LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 23, 2024
Opening Statement: “Start with Tennessee, (Titans Head Coach) Brian Callahan, I know what that’s like. He’s putting his stamp on this team, working through things, trying to find the right mix of how you want to do it. And so, every week, you’re figuring things out. It’s a dangerous team, they’ve got a lot of weapons across the board. It’s an outstanding defense. Yards-wise it’s the number one defense in the League, outstanding on third down, and really, the stat is turnovers, it’s the turnover ratio. They’ve given up a couple and they haven’t gotten any on defense, so you flip that just a little bit and they’re not sitting where they are. So good football team that we’ve got to be ready for, and so it all really starts today for us. That’s kind of where we’re at.”
On how he keeps the team from falling into a trap game: “Well, look, you turn on the tape. I mean, that’s the best thing, when you sit there and watch these guys, I know – turn on this defense and you’re watching (Titans DT Jeffery) Simmons and you’re watching (Titans OLB Arden) Key and you’re watching (Titans OLB Harold) Landry (III) and you’re watching (Titans NT T’Vondre) Sweat and (Titans LB Kenneth) Murray (Jr.), and then you’ve got (Titans CB L’Jarius) Sneed and you’ve got the young guys out there at corner, (Titans CB Roger) McCreary in there at slot, and these two safeties. It’s like, ‘Man, this is a talented unit that knows how to play defense.’ And so, they’re giving people fits, man, and they’ve had a fast start in all their games, and they just haven’t quite been able to close it out. And, like I say, you change a couple of things on the turnover ratio, and this is a totally different deal. Offensively, they’re going to lean on the run game, it’s screens, it’s boots, and they’re going to put their guys in position to make plays, (Titans WR Calvin) Ridley’s explosive. And so, that’s what I’d say, turn on the tape and don’t kid yourself because this unit has got plenty of firepower over there. So that being said, that’s one, two is, man, we’ve got our own standards and it’s about us and how we handle our business. We’ve got to make our corrections from last week and we’ve got to improve this week, and that’s what it is. But you always – you hit it head on, you say exactly what it is.”
On if he expects Lions WR Jameson Williams to play on Sunday: “Well, I’m not supposed to really talk about it, but no. We’re prepared not to have him and it’s all good. So, he’s going to be here, he’s helping, until they come through with whatever’s going to happen, he’s with us, he’s part of this team, he’s helping out, and we’re good. We’ve got (Lions WR) Allen Robinson (II), we’ve got (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf, we’ve got (Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint, I can keep going, we’ve got (Lions WR Tim Patrick) TP, we’ve got (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta, we’ve got (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs, we’ve got (Lions RB David) Montgomery, we’ll probably bring (Lions WR) Isaiah Williams, so we’re good. This isn’t the first little bit of stuff we’ve been hit with, so we adjust, we move on, and life’s good.”
On how a player like Lions WR Jameson Williams goes about rebuilding trust with him, the team and the organization after reportedly facing suspension for the second time of his career: “Well, I think step one is what he’s doing right now. He’s here and he’s helping, and if he’s not able to go, then he’ll be helping on scout team, which is awesome. There’s a number of things – here’s what I can tell you, is – I trust this kid. I trust him, and unfortunately, you’ve got to pay for your sins, and something happens and if this comes down, then so be it, but I know this, we dangled the rope down on the way up, we can’t wait for anybody, and over a year ago he started climbing his way up and he got to us, and maybe he lost his grip, but he’ll climb back up again. That rope’s still there, it’s tied to us, and he’ll be just fine. But he’s part of this team and I trust him.”
On when the team was informed about Lions WR Jameson Williams reportedly facing suspension and when his window closes to appeal and if he will appeal: “That’s about as far – I’ve already said too much.”
On where the trust in Lions WR Jameson Williams comes from: “Yeah, I can’t get into that either, really. What I’d say is, there’s enough things – look, he and I have enough dialogue, enough things that have happened, I know when he tells me something, I know what it is, and that’s the best way I can say it. And so, look, this happened, it is what it is, and move on. But I do, and he’s put the work in, and he’s put his best foot forward and, like I say, he lost his grip, so he’ll be back.”
On if Lions WR Jameson Williams has a player he is leaning on as a mentor after the departure of former QB Teddy Bridgewater and if he feels that he has enough of a support system around him: “Yeah, I feel like he’s around his teammates a ton, and I feel like he’s really endeared himself to the guys and, like I say, he’s part of the group. And yeah, I do, and I’m telling – he’s matured so much, and I get it, I understand where it’s at and I know it can be frustrating, and look, it’s frustrating for us. It’s frustrating because I’ve got to answer these questions and the team is going to have to answer them when they shouldn’t have to, but ultimately, he’s taken huge strides, he’s made huge strides and I recognize that, and I think the team recognizes that, so I think he’s going to come back better than he was before.”
On if the trades that have happened recently have started the chess match for them making a trade: “No, I don’t feel that way. I don’t feel like we’re pressured to, ‘Oh man, everybody’s moving, we’ve got to move.’ No, I don’t feel that. I just found out about (Titans LB Ernest) Jones (IV), (Lions Director of Football Communications) Eamonn (Reynolds) just told me, literally, when I was walking out of walkthrough. I had no idea that they’re working out a trade for him, I knew about (Titans WR DeAndre) Hopkins. But no, we don’t feel swayed by that. Like I say, we are not going to be in a hurry. If it’s right, it’s right, and we’re going to do our homework, do our due diligence, and if it makes sense, it makes sense, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
On if the diminished pressure at Minnesota has changed his thinking on whether or not they will make a trade: “No, because look, what we’ll do is – we’ve still got – there’s still two guys here, there’s really three, that we haven’t really rolled out there on Sunday and see what they look like. So, we’re going to give them a shot. We’re going to give (Lions DL) Isaiah Thomas a shot, we’re going to give (Lions LB Al-Quadin) Muhammad another shot, he’s played in this League, done a lot. We’ll give (Lions DL James) Houston another shot, so in combination with all those guys that we’ve got. Let’s give it a go, let’s give it a look, that’s what they’re here for.”
On what confidence Lions WR Kalif Raymond gives him in the absence of Lions WR Jameson Williams: “A ton of confidence. I told you from day one – I mean, Leaf is really – he really is one of our starters. He’s a spot starter. We use him enough. But I would tell you, man, absolutely Leaf. Everybody’s got utmost trust in Leaf. He’s been here since the beginning, the guy does everything right and he’s smart, he’s competitive, he’s got speed, and that’s the other thing, this guy can run, let’s not forget. But I would say (Lions WR) Allen Robinson (II), I mean we just went through the walkthrough, I mean, he’s going to take on a heavy load here, too. Talk about a pro, man, I mean, he’s locked in. Everything we just went through, I mean, it’s meticulous, which fires you up. So, we’re going to be good here.”
On Lions CB Amik Robertson so far this season: “Amik has gotten better every week. He is – man, he’s really grown in our defense and here’s what you love about Amik, he’s going to – you talk about man coverage, he’s going to get up there and he is going to challenge and he’s not afraid of anybody and he’s going to compete, and he can run and he’s a pretty savvy player in that regard. So, he’s really been a good fit for us, and I kind of mentioned this the other day in the game, we get in there in nickel, between (Lions CB Carlton Davis III) CD and (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA and Amik, those guys are – they’re giving some receivers fits right now. So, I like where he’s at, and he’s gotten better every week.”
On how good it is to have players in the locker room who have swagger like Lions CB Amik Robertson: “Well, it’s one thing to have swagger and then you don’t make plays, but if you’re producing and you’re doing it, that’s a whole other deal. But I think that’s – look, it breeds confidence. When you start making plays and you trust the guy next to you and he starts making plays, then pretty soon you start playing off of each other and you trust each other, then you get your own swagger. And then, defensively, everybody, that swagger goes up for the unit. So, it is good because they know what they’re capable of, and they also know it’s not a finished product, between that whole secondary, (Lions DB Brian Branch) BB and (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) and Amik and (Lions CB Carlton Davis III) CD and (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA, that’s a beautiful thing.”
On if Lions DL Josh Paschal and Lions RB David Montgomery will be practicing today: “Paschal won’t be out there, Montgomery will be out there.”
On if other players will not be practicing today: “I’m going to sit the bigs – some of the bigs, today. So (Lions T Taylor) Decker and (Lions OL) Graham (Glasgow) and (Lions C) Frank (Ragnow), may sit (Lions DL) Levi (Onwuzurike) just for a little bit for today’s practice, but that’s all just taking care of them.”
On if there is a good chance that Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley returns this year and where he is in his recovery after he traveled with the team to Minnesota: “Yeah, there is, and that was really the first week he’s traveled with us. He wanted to go, and we were all for it. I can’t tell you how close, but yeah, we’re going to get him back. It’s just a matter of, when is that? He’s doing pretty good. He’s doing pretty good, he’s really progressed nicely and he’s healed up well. And so, he’s doing good.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF QUOTE SHEET
October 23, 2024
On the Titans’ record not being reflective of how good their defense is: “No it’s not, absolutely. I think this defense is as good as any defense we’ve played up to this point and we know that. I’m not just blowing smoke or anything. I know their record doesn’t show that but it’s a good defense, they’re good at every level and we’ve got our work cut out for us for sure.”
On how much he is looking forward to playing at Ford Field after being away for a couple weeks: “Yeah, it’ll be fun. Two away games and being back at home now, in front of our fans, coming off two wins, it’ll be loud. It’ll be fun.”
On if there is anything extra he does when he plays a few road games in a row: “No, I don’t think so. Part of me kind of – as a quarterback, the cadence stuff, you’d like them to be all on the road so that you don’t have to keep switching back and forth from verbal to silent count. So, there is a slight advantage there, but we’re back at home now so we’ll be able to be on the verbal count and it’ll be good.”
On being a part of the MVP conversation: “Typically, the guys on the best teams in the League that happens to and a whole lot of guys on this team that could be in the talk and we’re just going to try to keep winning games.”
On how much influence he has in creating trick plays: “Trick plays, really none. I don’t really think of those. Sometimes I’ll think of some crazy stuff that doesn’t get put in, but the stuff that gets put in that works is typically his.”
On what his dream trick play is: “We might have already ran it, the one I caught. That one is up there. Anything that I’m able to catch would be up there.”
On what he has seen from the Titans’ secondary: “Yeah, they’re good. They’re a really good defense. Two veteran safeties, veteran corners, sneak plays and the young corner’s playing well too. It’s a good group.”
On what goes into him and Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson being on the same page behind the scenes: “A lot of time, a lot of time. We’ve been together now, this is our third year, and so there’s a lot of stuff that we’re already on the same page on, but yeah, we’re continually just communicating, just staying on the same page, I ask him a ton of questions, I ask him what may seem as dumb questions, but he never takes them as that. He answers them well and I try to just make sure that I know the intent of every play and make sure that we’re all on the same page.”
On if he and Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson can finish each other’s sentences and how important is that: “I don’t know if we’re there yet, we’re working towards that. Maybe one day. But it is important to be on the same page with him where I know when the play-call comes in what we’re hunting defensively, what we’re looking to get done, and it’s a good thing to be on the same page as him.”
On if he has seen any defenses play Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown differently and if he has seen him adjust in any way: “There’s been a couple times where he’s gotten doubled this year, but nothing too crazy. And teams will, it’ll change throughout the year as the year goes on, but nothing too crazy up to this point.”
On how defenses will play them differently if Lions WR Jameson Williams does not play on Sunday: “He was getting a bit of cloud coverage so maybe it would be less of that, but if that’s the case, that’d be the only thing that may change.”
On Lions WR Allen Robinson II and Lions WR Tim Patrick coming to the team later and earning his trust: “Both of those guys, him and Tim, it’s been really cool to see two veteran guys that have had pretty good success in this League and have had their own successful career up to this point and come in here, drop their ego, and say, ‘I’m going to be a part of this team.’ Both of them have done such a great job and I think Allen in particular not getting the reps that Tim has and still every day in practice showing up and doing his thing, and today was no different. It was great.”
On the team rolling with players missing games like Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson: “Yeah, no doubt, yes. I think when guys miss games like Hutch and anyone that gets hurt, it’s part of our DNA to next man up and try to be ready and never flinch, and it happens during the game. I think (Lions RB) David (Montgomery) was hurt for a little bit during that game and we thought he may be out for the game, (Lions RB) Jahmyr (Gibbs) stepped right in and started playing really well. So, you just never know how games are going to go and we’ve got a good group that’s ready to fill in.”
On Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson saying he was ducking him for a 40-yard dash race: “I’m not ducking him, I’ve been telling him for years I’m faster than him.”
On if he thinks he could beat Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson in a 40-yard dash race: “Yes. He doesn’t want to race me, he doesn’t want to pull a hammy.”
