LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
October 25, 2024
On if Lions DL Josh Paschal will practice today and if Lions DL Isaiah Thomas will play on Sunday: “Paschal’s dealing with something right now. He’ll be OK long term, but he’s got a little bit of something. So, I don’t see him practicing today. Yes, we will use Isaiah. He’s done enough during the week to want to get him out there and get him some reps. He’s in a good place and we’re excited to see him play. (Lions Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach) Terrell (Williams) and I were talking about it this morning because he’s got length, he’s got size, strength, he’s smart and plays hard. So, it’ll be exciting to see how he does.”
On if Lions DL Josh Paschal potentially being out for Sunday’s game puts them in a bind: “Yeah, that’s why those three guys have to step up between (Lions DL) Isaiah (Thomas) and (Lions LB) Al (Quadin) Muhammad and (Lions DL James) Houston. They have to help, they have to help and that’s where it goes but as always, we spread the load across that D-line with (Lions DL) Levi (Onwuzurike) and (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac and (Lions DL DJ) Reader and (Lions DL Mekhi) Wingo and (Lions DL Pat) O’Connor, so we have plenty in there and they pick up the slack.”
On playing at home for the first time in almost a month: “Yeah, man it just feels good to get back in front of our fans, our place, the environment of it, our own home routine. You get things done here and you’re back at your own place. It’s just – it’s good. There’s a time and a place for everything and sometimes it’s good to go on the road but it does, it feels like it’s been forever so it – I know we’re us, but the players are excited to get back home. Our environment is – this has been building and we have a special environment that not everybody has, so to be able to get back in front of our crowd and apply a little pressure on the opponent, it’s exciting.”
On if he believes there should be a replay review for missed calls like the missed face mask call in the Vikings vs. Rams game on Thursday night: “I can understand that. Yeah, you would like to believe that we can get there, but I do know this, slowing the game down is something that they frown upon. That’s one of those, ‘The more we do this, are things being opened up to now the game is getting slowed down significantly?’ But I know if I was (Vikings Head Coach) Kevin O’Connell, I’d be upset. But there again, it is what it is.”
On how Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has adjusted to being at the center of attention while still keeping his morals: “It’s one of the reasons why it’s a no brainer to get him re-signed and get him tied up because he checks every box. You don’t have to worry about St. Brown and, ‘Where’s the evolution of the way he’s viewed?’ And, ‘What about opponents now and how they deal with him?’ And, ‘What about the outside noise?’ That guy’s a perfectionist and whatever he does, he wants to be the best at and it doesn’t matter if it’s a commercial, it doesn’t matter if it’s on the field, it doesn’t matter if it’s a freaking math contest, the guy is – that’s the way he’s wired, that’s the way he is. So, to him, it’s bring it on because the more you ask of him, the more he can do. He takes that stuff personal. He wants every bit of it. He wants the load on him, he wants to be asked to do more things mentally and physically. And also, I think off the field, he wants it all because he can handle it. So, you’d be hard pressed to find a player who can handle more than he’s been able to handle and succeed. So, he’s handled it great. He’s handled it great.”
On if Lions OL Christian Mahogany is acclimated enough to help them for the rest of the season: “Yeah, you know what, (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I have not talked about him yet. Going into next week, that’ll come up after this game. I will tell you this, he’s gotten better every week. He’s made strides every week and that has been very noticeable. So, I’m just – standing up here in front of you, I think it would be hard to say that you don’t want to continue this progress, that would be hard to say. So, but until I talk to Brad, I won’t know for sure on that.”
On Lions LB Al-Quadin Muhammad’s rush style and what he brings to the table: “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about a guy playing the game with some nastiness and aggressiveness, strength. He’s going to set an edge, he’s going to play hard, he is competitive, he’s a finisher, and he’s got a little bit of rush ability. He’s more of a kind of push the pocket power, and then plays off of that, but it’s more about him coming in to do some of the dirty work and just bring your hard hat, bring your lunch pail type guy. He’s going to give us a good day’s work is really what we’re anticipating, really all we need out of him.”
On the challenges that the Titans defense presents in the pass rush: “Yeah, it’s interesting because some of these you look and they’re down in sacks, but they’re getting sacks and it’s been like, ‘Oh it’s a sack.’ Well, it was a DPI downfield. ‘There’s a sack.’ It was a defensive hold. It’s like these things have come up to where it gets negated. So, they’re really getting them, they just haven’t been able to count because of other things that are happening on the field. So, look it starts with (Titans DT Jeffery) Simmons, he’s – as we know – he’s an issue. If you don’t handle him, he can wreck a game. So, that guy is – you have to be careful if you think you can put him one-on-one. And then really (Titans OLB) Arden Key and (Titans OLB Harold) Landry (III) both, they can get up field. They have a quick first step, and you get in some of these long yardage situations, they can get a good first step on you and hum on the edge. They can both counter inside, they’re quick. Fortunately for us, we have two good tackles. But that’s where it begins and then (Titans NT T’Vondre) Sweat can push the middle a little bit. He can get in there and push it and with the speed on the perimeter, we already talked about Simmons and then with him just pushing the pocket, that’s where they create issues. And then, I’m not even talking about pressure. You start talking about third downs, they have a pressure package, they have some Double A. They’ll bring – no different than what we faced last week in some regard. So, this team’s been good. I know the sack numbers aren’t there, but the pressure numbers are there, and this defense is, like I say, they’re still – you could argue they’re a top 5 defense. They are a top 5 defense, and they get off the field on third down.”
On an injury update for Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu: “Yeah, the best I can tell you is that he’s progressing. He’s gotten better. He’s better than he was when we put him on Injured/Reserve, so that’s a good thing and that was why we did it. We wanted to get him right and not feel pressured or hurried to get him out there and get it to where he feels comfortable. He feels good about it, he feels good about his body, and so he’s progressed nicely.”
