LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
Opening statement: “First thing I would start with, this game ball goes to whole Oxford community. All those who were affected. And that being said, man, I just—I want us to not forget these names: Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, Justin Shilling, Tate Myre, Phoebe Arthur, Jon Asciutto, Riley Franz, Elijah Mueller, Kylie Ossege, Aiden Watson and Molly Darnell, who’s a teacher. Those names for all those who will never be forgotten and they’re in our hearts and in our prayers. And all the families, and not to mention all those who were affected by all of this. The classmates, the brothers and sisters, the cousins, the teachers, the everybody, coaches. Make sure I hit that. Now, I would just start with this as far as it pertains to us. I was proud of our guys. They fought. They’ve continued to fight all year and it paid dividends today and we found a way to win. We found a way to win when we needed to.”
On QB Jared Goff’s composure on the game-winning drive: “I thought he did a good job and what I thought was most encouraging was the fact that he had a couple of rough plays before that in the pass game. For him to be able to rally back and drive us all the way down and then make a game-winning throw and just step in there, stay in the pocket and make some things happen when we need it most, I think says a lot about him.”
On his emotions after the win: “It means this—it means I’m proud of our guys. I’m happy for them, of course I’m happy. We’re all happy. I’m happy for the coaches, I’m happy for everybody. But it’s like, you want this so bad for the players. Because they’re the ones who put in all the hard work and the sweat and the tears. And yeah, we all do—and so do the coaches. But it’s also—that’s what makes this great. When you lose, it hurts. It’s hard, it’s hard. But it’s also why winning is so great in this league. Because it’s not easy to do and when you get them, man, it’s special. I’m just proud of those guys. I’m proud of them.”
On if winning takes a weight off him: “It takes a weight off because we won, period. We win. But not, ‘Oh, we finally got a win and it’s not—.’ To be able to win, man. And if you told me next week, I’m going to be like, ‘Yeah, because we won.’ And it’s always going to be a load off when you win every week, it doesn’t matter where you’re at. But look, we did what we had to do to win the day. We finally found a way. We knew we were going to need to score some points against that offense. We put our defense in some tough spots today and I thought they responded. But ultimately, we made enough plays to win.”
On how the game-winning touchdown catch will improve WR Amon-Ra St. Brown’s confidence: “I think he’s always had a little bit of confidence to him, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. And look, I’ll be honest with you, we have a lot of trust in him. We have for a while, it’s just trying to get him the football here a little bit and staying on the field and being able to—we did a good job of first, second down today. We stayed efficient and we were able to continue to gather some drives because our third downs still weren’t good enough. But our first- and second-down efficiency was really good, so we were able to stay on the field and spread the ball around a little bit. But we have a lot of trust in him. He’s one of those guys who has become pretty dependable for us.”
On the two-point conversion defense today: “It was—AG (Aaron Glenn) had a good beat on what they were going to do over there. And it’s just—we were prepared. Our guys did a good job. You can’t prepare them for every look you’re going to get, you just have to play the odds by personnel and looks that you get and hope that they play their roles. And they did a good job today. We did and it made a difference.”
On the decision to go for it on fourth-and-one late in the game: “Well, first of all, I felt like I needed to be aggressive a little bit today just knowing the nature of their offense. I mean, I felt like we could get that. It didn’t work out and yeah, at least we’re guaranteed to get the ball back knowing we were already up. But yeah, that was kind of the thought behind it.”
On if he encouraged QB Jared Goff to take the chance on more downfield shots and tight throws today: “We tried to really—we’re trying to hone in on this pass game a little bit and trying to get some confidence in him. Really trying to make it clear for him and our guys, our receivers too. That’s—here’s the vision for it, here’s the look we’re looking for. There again, you play the odds—this is what we’re—high probability, this is the look you get and this is where we want to go with it. It doesn’t always work out that way, but a lot of those looks showed up today. Some of them didn’t. Some of them didn’t but he was able to progress through and, shoot, T.J.’s (Hockenson) first long catch he had over the middle where it was targeting. That was a progression, that wasn’t—that was kind of a second choice or, if you will, of coverage dictates it doesn’t go where we thought it was going to go and it goes bad, which was good. He did a good job of that today. But look, and I’ll bring this up again—Ben Johnson has a lot to do with that as well. He’s really
helped in just kind of clearing up things and helping with Goff as well and our receivers. And just kind of helping me and us get everything in order. And A-Lynn (Anthony Lynn). It’s been good.”
On how emotional this week was for the team and what motivation rallying behind Oxford brought them: “We talked about this yesterday morning. We made a—we just really kind of dived into it, if you will, or dove into it. Kind of the depth of all this. And just wanted them to know exactly what we were going to represent today. The shirts, the hats, the decals, the people that are affected. And some of our players know of someone that was affected. And so, yeah, I think that there was some of that and I think all of them as well—like to me, I just—my thought was, ‘Hey man, if we can for three hours just ease their suffering a little bit, that’s worth it. That’s worth it.’ And so that’s kind of how I thought of this and we just did a great job. Players, they responded, played well.”
On how this team has learned to win: “I said this last week. It’s, ‘You gain confidence from a demonstrated ability to do it.’ And we demonstrated it today. That’s the first step, really it is. What you learn is what not to do up to this point. And to finally be able to get over the hump, now you got a taste of it and you know you can do it. And this is what it took to do it. It might take this every game. It can take this for the rest of the season. It can take this next year. You may have to win a game like this every freaking time to win. But, at least you understand what it’s like now. You’ve been in it and you know what you have to do when you’re under pressure and you’ve got to respond.”
On RB Godwin Igwebuike managing to get out bounds on the game-winning drive: “Great play. Great play. That was unbelievable. Look, all of our guys did a great job, so did (Amon-Ra) St. Brown. You’re right, Godwin’s was – that was the first one. That was a big one. That took a lot of effort because first, it was almost like, ‘You know what? Just split them and get up field, get the first, get down, and we’ll run up, we’ll clock it.’ He thought he could make it and that’s kind of what you tell your guys. ‘If you’re in the middle of the field, split them, get down, we’ll clock it. Otherwise, if you really think you can do it, then you better do it.’ And, he did. He kicked it out, got more yards and got out of bounds and the first down. So, that was huge. It was huge.”
On RB Jamaal Williams handling the running load today: “I thought he did a good job. I thought he did a good job. I thought he handled it well. I’ve got a lot of faith in Jamaal. He’s pretty good. He’s a downhill back and he’s not a back that’s going to lose yards. He’s not a TFL guy. He’s going to go downhill, which I love. We all do.”
On how the team will build off of this win: “Look, I think you acknowledge that this is what it took for us to win. We should all feel good, but man, what about these mistakes that could’ve cost us? We had some of those and you guys know it. So, we’ve got to continue to coach the negative because now, that’s not only how you win, that’s how you get better at winning if you can get to that point. And so, we just have to coach up those little things and continue to improve. So, Denver is not going to be easy either. None of these are easy, but this was a good start. And, I’m proud of them. They’ve continued to play, they played one more time and now let’s see if we can get them to play again, which they will.”
LIONS LB DERRICK BARNES POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
On what was going on in his mind when the game ended: “It’s never over until the last minute. When that clock hits zero, that’s when the game is over. I knew offense had good planning going in, know they got a lot of playmakers out there. Jared Goff did his thing today and (Amon-Ra) St. Brown, you know that was a good catch, that was a really huge catch by him. We’re just happy. We’re excited. We got our first win under our belt and there’s more to come, so we’re excited.”
On what is was like being on the sideline watching the final drive: “I was into it. I looked back at the defense sitting down looking at the screen, I was like I got to be into the game. At a time like that you’re down there by the goal line it’s like anything can happen. I had faith in those guys. Those guys work really hard throughout the week and we practice critical situations like that anyway. Just to be in that situation, executed it, was awesome and I’m proud of those guys, really am.”
On what emotions he felt after winning: “Well, first when he threw the ball my heart dropped because you never know at a time like that. Sometimes you have to get the ball out and I didn’t know what we were doing. I kind of was blocked by somebody, so I had to like peak my head around, I couldn’t see what happened. I heard the ball hit his chest, I’m like ‘This is crazy.’ You just look back and everybody is already on the field, I’m like ‘This is crazy.’ It was a good moment for us.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
On the last offensive drive of the game that led to a game-winning touchdown on the final play of the game: “It was as good as you can do it I think for us offensively and we we’re able to walk down the field there on them and made that play at the end. It came down to one play and we were able to make it. I think the theme of what I’ll speak about is the fact that we made some mistakes and we weren’t perfect. We played well in the first half, but that second half offensively we stalled, I threw the pick, made the fourth down turnover. We weren’t good. We weren’t perfect, but having the ability to overcome mistakes is a sign of a good team and a winning team and that’s something we did today.”
On what it was like to be out on the field during the final play of the game: “Well, I loved the play-call. I knew we had a good play on with what they were doing defensively and (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint made a play. Saint got himself open and made a play. It was a special moment for us obviously for our first one being that way. Ultimately, it’s – we’re excited about it, but how do we keep this thing going?
On the offensive call for the last play of the game: “They were just playing off and soft and we have a play that we’ve been running probably since training camp is that exact play. It’s for that exact situation. A few weeks ago, we actually switched it and put (AmonRa) St. Brown as that guy that’s going to catch that ball in the game-winning situation. Sure enough, it showed up.”
On his celebration with Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell: “A pretty cathartic feeling. We’ve been close to some of these and you get it in a situation like that on the last play of the game, it’s special. I know the work that he’s put in and I know how much blood, sweat and tears goes in it for him and how important it is. The scratching and clawing we’ve been doing every week since the first week and the things we’ve done wrong and the things we’ve fixed and just being able to make sure he knew that we love him and are behind him.”
On if the celebration with Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell is indicative of their relationship: “Yeah, no doubt, and I thought he called a great game today. I think today was kind of – we had the Pittsburgh game with the weather and I had the oblique thing, the Cleveland game where I didn’t play, and we also had weather. Last week was kind of our really first shot at like him really kind of trying to dial stuff up. And then this week, I thought he really settled in well and was really good. It was really smooth. You guys saw the operation, it was smooth. I don’t think we had any false starts. I don’t know if we had an offensive penalty outside of the delayof-game, but it was really good.”
On WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and Goff’s confidence in him: “He’s a stud. He’s a stud. A lot of confidence. He’s a stud and will be a stud for as long as he wants to be in this league. He’s been on our mind and I’m sure (Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) would say too of like trying to get him the ball for the last probably six weeks now. I think today it showed up. It’s just trying to get him involved and give him the ball in space and what he can do with the ball, I’m sure he jumped over somebody on the sidelines earlier on in the game. He’s a freak and can do some things.”
On the mindset he had on his attempts to throw the ball downfield: “It’s just confidence in the play and confidence in what we we’re looking at. I felt great on all of those throws and we had repped them, and we’ve done it for a few weeks, and get it on field and get the look for it. And, I’m confident in T.J. (Hockenson), I’m confident in Brock (Wright) and you step on it and you make the throw. That’s all there is to it. It’s really not any magic spell or something. It’s just being confident in what we’re doing and stepping through stuff.”
On if being able to make throws downfield builds confidence in himself: “Sure, yeah, no doubt. I think—I don’t know if it matters how far you are in, when you win a game and you’re able to play the way that we did in the first half and then finish the game the way we did, that will build confidence for anyone, myself included and our whole offense.”
On the resiliency of the offense coming back on the field after turnovers: “Yeah, well the first one, corner squeezed down, made a play. Would have loved to throw it to Saint (Amon-Ra St. Brown) there, I believe he was open. One I’d like to have back. And then the last one, that fourth down, it’s fourth down, trying to extend the play, trying to make something happen. Not ideal on either of them, but like I mentioned, you should be able to make mistakes and win games, and that’s for me, our defense, our kicker. That’s the sign of a good team, a team that has learned how to win is a team that can make a mistake—can make a crucial mistake throwing that interception—and still find a way to win.”
On going for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter: “Yeah, it just didn’t work out. If we would had ran a different play maybe it would have worked, or if we would have had the look for it, maybe it would have worked. But it didn’t work out, and again I think if that would have killed us, you guys would be killing him (Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell) right now and rightfully so. But again, the sign of a good team, a team that can overcome those times of mistakes by whoever, is the way that a lot of teams win in this league, and most teams win in this league by overcoming mistakes.”
On the impact that the Oxford community had on the Lions after the Oxford High School shootings: “I’ll try not to get emotional but—you know, sometimes special things happen in special circumstances. I think you saw yesterday what Michigan did against Iowa and then us today getting our first win in what is it, 12, 13 weeks. You never hope for a tragedy like this, but you hope to be a light for those people and a positive thing that they can have fun watching today. I hope that they were all watching today and were able to enjoy that win, and we can take their minds off it for whatever it may be, three hours. I think anytime we can do that, it’s a lot bigger than our sport, it’s a lot bigger than us. I think that today is one of those special circumstances that we were able to rise to the occasion and make something special happen.”
LIONS OLB CHARLES HARRIS POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
On the defense’s thought process when the Vikings took the lead late in the fourth quarter: “When they took the lead late on us, we just thought we had another chance. We thought we’d have another chance to go out there and make a big play, interception, pix-six, something like that. I think guys—nobody got negative, nobody got down. That was a time we had to sit back and watch the offense work, and I think that was something we did was give them as much positive energy as we possibly could. They went in there and they did their job.”
On if the offense scoring points inspired confidence in the defense: “Yeah, it’s definitely inspiring. That’s the beauty about being on a team, when one’s down the other’s got to be up. When the other’s down, the other’s got to pick it up for them. Tonight, I think that we had comradery on both sides of the ball, like I said staying positive no matter what happened out there. When they got the turnover, we went out there and were like, ‘Cool, more time for us.’ We went out there and we tried to execute the best we could. That’s just complementary football and that’s what you’ve got to do to win in this League.”
On the reaction to the win in the locker room: “Oh man, that was just different. I can’t really explain the vibes that were just in there. Guys were dancing, high fiving. Shoot, I don’t know if anyone was able to process what (Head Coach Dan Campbell) he was saying because everybody was just so happy and elated. I know he told us we’ve got to come in tomorrow. But after that, we were just in there celebrating.”
On where he was during the on-field celebrations: “I was trying to get down to the sideline, but guys were high fiving, hitting each other. I was just getting hit. It was just a tornado going on. I was just standing there yelling at the top of my lungs, that’s why I have a sore voice right now. But just elated, really elated after the win.”
LIONS TE T.J. HOCKENSON POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
On what the game-winning touchdown was like: “I mean it was—that was a fun drive. You know, we work on that a lot in practice, those two-minutes, end of half, end of game situations. (Head) Coach (Dan) Campbell, he does a good job just setting us up for that. When we had, I think it was one-minute-43 or whatever, one-minute-40 whatever it was, we were pretty confident as an offense. Just being able to get the drive started with that shallow and then, you know just kind of keeping it going throughout the whole – that two-minute. Guys stepped up and made some plays and we were able to get the first down when we needed to and then obviously (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint came up and was able to get that touchdown. It’s just a fun atmosphere right now. A lot of the guys – I wouldn’t say it’s a sigh of relief because we have a lot more games left, but it was just nice to get our first one and kind of get it out the way and now just roll.”
On what the touchdown was like for WR Amon-Ra St. Brown knowing it was the last play of the game: “I mean he made the play so, it’s a good feeling. And I know exactly what he’s going through right now. There are going to be a lot of people in his ear so it’s a good time for him. I’m proud of him.”
On moving WR Amon-Ra St. Brown into the touchdown play in practice this week: “Yeah, I mean obviously Saint’s a great player. He’s stepped up for us when we needed him. He makes plays when his number is called and obviously that was one of those things. We’ve worked on that play so many times, you know – I sit over the ball, another guy goes through and then Saint comes around. And they just kind of left a void for him just to sit and it’s a bang-bang play. Obviously he made it and, like I said, we’re all just super excited for him.”
LIONS WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
Opening Statement: “Before I start, I just want to give a shoutout to the Oxford Community. You know it’s been a tough, tough week for everyone. But to go out there and get our first win, at home, I think was just a blessing in disguise. I mean, I think it was the best way to end this week I feel like.”
On if he imagined his first victory with the Lions to be like this: “Yeah, it was crazy. You know, going into that last drive, we knew as an offense we had to make it happen. You know defense, they tried to make a stop, unfortunately they couldn’t. So, we knew as an offense it was on us. We had one timeout, but I think we had plenty enough time to score, and we knew that going into it. I mean we were driving the ball methodically. They were protecting the sidelines at some point, so it was hard to get out of bounds. So, I think Jared (Goff) did a great job of checking it down, taking what they were giving us. We clocked it a few times and I mean it came to that last play, fourth down. We work that play all the time in practice. We’ve been working it since camp and it finally showed up, so it was crazy.”
On how he felt getting his first touchdown in the NFL and if he will remember it for life: “Definitely, definitely. I mean, my first NFL touchdown, first NFL win, I’m going to remember this day for a long time. The way it happened, the way it unfolded was – I mean it was just – it couldn’t be any better.”
LIONS TE BROCK WRIGHT POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
On the feeling of getting his first touchdown: “Yeah, it was unbelievable. I don’t know if you can describe it, but even more than that, getting a win I think is a much better feeling. And just walking away from that one feels so special.”
On how tight the window was on his touchdown catch: “It was tight. It was a perfect throw by Jared (Goff). You know, he played so well today. All of us played a complementary game. It feels awesome to be a part of that win.”
On what wearing the Oxford High School t-shirt means to him and the message from the team: “It’s so special for us to be able to do this. Obviously, we heard about the tragic events the other day and knew that we’d be able to do a little bit something, try and bring a little bit of joy to the families today. And so being a part of that means a lot to me and means a lot to the rest of the team as well. So, just happy we could get a win for them and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families at this time, of course.”
On what the sideline was like after the game-winning touchdown: “I don’t think you can describe that feeling. Oh, man,
unbelievable. Just so proud of the team, proud of all the coaches, everyone. We’ve worked so hard all season and to finally get our first win, it’s an indescribable feeling.”
