LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
November 4, 2024
Opening Statement: “I’ll just reiterate what we talked about last night. That was a good win for our guys. I thought they were ready to go, knew they would be. We handled the elements well, played pretty clean football, run game efficiency, offensively. No takeaways, or no turnovers I should say. Fourth down, two-of-two, which were big for us. Defensively, third down, red zone, held the quarterback in check, had one takeaway and that takeaway was for a pick. That was a big one for us right before halftime. Special teams, field position, and then really inside of offense, defense, special teams, we had to make a lot of adjustments. For example, defensively, we lost (Lions DB Brian Branch) BB and the defensive staff had to make a lot of adjustments, and I thought they did a great job. We overcame a lot. Same deal on special teams, we had to switch a few things up, but it paid big dividends for us. Offensively, we talked about it, (Lions RB) David Montgomery, game ball, really, really played well, ball security was outstanding. Picked up some big yards, big reception there at the end to close it out. (Lions QB Jared) Goff was on fire, (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown, (Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs) Gibby, (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta and that O-line across the board I thought did a really good job. Defensively, (Lions S) Kerby (Joseph) we talked about, was very productive. I thought (Lions DL) Alim McNeill was all over the field. He was disruptive really most of the game. (Lions LB) Jack Campbell and (Lions CB) Carlton Davis (III) was big. And then special teams, Jack Campbell did really well there too. He plays a lot of snaps for us but he’s productive across the board. (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey I think is, if not the best, one of the best gunners in this League. He’s always causing some type of disruption or a penalty. (Lions P Jack) Fox was huge, minus one punt, he really flipped the field for us. (Lions WR) Isaiah Williams had a big return. (Lions LB Trevor) Nowaske and then (Lions DL) Pat O’Connor, we’ve been using big Pat on some of the special teams stuff and he’s been good for us. So, really good, it’s a good win and I would just – everything that’s kind of going on in the League you see, I’m just fortunate to have the staff that I have and they do a hell of a job getting our guys prepared to play and it’s on to the next one.”
On what he has seen from Lions LB Jack Campbell over the last month: “Sometimes you forget that he’s a young player, at least maybe I fall into that trap at times. So, he’s still growing. He’s still growing, he’s still learning, he’s still developing, and that’s what you’re seeing is as player who’s continuing to get better and the more he learns, the more he plays, the faster he plays because he can see it, that much faster. And he’s a finisher. He is snap to whistle, he’s all out, he’s a violent player and he does the same thing on teams. He doesn’t bat an eye, plays all those snaps on defense and special teams like he’s in it, he’s into the gameplan, he’s going to go and give what he’s got on special teams, so he just continues to get better for us.”
On how they will work in Lions WR Jameson Williams this week and how they have kept him up-to-speed: “Yeah, well you know he’s been here. He couldn’t be out there in practice, but he was here training, we had him running, he’s in the meetings, all of that. So, he’s really been here and honestly, we’re throwing him back in there. I mean he’s going, we’re – let’s go. So, we’re going to kick him out there with the offense and get him going and I expect him to be ready to roll.”
On if he got further explanation from the NFL on what caused Lions DB Brian Branch to be ejected in comparison to similar hits across the League that did not lead to ejection: “No and I have not seen those hits, I’ve heard about them, but no, I haven’t. They just – like I say, what we were told was that it was intent, it was flagrant, and it is what it is.”
On if he is proud that this team has lived up to the hype so far despite the injuries on defense: “Well I think with where we’re at – it’s just another credit to our staff and those guys on defense, picking up the load, carrying the load. We’ve lost eight significant players on defense, and we just continue to rise up and – there’s things that we are not as good at overall, but yet there’s things that matter to getting off the field defensively and limiting points that we’re damn good at. And that’s the most important thing about playing defense. So there again, credit to the coaches, those guys. We’ve earned what we’ve gotten this far, but here we go, we have nine left to get through the season. So, you just have to take it one at a time and we’re in a good place right now.”
On what it says about the team to go play outdoors in the rain and win: “I just think it means – I really believe that we can play anywhere in any type of elements. We can play indoor, we can play with a big crowd, we can play if it’s COVID season again and nobody’s there. I just think that’s how we are, that’s how this team is, that’s the type of guys we have, that’s the type of coaches we have, that is a part of our culture, that’s part of our identity. So, I would say it’s satisfying to be able to – to know that you can go do that and I do feel like – I think (Lions QB Jared) Goff made a comment about being like a chameleon. I think that’s very true. I think we can play any type of game that we need to play depending on where you’re at, who the opponent is, environment, everything. I think we can win a lot of different ways and that’s a good thing.”
On if they have exceeded his own expectations: “I don’t feel that way. I know this – I don’t – I think more than anything for me, you just want to know you’re playing good football. You want to know that as you go, you’re continuing to get better and you want to know, ‘Alright, if it all kind of ended now, do you have a legitimate shot at working your way through the playoffs?’ You know what I mean? Like you feel good about, ‘We’re going to be able to mix this up and have a chance to win those games.’ And I guess I think more that way than I do necessarily the wins and losses. Of course you want to win, I want to win, division games are important, and I feel good about that, I guess is the best way to say that.”
On if they are the best team in the NFL right now: “I mean that’s hard to say. Certainly, I feel like we can beat anybody in the League, and I think that’s what it’s about.”
On how likely it is that they will make a trade before tomorrow’s deadline: “Yeah, I think it’s hard to say. I don’t think it’s entirely up to us. I can tell you we’re trying, (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s trying, and we’ve looked at everything, we really have, made a ton of calls, and he’s been rolling on it. So, we’ll see, we still have a little bit of time here. We have until tomorrow evening so, we’ll see what happens.”
On if he will feel like the team is lacking in any area if they do not make a trade by the deadline: “No. I mean, look, if it’s not, we’re rolling. We got our guys and we’re going and that’s the bottom line. And if something doesn’t get done, we’ll start poaching some of these other practice squads, see if we can find some guys that we really liked when they were coming out that have some ability, see if they can grow, and then we’ll continue to give our guys here on this roster a shot.”
On how he would grade Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Lions S Brandon Joseph’s performance: “Yeah, for really both of those guys, let’s start with B-Jo. It’s one of the reasons B-Jo is here is because he really doesn’t have to get a lot of reps and mentally, he’s able to step in there and really fill a void. And he was that, I mean that’s hard. All of sudden you get thrust into – you’re going to play special teams and now you’re filling in for the rest of the game. I thought he was prepared, and he did that. I felt like he did his job the best that he could which was good. It helped us win. Rakestraw continues to get a little bit better. We put him in there on a couple of plays and I thought he competed. He helps us on special teams, and I do, I think both of those are young guys that helped us win that game yesterday. They had to step up and do some things.”
On getting divisional road wins and what it means going forward: “It’s huge, it’s huge. Division games are so important, they really are. We put a lot on those, they mean a lot to us because those are the big ones and then to be able to go and get them on the road and feel like we’re continuing to play a little bit better every week, that’s encouraging. That’s encouraging.”
On at what point he saw Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and Lions QB Jared Goff’s connection develop and what went into that to see the results now: “Well, I think some of that – there were so many things in ’21 that we had to work through collectively. It was more than – some of it was just Saint himself, he’s a young player, things that work for you in college don’t work for you in the pros, and there was a little bit of growing pain in some of the things that he got significantly better every week. He just continued to grow and there’s a point there that’s like, ‘We have to get this guy the ball.’ And really, all along, Goff was saying, ‘This guy is going to be a good player. This guy can win.’ So, he knew that early, so then it was about just giving him opportunities as he continued to grow and once that connection started, it just has not gone away. He’s got a lot of faith and trust in that player because I said last night, he is going to create separation, he’s going to win, he will win his one-on-one and he’s a reliable, consistent player. And I just bring this up again, the amount of dirty work that this guy does. He had no mentals yesterday and what he does in the run game I think gets overlooked. And we’re not even talking about all the production in the pass game. That’s why he’s here, but this guy does it all and we’re fortunate to have him.”
LIONS AGREE TO TERMS WITH CLEVELAND BROWNS TO ACQUIRE DL ZA’DARIUS SMITH VIA TRADE
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced today that they have agreed to trade terms with the Cleveland Browns to acquire DL Za’Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round draft selection in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round selection and 2026 sixth-round draft selection. Additional trade terms were not disclosed.
In his 10th NFL season, Smith has totaled 23 tackles (15 solo), 5.0 sacks and six tackles for loss so far this year. He started all nine games for the Browns prior to joining the Lions.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection (2019, 2020, 2022) after being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (122 overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, Smith has appeared in 117 career games (74 starts) and logged 321 tackles (213 solo), 65.0 sacks, 82 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, 15 pass defenses and two fumble recoveries.
