LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
November 30, 2022
Opening Statement: “First day of the week, so we kind of talked about it on Monday, we know what’s ahead of us is a team that’s playing probably their best football right now. They’re talented, they play hard, so we’ve got a pretty tough task ahead of us, but we’ll be ready for it.”
On if he reminds the team of what they can accomplish in terms of their playoff chances: “I do not. I do not. There again, I’m – everything that I – my focus was, from the time that game ended, was about Jacksonville because I think we – everything has to be about this opponent, this next game, I really believe that. And I know there’s a lot of coach speak in that, but I really do man. I think this is – this is a crucial game for us. We’ve got to be able to get back in the win column, do things right, do what we’ve done over the last three or four weeks here. And you’ve got to go earn a win again, doesn’t matter who that opponent is because there again, they’re playing pretty good football. If we take a step back from where we’ve been, then our chances of winning go way down. So, I think everything has to be about this one. And we have to put our head down and go to work, and do the things right, do all the little things right. And then, six weeks from now, you look up and the dust has cleared and let’s see what happens.”
On if he watched the playoff standings when he was a player and if he thinks the players think about it: “Oh, you know they are. You know they are. Absolutely, and yes I did. That’s always going to be in the back of your head because you’re – we’re all competitive, right? And that’s what the goal of all this is, always when you’re playing. I mean, it’s to be able to play in the big one and how do you do that? You’ve got to find a way to get into the playoffs, and so certainly that’s always going to be in the back of your head, but I just – I know if you start looking down that road and thinking about that, and who we’ve got in two weeks, three weeks, and what if this team loses – it doesn’t matter because it’s all for naught. I know this, we’ve got to win. And if we don’t win, we’re not going to have a chance to get in.”
On his message on the one-year anniversary of the Oxford School Shooting: “Look, it’s only just simply what everybody in this community already knows, it is an anniversary. And when – if you’re outside of that community who was directly impacted, you go about your lives and you forget about it. You’ve got other things going on, this and that, and I think just for this moment, I want them to know we’re thinking about them. That there was just a little bit of thought that went into the fact that, ‘Hey, this happened a year ago and we feel your pain.’ And just because time has passed doesn’t mean that those scars aren’t still there. I think that more than anything, we just want you to know, ‘Hey, we see you. We still see you.’ And I think that’s a big thing. Zach (Line) – look, he’s a great friend. He was a guy that was – a teammate that he endured himself to his teammates. Guys loved playing with him, but I just know that what our players did and were able to do and just the awareness that was put forth and the carrying, I know it meant a lot to him and to those guys and to everybody over there. But there again, it’s about them not us.”
On why he thought it was important to have the game ball from last year’s game against the Vikings sent to Oxford High School: “Yeah, I mean it’s – I think it was just – it was important. I mean, I think that was – it’s just – look, I go back to that time last year and it was really there was more to it than just we’re going out to win a game. It was about at the very least you wanted to just take their mind off of some of that pain for a three-hour period and give them something that they could be proud of, something to take their mind off of it even for a little bit and know that, ‘Hey, we were playing for them.’ And so, I was glad we were able to give that to him and give them the ball.”
On what he thought of Jaguars OLB Travon Walker in the pre-Draft process and how he has performed so far this season: “Yeah, we really liked Travon, liked him a lot. We were really high on him, and I think he’s what we thought he would be. He’s very versatile, he plays their outside linebacker and base, and then plays their rush end. He can play both sides, he’s got length, he’s got speed, he’s got power, and he’s – every week he gets a little bit better. So, I think – I think they’ve got a good pick up over there and I think we got a good pick up, so.”
On if he looks at the Jaguars as a mirror image of the Lions in terms of having the same record despite playing in close games: “Well, I know that when you watch the games that they’ve played this year, they’ve certainly been in a number of them and had their opportunities, which is very similar to us and haven’t been able to close it out. And when things don’t go well it’s usually because of the takeaways or the turnovers that come about and that’s the same with us. So, I just think in that regard, yeah we are very similar. I think it’s a dangerous team, I think we’re a dangerous team. And I kind of think it’s about who’s going to play cleaner ball and who wants it more. That’s what I think.”
On if there is anything the team needs to do to stop the Jaguars’ momentum on Sunday after their emotional win against the Ravens: “You’d always love to get to a fast start. We always would want to do that. The three-and-out on defense or offense, you take it all the way down and score a touchdown. There again, I think more than anything you just want to be efficient. You always want it to go perfect, but I think more than anything you just – you want to know that anything that transpires is because the opponent earned it and we didn’t just give it away, whatever that drive or that series is to start the game out. But yeah, we need to get to a fast start, we need to get a fast start in the third quarter too. We’ve got to be better there. But they are, they’re playing with a lot of confidence.”
On how the offense has been able to be consistent in the redzone this season: “Well, I think a lot of it is we run the ball well in the redzone, that helps. If you can run the ball it helps with everything, not only just that, but also your run-action passes. We’ve had some keepers, we’ve had the boots off of it and then the drop backs we’ve had have been close enough in the redzone to where you feel pretty good about it. You don’t feel like you’re backed up and it’s third-and-10 at the 10, those are hard. So, I just think we’ve been pretty patient and take what’s there and I think any time you can run it in the redzone, you’re probably going to be a pretty good redzone team.”
On how Lions WR Josh Reynolds is feeling: “Doing good. Yeah, he’s doing good. He was out there running around. He feels better than he did last week, so that’s a positive.”
On how Lions DL Josh Paschal is progressing: “Yeah, oh you’re talking about Josh Paschal, I thought you were talking about (Lions WR Josh) Reynolds. You said Josh. Reynolds is doing great. Paschal feels better, he feels better. He doesn’t feel as good as Reynolds does, but he feels better. But we’re going to let him run around today, get some individual and then we’ll see where it goes. He’ll be a day-to-day and if he can take a little bit today, we’ll give him some more. If he can take more tomorrow, then we’ll do that, and then we’ll gauge that status as it goes. But it’d be great to get him back. It would, he helps us.”
On Lions RB D’Andre Swift and his workload against the Bills and how he looks after the short break: “Yeah, I thought he did some good things for us. I thought there – he brought us a little bit of life and he’s – I feel like every week he’s starting to feel better and getting himself back into where he wants to be and where we want him to be. So, I anticipate him getting a little bit more this week.”
On finding more snaps going forward for Lions LB James Houston after his performance against the Bills: “We found a spot in a hurry for that. Well, I think anytime you’re a young guy and you have these – you have this idea in your head of what you can be, right, what you’re going to do the first time you step on the field. It doesn’t always work that way, but I think for him – for five snaps I think it went about the way he thought it was going to go. So, it’s not always going to be that way, but yet his confidence in his own ability and really on us just – we knew there was something there. There is something about him as a rusher, and he’s – every week just gotten better and better. He’s put in the work, which is a credit to him. He’s going against some damn good tackles every week. Our guys (Lions T Penei) Sewell and (Lions T Taylor) Decker, and so certainly that helps his confidence. He knows – I think what it does it just tells him, ‘I do, I’ve got the ability to play in this League.’ And I think he’s figured that out soon. Now, that’s just, ‘Hey, go eat.’ You put him out there and just say, ‘Go.’ So, there’s things he’s got to – he’s got to be able to do more for us than just that and it’s got to be more than just five reps. But certainly, we’re going to get him more involved.”
On what he sees in Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence: “I see a player who’s gotten better, particularly over the last three or four weeks. I mean, really that last drive last week was – that was big. I mean, they got in a fourth-and-5, he makes a critical throw, they double move down there in the far red, the deep redzone and he hits that to (Jaguars WR) Zay Jones, and then the throw to (Jaguars WR) Marvin (Jones Jr.) over there. I mean, that was big and I think that was – when you look at it, every week I feel like, man, if you’re not careful he’ll pick you apart. And they’ll have schemes that they do well, things they hang their hat on, but they’ll attack your coverages and he’s been pretty good. He doesn’t hold that ball long, he’s going to get it out. But I think that was the icing on the cake for him, to see him driving down the field, man, at the end of that game and make critical throws. He’s playing at a high level and a lot of confidence, so I don’t have to tell you, man, we’ve got to try to push the pocket on him. We’ve got to challenge a little bit at times and see if we can get him out of rhythm.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF QUOTE SHEET
November 30, 2022
On how he spent his days off after the Thanksgiving game: “Spending time with my family. Yeah, they were here in town, and we had dinner. A little less easy to enjoy after a loss, but nonetheless, lot to be thankful for and had a good night.”
On how long it takes him to shake off a loss: “About a day. On the weekend, when you don’t get to come back in, it may linger a little bit longer, but about a day. Either way, win or lose, you kind of get over the happiness of it or sadness of it, about 24 hours.”
On what potentially being in playoff contention does for a team: “Yeah, it makes every game mean a little bit more. You’re playing for something. We certainly have a lot of work to do to really put ourselves in there, but yeah, it’s one game at a time, and we’ve got six left and how many of those can we win to give ourselves the best chance?”
On if it is a fun part of the year when teams are chasing playoff contention: “It’s very fun. Yes, very fun when you’re playing for something, and again, we’ve got to keep winning, but if we do, we’ll be certainly playing for a lot more towards the end.”
On how important it is to not get too caught up in playoff talks and to focus on the Jaguars: “It’s really easy when you turn on the film on these guys. They’re a good team man, and they’re good on defense, they’re good on offense, they’re hungry like us, and they’re 4-7 just like us. They’re kind of in that same situation where your back’s against the wall, and they’re going to come to play, and as are we.”
On what he sees from the Jaguars defense and what they do well: “Yeah, they’re really good tacklers. They’ve got a good, solid front. I think their linebacking crew is underrated as one of the better ones in the League, and on the backend, they’re young but make a lot of good plays, man. They’re good. They’re really good. They play hard. They’re very similar to us in some ways where they struggled early on, and they’re kind of figuring things out as of late. And yeah, it’ll be a hard fought, tough game, four quarters, and we know they’re going to give us everything they’ve got.”
On if there is any kinship between him and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence as two former first-overall NFL Draft picks: “I don’t know. There’s a lot of us in the League, and maybe quarterback-wise, maybe. Trevor’s a guy that I know mutually, and he’s a great dude and has had a good year up to this point, and particularly, as of late, he’s played really well and certainly will give our defense plenty to worry about.”
On how long it takes for a quarterback to get acclimated in the League: “Hopefully, sooner than later. And I think right about in that second year, kind of right now, the middle of that second year – call it 20th start, 25th start, kind of when it starts to go hopefully. Some guys it’s longer. Some guys it’s shorter, but hopefully by then, it’s starting to go, and for him, certainly you see it. They’ve got a bunch of weapons out there and making a ton of plays and is a hell of player.”
On how he feels about former Lions QB Tim Boyle being signed to the Bears’ active roster: “Yeah, selfishly bummed, but happy for him, man. He gets to be a part of an active roster now and get a chance out there to do some things, and happy for him. Obviously, we’ll miss him here, and hopefully can get in the same room with him again one day.”
On if he can sense the extra intensity players have when they face their former team like with Lions WR DJ Chark playing against the Jaguars: “Yeah of course. Yeah, I know he’s ready to go. I know he’ll be ready to go. I think he came back last week and was kind of getting his feet underneath him a little bit, and after this week, he’ll be more himself, and be ready to go, and hopefully, we can get him involved.”
On how different December feels when a playoff push is possible and the significance of winning a game matter more: “Yeah, it changes everything. Last year, you think about this time last year, and you’re kind of out it. Just human nature, it’s hard to get going every day. It’s hard to get yourself ready to go, and Sundays, and even throughout the week, Wednesday through Friday, but now we’re in the mix. And again, we certainly have to win and to keep ourselves in the mix, but we’ve got a lot to play for, and we know that over these next six weeks, but it starts with right now, this one, and hopefully get the first one and go.”
On if he has had the chance to throw to Lions WR Jameson Williams in practice and how he has looked coming back from injury: “Yeah, looked good. Did some stuff, limited today, but looked good. And we’ll see how it progresses. If it’s this week, next week, it’s the week after, I don’t know, but looked good to me.”
On how good Lions WR Jameson Williams is at ping pong: “He’s not very good at ping pong, but he’s good at football.”
On how fast Lions WR Jameson Williams is on the field after seeing him in practice: “He’s fast. He’s very fast. He’s very, very fast.”
On if Lions WR Jameson Williams’ speed can compare to anyone he has played with before: “Probably – I mean (Texans WR) Brandin Cooks is probably the fastest guy I’ve played with, and it’s a different type of speed though, and again, I haven’t seen him play in a real game, but he’s longer. He’s a stride guy. He’s got length. He’s got wingspan. Brandin was more just kind of a burner and has done that well for a long time, but Jameson, he can extend on guys. He can really make catches away from his body, that type of stuff. And how much he’s able to help us in the next six games, we’ll see, but certainly as a quarterback, you want him on the field as soon as possible.”
On if there is an adjustment period to get the timing right with a wide receiver as fast as Lions WR Jameson Williams: “Yeah, maybe a little bit. We’ll see. I don’t know. It depends on what routes he’s running and how much we’re using him, but yeah, we’ll see. It’s like that with any player. It has nothing to do with how fast he is, but any guy you want to get those reps, and we got some today, which is always helpful and trying to start getting on the same page, and hopefully get him incorporated soon.”
On how much he is following the World Cup: “A little bit. Yeah, watched yesterday, and that was fun, fun to see that. Stressful, more stressful than I thought. I haven’t watched soccer much, and those last 10 minutes, it’s kind of holding on a little bit, but yeah, go USA and see who we play next.”
On if he can see the team turning a corner and if the corner is in sight: “Oh, we’ve turned. Yeah no, we’ve turned and won three of our last four and felt like we had a good chance to win last week and feel like we could play with anybody. So, yeah, we’re there and certainly a different team than we were early in the year and can play with anybody, can beat anybody.” |
