LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
January 4, 2023
Opening Statement: “I want to start with, just in regards to (Bills S) Damar Hamlin and his family, just our thoughts and prayers go out to him and everybody that’s involved in that including his teammates and coaches, and everybody that’s part of that whole situation. So, man, we’re wishing him the best. That’s tough, but it sounds like there’s some good news trending it sounds like, bit by bit. But anyway, he’s in our thoughts and prayers. And then as it pertains to us, here we go, man, first day of the week, getting ready for the Packers. I would say it is an improved team from who we played last time. We touched on that. The defense is getting takeaways. (Packers DL Kenny) Clark is a force in the middle, and I think these two backers are really good players. I think (Packers LB) Quay Walker has really come on. He’s just improved all year long. We liked him coming out, and he’s really proven to be everything we thought he’d be and then some, so (Packers CB Jaire) Alexander’s tough on the edge. (Packers CB Rasul) Douglas is a smart, crafty guy. Offensively, they’re running the ball much better. The (Packers RB Aaron Jones) back’s dangerous. Both of them are really dangerous. You can’t sleep on (Packers RB A.J.) Dillon either. The young receivers are really growing and showing up, and (Packers QB Aaron) Rodgers is Rodgers. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback, and their special teams are getting returns with (Packers CB Keisean) Nixon, so we’ve got our hands full, but we’re up to the challenge.”
On how he talked to the players about what happened to Bills S Damar Hamlin: “We really started the meeting with – we started with a prayer. So, we had (Co-Director of Player Engagement) Sean Pugh come up, and we gave a prayer, and all of us in the room came together and did that, and then we moved on. And we just felt like that was the best thing to do. That was the right thing to do. When you don’t have words and there’s really nothing you know what to say, how to say, how – you’ve got all these – there’s waves of emotions, that’s the best thing, and so we did that, and that’s where we left it.”
On how he gets players focused on football after a situation like what happened to Bills S Damar Hamlin: “Yeah, look, I think that’s – you acknowledge that it’s there, and you feel for certainly him, like I said, and now it’s – you move on. You move on. We’ve got a job to do, and this is where we’re at right now.”
On if Bills S Damar Hamlin’s medical emergency on the field reminded him of Lions CB Saivion Smith being down on the field in New England: “Yeah, certainly that does come to do mind. Now, that’s a hard one. It’s different. Now, we knew that he was – we could see him, he was alert, he was breathing, he was – and so there is a sense of, ‘OK, hey.’ So, I felt like that’s in a different plane than even this thing here. But yeah, those aren’t the norm, and when those happen, they hit you. They hit you hard. It’s – reality hits you. You don’t think of those, but there is that real rare chance something could happen, and it does. It’s a shot of reality.”
On if the Packers are playing complementary football the last few weeks in all three phases: “One hundred percent, that’s really been their strength is they’re – when they need a unit to pick it up, they’re picking it up, or if one’s struggling, the other two units pick it up, so they are doing that, very much like we are. That’s what we’ve been doing. We’re playing complementary football. We’ve been pretty good in all three phases. If one’s not having the greatest day, the other two have picked up the slack, so we’ll need to do that again.”
On how he gets the players in the right mindset to focus on the Packers game and not get caught up in the spotlight of playing on Sunday Night Football: “Man, you say what it is. You say the reality of it, and you say what the reason why that’s where they want you at. And then you say, ‘Hey man, we’ve got nothing to lose here.’ We go in, and we’ve got nothing to lose. We cut it loose, and let’s have the time of our life, and let’s find a way to win this game, and the bottom line is, I can just gauge the room and you can feel it. We get to be on the big stage, man, and our guys are excited about that. And one way or another, we get to play one more game. At the very least, we’re playing one more game, and it’s going to be on a great stage, and everybody’s going to see it, and our guys, one way or another, are going to – I think they’re going to embrace it. I really do, no matter what happens.”
On what it says about the organization to come back from a 1-6 record to play meaningful football in January: “Well, there again, we just stayed the course. I mean that was – look, we came into the year, and that’s where we were at, and we hit a rough spot. We stayed with it, and then here we are. I just think more than anything, it’s – I don’t know what it says. I’m just rambling right now. I don’t know. I just know for us, it means something that we climbed back out of the cellar and got ourselves in position to play for one more meaningful game here, before the year ends. And that’s a step in the right direction.”
On if he is worried about Packers QB Aaron Rodgers stepping up his game on a big stage like Sunday Night Football: “No, I mean to me there’s nothing out of the norm. The guy is a hell of a player, and so it doesn’t matter if it’s Sunday night, Sunday afternoon, you’re playing for playoffs, it’s first game of the year. Like to me, he’s a handful no matter when you play him. I just don’t see anything different. I see an outstanding quarterback who has played and had an outstanding career, and I would anticipate he’s going to play one of his best games again. And we always have to be prepared for that, and that’s why it’s going to take complementary football. It takes all three phases. There’s more than just an offense on the field. There’s defense, there’s special teams, there’s other players besides the quarterback. So, we’re going to need everybody.”
On Packers CB Jaire Alexander’s performance last week against the Vikings and what the team has to worry about with him: “Yeah, look I always appreciate guys that are competitive. I don’t care who you are. I mean, you can always respect that even when it’s the opponent. You can respect a guy that wants to compete and believes in himself and goes out and shows it. And especially knowing how good of a player (Vikings WR Justin) Jefferson is – now, they doubled him a lot too. But yeah, I mean there’s no question and I said it from the get-go. I mean, he’s an outstanding corner and he is very versatile. He can get up there, he’ll jam you. You get your eyes looking inside, I’m getting ready to take off and he’ll jam you in cloud and then he can match you and run with you. He’s got ball skills, he’s feisty, he fights, he’ll come up and attack the run game. So, he’s just somebody – we have to know where he’s at, at all times in the pass game. But there again, I do – look, I like our players, man, I like our receiving corps, I like (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown. He’s pretty feisty too. So, I just – I like our matchup. I do.”
On how important the secondary’s discipline will be against Packers QB Aaron Rodgers this week: “Yeah, I think that’s – that’s one of the key points for us is we’ve got to really hone in on this game plan. And man, we have to apply our rules and we’ve got to know them in and out and no matter what any and all eye candy that can be thrown at us, we don’t – you don’t take the cheese, man. Just stay true to your rules because that will, that’ll be big. That and then on offense, communication, we’re on the road we’re not going to be able to hear, it’ll be loud which is always a key when you’re on the road as an offense. Those are the big things, so confusion cannot be part of our game plan.”
On how Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has changed compared to the beginning of the season to now: “Well, I just think they’re running the ball a lot better. And I think they’re leaning on it a little bit more, which in turn always is going to help. And then, the receivers are – there again, (Packers WR Christian) Watson’s a better player, he’s gotten better, he’s a young guy that’s just continually got better every game. And so, that helps, (Packers WR Allen Lazard) 13 is healthy, when he came back our last game that was his first game back in a few I believe and – but he’s somebody that I know Rodgers really relies on. And he does a lot for him, man, he’s a – he does a lot of the dirty work in the run game, but he’s a big target. He can play in the slot, play outside, he’s got route versatility. So, I just think it’s a combination of things.”
On if the team will react differently to the Packers game depending on the outcome of Seahawks-Rams: “Yeah, I think it was really – like I said earlier, I just think – this is about more than anything, there’s one objective and that’s about winning this game and it’s us or it’s nobody. I think that’s the most important thing.”
On how much it helps to have a quarterback like Lions QB Jared Goff who has played in big games: “It does help. It does help because there again, this – the intensity of this game will go up. It will be played like a playoff game because it is win and get in or you don’t win and you go home one way or another, and so that’s – they’re looking at it that way, we’re looking at it that way. And so, I think out of all positions you want your quarterback to have been there and felt that a little bit. Of all of them he needs to make sure that his emotions are always on an even plane, and he can think through things like he has all year. So, him – he’s been in some as we know huge games. He’s been in the big one, so this won’t be anything new to him and I think it does help, especially in that position.”
On if he feels like the team is at a place where they are ready for a game of this magnitude: “Well, I feel like let’s find out. That’s why I want them to know exactly the magnitude of this game because they need to know what this feels like, and they need to know what they’re walking into and at the very least you find out. You find out and you figure out who can, who can’t, who’s young, who’s not, who’s mature. But to me that’s the way to approach this one, right now with where we’re at, let’s go.”
LIONS QB JARED GOFF QUOTE SHEET
January 4, 2023
On running alongside Lions WR Jameson Williams and trying to block on his 40-yard run: “Yeah, I was hoping he’d follow me. I mean we would have scored, but no, he’s a whole lot faster than I am obviously. Get the ball in his hands, good things happen, so hopefully, he can continue to do that.”
On doing something different on the football field trying to block for Lions WR Jameson Williams on his 40-yard run: “Yeah, it’s fun. I was hoping to get in somebody’s way. There was nobody to really get in the way of, but yeah, it was fun.”
On if the team measured how fast he was running through Next Gen Stats: “No. No, I don’t think we did.”
On the magnitude of this Sunday’s primetime game on Sunday Night Football: “Yeah, it’s big, man. It’s really big, and I think we’re excited for it. I think it’s something we’ve earned, and we’re playing for a playoff spot, and been through a lot this year. We’re ready for a game that’ll be fun in front of everybody.”
On the importance of playing in meaningful games in January for a young player and how it helps a player grow and mature: “Yeah sure, when you’re young, absolutely. Just playing in these situations where it really matters late in the year, and hopefully, we get some playoff games where it’s truly big, but these games matter. And they’re big, and they mean more, and it’s on the road. It’s in Lambeau, and all that goes into it, and we’ll be ready. We’ll be ready to have some fun and hopefully get after them.”
On the confidence he has going into a potential play-in situation with a battle-tested team: “It’s very good. We’ve been forged through adversity as I’ve said a few times, and there’s not much that can shake us anymore. We’ve been through the ups and downs of a season and feel pretty good about where we’re at right now.”
On if the week leading into a big game is different from a normal week: “No, I think every game matters the same. The leadup to this game, there’s going more anticipation for it, but as soon as that whistle’s blown, those 60 minutes will be exactly like any other 60 minutes. Now, is it going to be loud? Are we going be on the road? Sure, there’s going to be things that you’d have to deal with there, but as far as the actual game goes, I tend to approach it the same way as any other game. I think we have to make sure we all do that.”
On if he plans on calling his friends on the Rams to step up this week: “No. That’d be nice. Yeah, we’ll see.”
On if he is preparing for the Packers game any differently this week and if he plans on wearing gloves like he has in practice: “Yeah, if I have to wear them on Sunday, I’ll wear them. We’ll see what the weather looks like.”
On what the Packers do well defensively: “Yeah, they pretty much have a good player at every level, and that’s what’s hard – or really at every position. And that makes it hard, like who do you attack? They’ve got a good player everywhere, and they make everything look the same, and they’re very well-coached, and they do everything right, and they’re a good defense, so it’s a good challenge for us, but we’ll be ready to go.”
On the Packers defense getting takeaways: “Yeah, they’re good. They’re good. We’re pretty good at taking care of it.”
On Bills S Damar Hamlin and if he was watching the Bills-Bengals game: “Yeah, I was watching it. Yeah, really hard. Obviously, first you think about him and his family, and then next is his friends, and his teammates and how hard that is for those guys to see that as well. All of our prayers are with them and with him. It sounds like it’s moving in the right direction, and you hope it continues that way, but yeah certainly hard and shakes you up for 24 hours, 48 hours, still kind of – you’re thinking about it. And yeah, just thinking about him and hoping everything goes well.”
On his experience playing in big games and what that has taught him about how to handle those games: “Yeah, again I think it’s the anticipation up to it is the difference. There’s going to be a lot more questions, a lot more coverage, we’re going to be sitting in the hotel all day waiting for that Sunday night game. That’s the difference. I think once you get there the game day it’s really the same, you have to treat it the same. Sure, late in the game in the fourth quarter there’s going to be pressure, but that’s the same way in every other game in the fourth quarter. There’s no more pressure because of the week it is, I think every game is truly the same and you’ve got to treat it that way.”
On if he is helping the younger players prepare for a game of this magnitude: “Yeah, if I feel like I need to. They’ve played in big games. We’ve got a lot of guys that played in big-time college games and big-time playoff games and big-time games regardless. So, yeah, they’ll handle it the right way.”
On if they think about the comments Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has made about the Lions in the past: “No, I don’t think so. I think he’s a – very outspoken. A guy I’ve got a lot of respect for, but we’re aware, absolutely and it’ll be a good game. It’ll be fun, we’ll see where it falls.”
On if it is normal to not shy away from how big of a game they are preparing for: “Yeah, I think that is normal just making sure that everyone knows what time it is. And it’s an in-division game, it’s everything you can add on to it, it’s a night game, Sunday night in Lambeau. The whole thing, it’s as big as they get late in the year and making sure these guys know and I believe they do.”
On Lions RB Jamaal Williams’ big run at the end of the game and his reaction to it on the sideline: “You know I wanted him to score because it was the (former Lions RB) Barry Sanders record and I thought he was going to score and I was going to enjoy it, a celebration in the endzone with him. But yeah, I was just excited for him, man, he’s been working hard and we all root for each other and he’s a guy that’s impossible not to root for and a great teammate.” |
