LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 2, 2022
On how Lions WR Jameson Williams is looking so far after a couple of practices: “Yeah, he – better. Everyday it’s been better. First day we gave him some indy, a little one-on-one work and then yesterday we worked him into scout team reps, and he got a pretty good load. And so, I know he looked better yesterday than he did the day before and I anticipate he’ll look a little better today. And so, he’s a – he and (Lions DL) Romeo (Okwara) both, they’re just getting their legs back under them. It’s good work for them.”
On if Lions WR Jameson Williams and Lions DL Romeo Okwara will play on Sunday against the Jaguars: “Yeah, I mean there again, we’ll just – I haven’t made a decision on that.”
On how playing meaningful football in December is different: “Yeah, well I mean you’re a – this is what this is all about. I mean, you’re – we’re all competitors. The coaches, the players and ultimately – yeah, we all get paid to coach and play a kid’s game, but at the end of the day, man, you want to win. I mean, that’s the bottom line and you know you want to be in it. And you want to know that you’ve got a chance to continue to play, and so we have that opportunity right now. So, yeah it certainly helps. Now, we went through what we did last year, and we had a group of guys that they didn’t – of course it mattered, but they went to work every day. And it’s a new opponent, it’s a new challenge, and so I’m glad with where we’re at. But another opponent.”
On how Lions WR DJ Chark has looked the past couple of weeks and if he is back to his old self: “I would say he looks better than even he did last week. I feel like over the last three weeks he has – he’s feeling better. He’s getting back in playing shape and all those things. So, yeah he’s – we like where he’s at. We like where he’s at. I’m glad he’s healthy. I’m glad (Lions WR Josh) Reynolds is feeling better. I mean, we’re really about as healthy as we’ve been at receiver in a long time.”
On how different it is for the offense to have the receivers back from injury: “Yeah, well it helps. It opens up your playbook. It helps (Lions QB Jared) Goff because now he’s got all these guys back and it gives us versatility in what we’re able to do. And so, it just – it does, it opens everything up.”
On if he is wearing special cleats for My Cause My Cleats: “I’m not.”
On what it means for players to support certain charities and causes for My Cause My Cleats: “Yeah, I think it’s an opportunity – this is one of those where we you’re on – you have this type of – you’re on that type of stage to be able to use it for something bigger than yourself. And I think this is one of those things – as it pertains to things that are off the field in a way. I mean, I know you’re playing, you have these cleats, but yet it doesn’t pertain to the game of football itself and performance if you will. I think this is one of those good things that has transpired throughout the years because it does. To see it in a – puts a spotlight on what they’re representing, and I think it’s a great thing.”
On if he saw the old photo of Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones that resurfaced and his experience with him when he was in Dallas: “Man, I’m sorry I don’t even know – I don’t know what that is. What are you talking about? Man, I didn’t. I didn’t. All I would say with Jerry – just with my time there, he was a great owner to be around. He was around every day. He loved his players, took great care of everybody. But yeah, it’s – that’s all I’d say about that.”
On how Lions CB Jeff Okudah and Lions G Jonah Jackson look coming back from concussion protocol: “Good. Good, yeah today – they’re really – they’re full go, both of them went full go yesterday. They’re full go today and as long as there’s no other – no symptoms or anything they’re good. They’re passed protocol. So, I anticipate them playing.”
On how Lions DL Josh Paschal has looked this week and if he will play on Sunday: “Yeah, we see him going. He’s had a good week.”
On the team being as healthy as they have been all season: “Yeah, I do – I want to be careful saying it, but at the same token it really is. It’s a – and I kind of (Lions Executive Vice President/General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I talked about it early in the year. It’s like I really feel like we’re going to take our lumps early here just with where everything’s going, but about the time that some other teams are going through what we went through early. We start getting healthy late in the season, and so it is. It’s a good place to be at right now. Hopefully it stays that way.”
On if Lions WR Jameson Williams needs to work with the first team offense in practice before playing in his first game: “Yeah, this was all about just getting his legs under him, same with (Lions DL) Romeo (Okwara).”
LIONS ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/RUNNING BACKS DUCE STALEY QUOTE SHEET
December 2, 2022
On what a healthy receiver room does for the run game: “Yeah, I think it starts with the team, what it does for the team, just getting those guys back. First, talking about those guys, they’re excited to be back, being together as a group, getting out there, contributing. Can’t say enough about that. Can’t say enough about their attitude to work hard to get back, and it just tells you, those guys are fighting. Our team – we need them back. It talks to the running backs as far as just being able to play together, block longer. It sends those types of messages, man. Not saying they haven’t been doing that, but it just sends those type of messages when you get those receivers back.”
On how different games feel in December when they are meaningful toward a potential playoff push: “Yeah, it doesn’t change for me. Same mindset, we’re going out, we want to win each and every week, and that’s our mindset. Now, we understand what’s out there as far as what we could potentially be a part of, but it doesn’t change.”
On if Lions RB D’Andre Swift is playing the best he has been since suffering injuries early in the season: “I would say, yeah. Of course, we knew he was fighting through a couple things, but he’s still out there battling, man. You saw last week, that run down there on the goal-line, just, I mean, special. And that’s what we expect from him each and every week for him to go out there and do that, so he’s starting to feel better, he’s starting to see it and you’ll see more of it.”
On Lions RB Jamaal Williams’ success this season running the ball and posting career-highs in touchdowns: “I tip my hat off to him because I know how hard he works, and just coming here last year, being able to get used to how we do things. It was a little different for him. He made the adjustment, came back this year, was like one of the best in shape in the room and just went to work, man. Sometimes things don’t work out as planned, but you’ve still got to strap it up and go to work, and that’s what he did, so I’m proud of him. I know where he is. He knows where he is as far as with the touchdowns and stuff like that, and it doesn’t stop him from working. He goes to work each and every day, which I’m proud of that, and something to say.”
On Lions RB Jamaal Williams giving personally designed robes to the team: “Yeah man, I’ve got me a robe. I started to wear it in here, but – started to wear it to practice. That wouldn’t have been good. Now, I might have got fined by (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell).”
On Lions RB D’Andre Swift showing more physicality in the red zone last week against the Bills: “Well, you have seen that from him. You go back to last year, I think it was the Rams game where he ran over a guy, so you’ve seen him run over guys. So, I know he has that. But of course, it gets me excited anytime you’re down there close to paydirt, you’re being physical getting in. And he has all the tools.”
On what jumps out to him about the Jaguars’ defense: “Good defense. Good defense, they have talent on all levels. You look at that D-line, those guys, they play together, they play hard, they finish. Those guys hustle to the ball, so we’ve got to make sure we’re on top of our game when it comes to ball – protecting the ball, ball security. So, I mean it’s going to be a challenge, just like each and every week. Each and every week, you’ve got to line up and be at your best.”
On why there have been recent improvements in short-yardage situations: “Just everybody doing their job, and usually that’s what it all boils down to. Boils down to one person here and one person there, could be the back who’s not hitting the hole or hitting the right hole. Could be linemen, not coming off, stuff like that. But when we are all together, it looks good, and you get that type of production | |
