LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 3, 2024
On Green Bay’s run defense playing so well: “Yeah, playing really, really well. Look, they’ve been playing well. I mean they have really all season and nothing has changed, they’re still – man, they’re an attacking-style defense, we talked about (Packers DL Kenny) Clark there in the middle and (Packers DL T.J.) Slaton and those guys and (Packers DL Rashan) Gary. They’ve got a good crew, man, and they’ve really got a two-deep that get in there and play hard, they’re physical, finish on the football, and of course (Packers LB) Quay (Walker) back there and that secondary. So, it’s just a good group, they’re sound, they play hard and that usually leads to good run defense.”
On why the team has not recorded an interception in consecutive games and what they need to do to get back to creating takeaways: “Just continue to emphasize it. Man, we’re so close and that has been a point of emphasis this week, things we’ve talked about in practice. We got some yesterday, which was good, and we know that’s going to be – that’ll be a pivotal part of this game, as any game, we’ve got to take care of the football on offense, defense we’ve got to come away with them if we get our hands on them. So, we just emphasis it, keep working it.”
On what makes Lions LB Jack Campbell more equipped to handle having more on his plate this season compared to last season: “Well, he’s just more mature, he’s older, he’s more developed, time on task, game slowed down for him, and then on top of that he was always a pretty headsy player, pretty smart, instinctive guy, and so with it, that’s boded well for him. He’s got a ton of reps, man, in a two-year period, that’s good. Honestly, he’s kind of the guy – the more you put on him, the better he gets, I feel like. He’s one of those, so he’s doing well right now. We’re going to ask a lot of him again.”
On what kind of strain having four games in a short timespan had on the staff and if he feels like he can see the light at the end of the tunnel: “Yeah, we’ll have a chance to catch our breath after this one. It goes without saying, it puts a strain on – it does, it puts a strain on you, but yet, Green Bay’s going through the same thing, so it doesn’t matter. It’s about, really, who handles it better and so we know that’s what we’re tasked with and no matter what, we’ve got to put together a really good gameplan and have something our guys can get ahold of and can succeed in. That’s what we’re tasked with, and I feel good about that, again.”
On if the continuous culture the team and staff have built makes the adversity of the season more comfortable to handle: “Yeah, I believe that. I mean, to your point, the continuity of the staff, we’ve been together so long, and then really the core pieces we still have. I mean, let’s not forget, we’ve still got – we’ve got (Lions DB Brian Branch) BB, we’ve got Branch, we’ve got (Lions LB) Jack (Campbell), we’ve got (Lions DL) Alim (McNeill), we’ve got (Lions DL) Za’Darius (Smith), who’s new, but yet he’s been here for a while now, you’ve got (Lions CB) Carlton (Davis III), you’ve got (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA, (Lions CB) Amik (Robertson). So, I mean, we’ve got plenty going on here – (Lions DL Pat) O’Connor. So, the extra pieces that come in, they’ve got plenty of guys who understand what we’re trying to get done around them, plus this coaching staff has done a great job, been burning the midnight oil getting these guys up to date, getting them ready to go, and they’re football players, so we’re going to let them cut it loose.”
On if he feels like the players have proven their resiliency: “Yeah, I mean, I think that we’ve been this way for a long time, in my opinion. I mean, it’s what our guys are made of, and they understand that. And look, the best part of all of this – we’re in playoff football right now, that’s where we’re at, we’re in December, and our schedule says that. Man, we play tough opponent after tough opponent after tough – we’ve got another one, I mean, we’ve got plenty coming up. So, man, this is the type of stuff that you live for and it’s also the type of stuff that gets you ready for the tournament. So, yeah, we’re a resilient bunch and nothing’s going to change that. We’ve just – we’ve got to worry about the one in front of us.”
On what teams that have success in December do differently than teams that do not have success in December: “Well, I think there’re a number of things that can come into that. The easy answer to that is, you don’t do the things you were doing early in the season, that could be one. The other is, you are, but yet, all of a sudden, you lose a little confidence in a couple of areas that are critical to your team. For whatever reason, you just kind of – like the golfer that starts getting the shanks, that can happen, and it’s OK though, you’ll get out of it, as long as you trust the work you’re putting in every week. So, I think it’s all about just putting your best foot forward and literally, it’s the one in front of you, it’s the practice in front of you, it’s – if we’re going to walk through, then it’s got to be so freaking detailed and on point, and guys have got to take it serious, which our guys have done, and then when we practice, we either walk or we go. We’re not doing the, ‘Hey, we’re going to practice, but it’s –‘ You’re getting one or the other, and so when we go, we get full reps and we get a good look at it because that give you confidence, and so you take it week-to-week, day-to-day and you don’t worry about anything else and, ‘How do we get a little bit better than we were last week?’”
On if he has a sense of which of the four players that were signed this week may play on Thursday: “Yeah, I think there’s a chance all four could help us.”
On if he has a clear picture on which of the injured players may play on Thursday: “Yeah, I don’t feel as good about (Lions T Taylor) Decker for this week. There’ll be a lot more that goes down today. I felt like (Lions CB Carlton Davis III) CD looked pretty good yesterday, looked real good actually, so barring nothing else today in practice I feel pretty good there. I think the rest of it’s going to take a minute here. See what today and tomorrow look like.”
On Lions DL DJ Reader popping up on the injury report: “Yeah, well he’s – I don’t see him practicing today either and he’s kind of a day-to-day deal here.”
On Lions fans holding a Dan Campbell lookalike contest and how they can emulate his essence: “I don’t know why you’d waste your time with that. There’s got to be better things to do than – unless the prize is something worth having. I don’t know, is there a legitimate prize to it? Maybe I’ll get in it.”
On the relationship between Lions TE Sam LaPorta and Lions LB Jack Campbell and what he learned about them during the process leading up to the Draft: “They’re very competitive and they’re very competitive against each other. Both smart guys, driven, resilient, hard workers. I mean, they’re very much the same in that way, and for as competitive – I would just bring it up, for as competitive as they are against an opponent, when you put those two against each other, it’s ridiculous, I mean, it’s something else, it’s pretty good. But just the type of guys that – they do stuff right, man, and they’re reliable. You can trust the work they’re going to put into it and the type of production they’re going to give you.”
