LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 9, 2022
Opening Statement: “We had a few guys with illness, but they’re all feeling better, so (Lions CB Jeff) Okudah and (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf will be running around today, so that’s good.”
On if they are keeping players with illnesses out of the building in part because of last year’s outbreak: “Yeah, I mean I think that’s certainly a part of it. We’re trying to alleviate it getting spread around, so yeah, that was a big part of it.”
On what the team has learned about how to win: “Yeah, I mean look, I think obviously, the more you win and the ways that you learn to win, you get better at it because there’s a number of ways to do it, and that’s really what transpired. We’ve done it. The gameplans have all been different. The opponents are different. Win with the lead, come from behind, keep the lead in a tight game, I think you learn to stay composed, certainly when things don’t go your way, you don’t go in the tank, and it’s just about cleaning up the errors that maybe cost you a play or two or that gave them a little bit of momentum. So, I just think those things, that’s normally what happens, and there again, your confidence grows and we have a lot of confidence right now.”
On if momentum and confidence carries over week to week: “Well, I believe your confidence certainly grows and helps you, but as far as the week, it doesn’t matter. You have to treat every opponent – it doesn’t matter. I mean we were a team who hadn’t won a game, and we won three at the end of the year last year against some pretty good teams, so you’ve got to be prepared every game. It doesn’t matter what their record is, how good they are, or what the perception is. You have to practice a certain way, you have to prepare a certain way, you have to have the right gameplan, you have to make the right moves in critical moments, can’t turn the ball over, got to get takeaways. It’s all the same recipe.”
On Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn calling Lions CB Jerry Jacobs an ‘Aaron Glenn guy’ and what he brings to the defense: “That’s what he said? Yeah, I would agree with that. Well, first of all, he’s highly competitive. He’s highly competitive, he’s very tough and he looks at himself as a total package as a corner. So, it starts with toughness, like our guys have got to be tough. I mean you’ve got to be willing to challenge on the perimeter. You’ve got to be willing to tackle on the perimeter, you’ve got gap responsibility, and he does those things because when you play corner, and you come up and when you know you have everything gapped out, and it’s going to kick back to the corner, and you make a play, you make a tackle, that only just breeds the confidence of the D-line, the linebackers, it gets them all. It’s no different than wide receivers blocking in the run game for the O-line. You gain instant respect and credibility, so that’s where it starts. And he’s got the ability to cover. He’s not scared. He’s not worried about getting beat. He can put it behind him and go to the next one, which you have to. Quarterback and cornerbacks have to have very short memories to have success in this League because things are going to happen. They always do, and he’s got all of those.”
On his confidence in Lions DL Romeo Okwara playing on Sunday: “I’m confident. I’m confident. He’s gone the last two days, he’s going again today. There’s been no setbacks. Every week he’s taken a little bit more practice reps, and so he’s involved. I don’t know how many snaps he’ll get, but certainly, we see him going and having a role for us.”
On if there is a chance Lions CB Will Harris will not be available Sunday: “Tough to say, there is a chance that he’s not, but this is one of those, ‘Man, let’s see what he looks like or how he feels today.’ And we’ll just take it day-to-day.”
On Lions G/C Evan Brown’s injury status: “Same thing, I think today will tell a lot. He’s better than he was last week, and he’s still kind of working through it. So, it’s tough to say right now. I mean I think he is as of right now, he truly is questionable, right now, this moment.”
On the backup plan for the right guard position if both Lions G Kayode Awosika and Lions G/C Evan Brown cannot play Sunday: “Well, I don’t to say who that is, but we’ve got about three options, and so we’re ready. I mean we feel good with what we’ve got.”
On if the team is aware they are favored to win Sunday and if he ever tells the team to ignore the outside chatter: “No, all I’ve told them is, there again, we can’t bet, so it has nothing to do with – that’s illegal. I’d get banned for life from this League if I – so since we can’t bet, it has no bearing on us. But what I would say is this, I go back to the fact, and I keep hitting this, our players have done a good job of, man, you always respect your opponent. This team has won 10 games now, and it doesn’t matter how you did it. You won them, and you earned that. There is no, ‘Well, it was a fluke.’ That doesn’t exist in this League, and they are finding ways to win. They always have, and they’re where they’re at for a reason, and you cannot overlook that. So, they’ve been down, they’ve been up, and they always find a way. So, those teams, man, if you don’t have the respect for those teams, you’ll get buried by them. And they have plenty of talent over there too, so it’s just the same thing. Stay the course, understand what we have to do. It’s all the little things, but this opponent’s going to come in ready to go. They can win the division at our place, so that’s the message.”
On what it says about the team that they are the first 5-7 team to be favored against a 10-2 team in the Super Bowl era: “I don’t know because there again and I’m being as honest as I can, I don’t know – I really don’t even know how to respond to that. I’m shocked by that, but there again, it doesn’t – all those things don’t matter, point spread, who’s favored, it doesn’t – this team finds ways to win, and if we’re not ready to go, and we don’t handle our business – it’s going to take every one of us, coaches and players, to win this game. That’s what I do know because they’ve got plenty over there, and there again, a team that finds ways to win, those are dangerous teams.”
On if it is a sign of respect of where the team is at for them to be favored against a 10-2 team: “No, it’s the same people that – we were trash when we were 1-6, so it’s irrelevant. And if we don’t win this game, then it’s back to, ‘Oh, we’re not what we were. It’s a fluke, and blah blah blah.’ So, it’s all about the next game, right in front of us. That’s all we can worry about, and it’s about playing good football and knowing that it’s going to come down to the wire. It’s going to come down to the last two minutes of this game, and we’ve got to get ourselves in that position in the last minute of the game to have an opportunity to win, and then when we have our opportunity, we’ve got to find a way to finish it out because that’s what they’ve done well.”
On if there is something added to finding a way to win in December when games are more significant to a potential playoff push: “I mean there can be, but there again, I think that for us, we’ve been through a ton of stuff in a year and a half now. And we’ve been through everything, injuries and illness, and the losses, and I just think we’re built for whatever comes. I do believe that, and that’s how (Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I built this roster. It’s a resilient group. It’s a group that goes to work. It’s a group that just stays focused on what’s in front of them, and I don’t see any of that changing, so that gives me hope. It always will.”
On if the Vikings’ efficiency with opening drives affects what he would call on the coin toss: “No, it can, but it won’t. It won’t this time, but yeah, they’ve been very good. Their openers are great, and it’s always about getting the flow. They’re going to want to get (Vikings WR Justin Jefferson) 18 involved, get (Vikings RB Dalvin) Cook involved. Those are no-brainers. Why wouldn’t you? They’re the two best players they’ve got on offense, and certainly getting (Vikings QB Kirk) Cousins in a groove, and then it’s all setting up what’s next after that if they have production, so they’ve been very good with those things, and you pay attention to what those plays are, but there again, I think a lot of it is, man, surviving the storm. We’ve got to be able to survive that – you say it a lot, believe it or not. You’ve just got to be able to survive that opening drive because a lot of teams with their openers are better than others, and this team is really good with them.”
On what Lions G Halapoulivaati Vaitai provides by showing up in the building even though he is unable to play: “Yeah, when Big V’s around, look, I’ve said it guy’s really – he’s a great teammate, endures himself to those guys, and I would say for a group that’s in a pretty good mood, he lifts spirits. So, that says a lot about him. He’s as good as they come, so just to have him around, and he’ll give some input, help out in different things, but it’s good just to have him here.”
On how much the Vikings have changed since the last matchup against the Lions in September: “No, I mean for the most part, it’s the same team. Here’s the two things that I noticed. They’ve changed a few things on third down in some areas. Their defense has, and two, (Vikings WR Justin) Jefferson’s a better player than he was when we played him the first time. Those are the two things that are different.”
On if he can feel the tangible excitement for the game against the Vikings around the building and from the fans: “Yeah, I just know for us, it’s exciting, so I feel like knowing that from us, I just know it’s a ripple effect, so yeah, I get that. I understand that.”
On what he expects Ford Field to be like Sunday: “It’s been electric, and I expect it to be at a minimum the same that it’s been, which has been very good, and then some, so I know they’re going to get us an advantage. They’re going to help our defense out, I do know that. It’s a loud place to be at.”
LIONS ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/RUNNING BACKS DUCE STALEY QUOTE SHEET
December 9, 2022
On how special it is for the running backs to rush behind the consistent offensive line: “Truly special, we talk about it in our room. We point things out on the film. You see these guys finishing, coming off the ball the way they do. Those guys take pride in that, talking about the O-line. And our guys take pride in hitting the hole. So, we definitely talk about it in my room.”
On if running backs give gifts to the offensive line for Christmas and if he did it in his playing days: “Like former life? I did. Yeah, and I think you should. I think you should. So, you want me to pass the message along or are you trying to say something? Did they butter you up to tell me that? Alright. Thank you.”
On how Lions RB D’Andre Swift has looked coming off his injury the past few weeks: “I don’t know. You ask the question, what do you think? Alright. One of these days we’re going to switch. I’m going to put you up here and I’m going to sit in your seat. I’m going to grab your computer, look at your notes. No, I think Swift is doing fine, man. I think he’s slowly but surely getting back to the Swift we all know and he’s showing that. He’s fighting through some things and just going out there battling and this is the NFL, so he’ll tell you, man, ‘Hey, I’ve got to go out there and perform.’ And that’s what he’s doing.”
On fighting through injuries as a running back: “I’m pretty sure all of them do. I do, 15 years ago.”
On getting Lions RB D’Andre Swift back in the running back rotation and how he manages that: “Yeah, that’s a good question. Usually when you have two, you kind of lean towards the hot hand, but when you’ve got three and they’re all playing well, you just kind of – you get them going and you have certain plays that are tagged for them, and you try to get that rotation and keep that rotation. And it’s tough sometimes. It’s tough because you could get a guy that – like Swift since we’re talking about him, say he broke a 30, 40-yard run, well the next play it could be (Lions RB) Jamaal (Williams) going in. You kind of want to wish you could leave him in and kind of get going and sometimes you can, not saying you can’t, but how we’re programmed, we don’t do that.”
On managing the running back rotation with Lions RB Craig Reynolds coming back: “Another good question. Craig – before – of course he got hurt, he was playing well. He was going out there doing exactly what we want him to do. And Craig, man, he’s just a baller man. I mean, he’s going to do exactly what you tell him to do. He’s going to fight and he’s going to go out there and try to make sure it’s perfect. So, getting him back in the rotation during this time is definitely good for us, we’ve just got to find a little hole for him.”
On Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown being in the backfield sometimes and if he ever coaches him during practice: “We talk on the field. If I see something I’ll share it with him, but he has a little knack back there as a running back. I tell him all the time, ‘Hey, man it’s more to running, come back and block.’ No, he don’t want to do any of that. And I don’t blame him.”
On the Vikings potentially winning the division on Sunday at Ford Field and if the team uses that as motivation: “Yeah, I mean I can go so many ways with that question. But I’m going to stay calm, that’s what I’m going to do. Anytime, of course something like this – a chance like for those guys to come in and do something like that it gets you fired up if you’re the opposing team. So, our guys are motivated, they just want to go back to work and that’s what they did this week. And I’m excited, I’m excited for our guys to be able to go out there and just continue to show the world who they are. So, it don’t matter if they were coming in, it don’t matter who was coming in. We look at it as the next game we’re trying to win. Period, point blank. Good try though, good try. You’re getting good, man.” | |
