LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET

December 18, 2023      

Opening Statement: “So, look, things we did well, I’ve got my little sheet up here, alright. But just in comparison, team-wise, our third downs we were 50 percent, defense, 38.5 (percent), five-of-13, so won the third-down battle. Red zone, six-of-six for offense. We – on defense limited them to – they scored two-of-three. We want to be better there, but relative to what we were doing offensively, as a team, we win that category. Obviously, the rushing 185 to their 83. Our average was really good between (Lions RB David) Montgomery and (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs. Explosives, we doubled explosives. So, if you count the DPI we drew relative to one that we actually gave away, we had 13 to their six, so. I mean, those three categories alone are significant. And then the takeaway. We got a takeaway, we took care of the football and really should’ve had another one. I was just up there with (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph). He’s upset that he didn’t get the other one. So, those are significant and I thought we ended the second quarter really well, man. Got a stop on defense and then we just took control of that to finish the half out and leave no time, score points there, touchdown and then really, even the end of the game, fourth quarter, we took control of that ball, and for the most part, we were able to put it away. What we didn’t do well was obviously, offensively, the first three possessions we talked about we’ve got to be better there and those are our own errors between coaches and players and we’ve got to clean that up and a couple of those showed up on third down. And then just consistency on defense in the second half. We – but what we did well was we complemented each other. So, that – the defense gets a takeaway, man we hold them until the offense can come to life and then the offense takes over and because of that, we come out at halftime, they’re able to go down and score and offensively we just stayed ahead of it, we were able to answer back. So, a lot of good things. Game-ball winner, obviously (Lions QB) Jared Goff played an outstanding game and that started with the O-line. All five of those guys, I thought played really, really top-tier ball for us. They were aggressive, but they also played smart upfront, man we passed a lot of things off, saw it, stunts in the run game and they played physical, so. Gibbs, (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown, (Lions WR) Josh Reynolds, (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta, I mean all had big games. Defense, I thought (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy and (Lions LB) Alex (Anzalone) played really well. (Lions CB) Cam Sutton on (Broncos WR Courtland) Sutton, that was a big matchup and he did an outstanding job. And (Lions DL John) Cominsky showed up, he was violent in there. And then special teams was (Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin) Germ, which Germ, every week, I mean, it would be a rare week if Germ is not probably our guy. He just – he’s such a productive player on teams for us. And then thought (Lions LB Anthony Pittman) Pitt and (Lions LB Malcolm) Rodriguez did some good things on teams, so that was kind of the snapshot of the game overall.”

On the appreciation he has for Lions C Frank Ragnow toughing it out and coming back last week after the operation he had on his meniscus the week before: “Well, look, man I know what that’s like. I mean, there’s nothing easy about that and – but I can tell you this, when it was done, I called Frank on the way out and he probably doesn’t even remember it because of what he was on. But I know this, he did say, ‘I’ll be back for the next game. I’ll be back by practice on Wednesday,’ and sure enough, he was. And every day he kept telling me, ‘I’ll be ready next week, I’ll be ready next week.’ And so, that’s how Frank is. Frank’s going to will himself to – his mind controls his body, which we talk about all the time and the good ones can do that. And no, he’s what you already know. He’s a tough – he’s a tough dude and he’s a mind over matter and – but ultimately, what it’s about for him, I just go back to this, you can call it what you want, he is terrified of letting his teammates down. That means more to him than anything. That’s just the way he is and that’s why guys respect the hell out of him.”

On why Lions C Frank Ragnow is able to play at a high level despite the numerous injuries he has battled through the past few seasons: “Just, right between here (points to head) and right here (points to heart). That’s it and you don’t know what, or why, or how, but there’s – and if we – if you knew that, right? If you knew that, when it came time to go to the Draft entirely, you don’t know – but to find whatever that is, truly find it and you could make a lot of money if you could identify that because that is something that it’s hard to find a true test for, or to know. But that’s what it is, because he’s got ability, he’s tough, he’s all the – but it’s that, it’s that difference maker in him that just kind of wills himself to overcome issues, adversity, whatever you want to call it.”

On how he will account for playing the Vikings twice in three weeks in his gameplan: “Well, luckily, right now, all it means – this will be the first time that we face them. And honestly, they’re a different team than they were last year. Certainly, defense because (Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian) Flores has got them. I mean, this is a different style now. This is totally different than what we faced last year. The personnel’s different, but just the scheme alone and the way they play, so this is entirely new. This’ll be something fresh to us to be able to study, to watch, to gameplan. And then even their offense, they’re a little different, they’re a little different than what they’ve been doing. Some of the run game’s different. They haven’t had (Vikings WR Justin) Jefferson in a while. (Vikings WR Jordan) Addison’s playing really good football right now outside and so he’s kind of been the focal point. They still have (Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson) Hock inside, but – and now they’re getting Jefferson back and so, there’s a couple of things they’re really opening up more in the pass game. And their run game’s a little different. So, the most part, this – it’s a little bit of a fresh take on them, somewhat. That’s a good thing and so our whole focus is this is the first one. So, let’s dive into this. Let’s put the best gameplan we can. We can’t worry about the game two after this, after Dallas. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. So, we can’t hold anything back. I mean, this is it. Everything’s about finding a way to get this one and the best gameplan we can possibly put together.”

On if there is something about the makeup of this team that has allowed them to not have a losing streak this season: “I – well, yeah, there is something about it. I mean, that’s why we constructed it the way we did. I mean, certainly, you’re looking for the guys that you believe can play the positions they do, but you’ve got to be made up a certain way too. And – because there is – that’s what this League is. It’s – it is about the obstacles you face, the adversity, the pressure that is put on you from the outside that you have to be able to block out. And I just feel like we have the right type of guys. And I go back to this, the best way to say it is, ‘Man, do we have guys that endear themselves to their teammates?’ That’s got to be a quality you have. And if it’s not, it’s hard for you to stay here with us. That’s important because if you endear yourself to your teammates, the way you go about your business, the way you communicate, the way that you – you just – you interact with them, then those guys are probably going to want to battle with you. They’re probably going to do anything they can for you and that’s – I just think that goes a long way in this profession, especially here we are December, it’s getting late in the year, guys get tired, you start getting worn down, and man this is when you’ve really got to dig in.”

On how Lions WR Jameson Williams and Lions LB Derrick Barnes look injury-wise following the game against the Broncos: “Yeah, good.”

On if Lions WR Jameson Williams and Lions LB Derrick Barnes sustained injuries against the Broncos: “Not as far as I know. We’ll see, but I think they’re OK. Be a little beat up, but I think we’re going to be OK.”

On if the potential of clinching a playoff berth tonight means anything to him or if the focus is still on winning the division: “Yeah, honestly, man, we came into this saying we’ve got to win this division, that’s the goal and that’s where it is. If something happens between now and then, hey, that’s all good, but that is our focus. We talked about that this morning as a team. That was the focus when we entered it and that is still the focus, man. We’re going to do everything we can to win this division and there’s nothing that’s going to be easy about it. Man, we’ve got to go out to Minneapolis and face the Vikings who are a very dangerous team and find a way to win it and get this division.”

On if he has a philosophy of resting players to prepare for the playoffs: “Yeah, when we’re done with the season, they’re going to rest. I promise you that. They’re going to get plenty of time off.”

On his assessment of Lions WR Josh Reynolds’s performance this season: “Somebody referred to him as, this morning, I’m not going to tell you who it was, and this was not meant as a negative, but as ‘the cockroach’ because he just won’t die. This guy just keeps coming back. And he’s had – he’s endured and gone through more stuff, just little things, that he just refuses to – he just won’t go away. He just always bounces back. And you talk about resilient, man he’s resilient and he’s tough and the number of things he does for us, the dirty work that he does for us, on top of look at the explosives he had the other day in the game, and he drew the DPI. So, he’s one of us man, he’s one of our guys and I kind of made the comment about one of the best pickups we’ve had, he is, he’s one of the best pickups we’ve had in a three-year period as a free agent to be able to acquire him when we did at the end of ‘21 because he really helped us. We kind of got up on our feet and he’s one of the reasons we did that year and then to have him last year and he’s just – he’s been a steady, reliable piece. Somebody that (Lions QB Jared) Goff trusts and he really is a guy you can count – you’re going to get some explosives out of him. And I’ve said this before, we put so much stuff on him. We – I mean, the amount of volume we put on him to play the X and the Z between the pass game, the run game, the motions, it’s I mean, we do a lot and he just – he can absorb it all and he’s productive.”

On if Lions WR Josh Reynolds’s ‘serpent’ nickname has been replaced with ‘the cockroach’: “No, no, no, no, he’s still there. And he’s really the mantis. But that was just, alright, it’s a positive, alright? I meant that as a positive.”

On how important the game against the Broncos was on Saturday to get back to playing complete football: “Yeah, I mean, well of course it feels good, but there again, I’m not – I don’t think any of us are surprised. I mean, this is – there’s nothing that surprises me about this League about just knowing our team, how it was constructed, where we’re at, about any – really anything that’s happened. The things that don’t go your way and the things that you do will to happen that go your way. I mean, that’s the nature of this League. And so yeah, it feels good, but I’m not surprised either and we took care of the football. Our details were better in a lot of areas and because of that, we played pretty clean. And that serves us well, that serves us well.”

On if there are lessons he learned in New Orleans about trying to clinch a division that can apply here: “Look, I think the biggest thing is, yeah there’s always lessons to be learned, but I think we’re living through one of them right now, and that is, ‘Don’t listen to the outside world.’ Because I don’t know – I’m sure it’s going to be now we’re talking about seeding, now we’re fighting for the number two – man we are fighting to win this division, just like we started at the end of the year. And then once you get in the tournament, it gives you the best chance to bang away and so that focus doesn’t change and so for us, man just – that’s all you’ve got to worry about. Let’s clean up what we can clean up, we cleaned up the things from the Denver game with the team today. This is where we’ve got to get better, this is what we did well, this is where we continue to go. We’re going to put together a great gameplan for these guys and we’ll know what we have to do against Minnesota. If you just stay focused on that and as this thing goes and it gets tighter and you start getting further, I think a lesson you learn is guys are going to – you’ve got to be careful because as it starts tightening up, guys are going to want to start – if it doesn’t go your way, you can begin to try to do too much. And that’s where, man just fall back to your training and trust what the coaches are telling you and what your teammate’s – his job and you’ll be fine, but if you start pressing too much to try to make plays because you can smell it, you can feel it, that’s where you can run into problems too.”

On if he feels like some of the struggles from the past few weeks can be attributed to listening to outside noise: “Not necessarily, to me, honestly, that was – honestly, that was about turnovers. That’s – if you’re – that’s really, at the end of the day, we can talk about, ‘Well, if we’d have run this – the route a little bit,’ – yeah, all of those play into it, but if we take care of the ball and we get takeaways, we win the turnover battle, let’s just start there. If we just win the turnover battle, I think we’re – some of that doesn’t even happen. And a lot of that is a product of what happens after those, right. You get put in a situation you’re not – you don’t want to be in, and so it’s as simple as that. It’s not easy, but it is simple when you just look at it in that regard.”

On their plans for Lions DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Lions QB Hendon Hooker: “I think the plan will be to start C.J.’s clock. Probably start (Lions FB Jason) Cabinda’s clock too. And I think we’re going to try to get Hooker on the roster.”