they major in, in two minutes, so this was that game by what they were doing. We had just some of these, line up and snap the ball and find the read, find the play, find your guy and he just – I think it’s having a guy that understands those plays, understands what they’re doing in the coverage, where’s your guy at? Where’s your best matchup? And doing that all by just keeping your composure and that’s what he did. I mean, he didn’t get frazzled by it. I thought he sat in the pocket and he made good decisions with the football and he was just comfortable, he was comfortable.”

On Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson saying he wants to return in a couple weeks: “Well, I want to talk to the doctor he’s talking to. No, listen, that’s – Deucey is – he’s an upbeat, positive, hard-working, will himself to – and that’s what we love about him. So, I don’t foresee that, but yet man I’m not going to – never say never, I’m not going to do that. So, he may have mutant genes. He’s like Wolverine. I mean, there’s no telling. But believe me, that would be unbelievable. But I just – I think it’ll be hard, but you never know.”

On if it will be hard for Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson to return from injury later on in the season: “Yeah, I don’t know. We’ll just have to see. I really, I think that timeline is a matter of how – it would be a very, very fast recovery. But I love where his head’s at and you’ve got to think that way and you’ve got to be positive because I think that does – that leads to quicker healing if you allow yourself to think that way.”

On how Lions S Kerby Joseph is able to be a dynamic playmaker while creating turnovers on cheap routes: “Yeah, I mean I think – some quarterbacks, as they go, and they’re watching the tape, they believe they can move you just with their head and eyes and feel like you’ll really react hard that way then they can use that, but I think it’s – Kerby’s a pretty smart player and that’s not always the case. He’s – Kerby is cerebral enough to understand when he’s being messed with, most of the time, and when he’s not. So, I’m not worried about that. There’s things that can come up, but this is something he’ll learn from. And I’ve also seen Kerby bait quarterbacks into doing some things they shouldn’t do, so that can go either way a little bit, but Kerby will be fine. He’ll be fine.”

On how Lions DL Alim McNeill has helped establish the defense’s core: “He’s playing big right now. He is – he’s having a really, really good season and I thought he really showed up last night. And he played physical. I thought he won his one-on-ones. Look, he and (Lions DL) Benito (Jones), (Lions DL Quinton) Bohanna yesterday, they’re taking on – they do all that dirty work in there in the run game. It all starts with them. And so, I mean you talk about doing the stuff that doesn’t really get noticed all the time. But then, he’s in there in a one-on-one and it transitions to play-pass, he’s winning these one-on-ones right now with violence and he’s able to shed the block and he’s really – he’s giving us some interior rush right now. And that’s all technique, effort and he’s maximizing his ability right now. So, he is a vital part of what we are and what we can be on defense. I mean, he’s – he is, he’s playing at a high level.”

On updates he has on Lions RB Craig Reynolds’s injury and other injuries coming out of yesterday’s game: “No, Reynolds is good. Really nothing to speak on, we came out pretty clean.”

On if they are hoping to get Lions G Jonah Jackson back this week from injury: “We’re hoping, we’re hoping. I mean, he’ll be out at walkthrough today, we’ll just have to gauge it.”

 

Lions host the Packers on Thanksgiving at 12:30pm.

All Detroit Lion football games air on WBRN 1460am, 107.7fm, & 96.5fm.

 

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