LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 9, 2024
Opening Statement: “Going back over the game, I know it’s been a few days, but offensively, situational football, end of half, end of game, really good. We came away with points and left no time for them to respond, the touchdown right before halftime then the field goal at the end to seal it. Our red zone, we were really good, three-of-four and the one we didn’t convert was because we were in field goal range for the win at the end. There are things that we have to do a little bit better. We turned the ball over, the run game wasn’t really good, our efficiency wasn’t good, didn’t have the explosives that we feel like we need to have in any given week and the short yardage wasn’t good, third and fourth-and-short, had too many MAs too. So, it wasn’t really clean offensively. We made the plays that we needed to, but there’s things that we can clean up. That being said, (Lions WR) Tim Patrick obviously played outstanding, that was his best game with us and so many things that he did. Everybody sees the touchdowns, but there was a number of blocks that he made in that game that were huge, so the guy’s playing at a high level. (Lions QB Jared) Goff, I thought, was outstanding, take away the turnover and he played lights out. He was clutch for us. Once again, critical moments, just comes through, playing at a high level. It was impressive. (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta came through, big play, (Lions T Dan Skipper) Skip did a hell of a job filling in for (Lions T Taylor Decker) Deck, I thought that was one of his best games of the season. Defensively, we talked about the focus was playing hard and finishing, just lay it on the line, play hard on all three levels. We had about three, four new guys who just stepped in and a number of guys that we were going to rely on, they did that. We got a takeaway which was crucial, that led to three points. Third down, we were one-of-five, that’s outstanding. And we were really sticky in coverage. There were a couple of things that got us in coverage, but overall, our man-to-man coverage was really good, we were all over those guys. What we didn’t do well, run game efficiency, gave up too many per carry, pass efficiency there as well and red zone. Now, we got put in a couple of hard spots, the turnover, the turnover on downs, so that doesn’t make it easy on them. But that being said, (Lions DL Pat) O’Connor played an outstanding game, we asked a lot of him. Most plays he’s played, and he was disruptive, and he really played the nose and the big end. So, he’s got a lot of versatility, and he showed up for us. (Lions DL) Za’Darius Smith was highly productive in the run and pass game, but that really showed in a big way. And then (Lions LB Ezekiel) Zeke Turner, he had to play the WILL linebacker for us for a number of plays, he did well. And (Lions CB Terrion) Arnold, I thought that was Arnold’s best game of the season. That was good to see and then special teams, really, we only had a couple of punts. One of them was 50 yards and they had a holding call because of (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey once again. Dorsey either makes a play or he’s going to cause a penalty. So, it ends up being a 60-yard net and then two plays later, we get the turnover. So, just massive, a hell of a punt, hell of a job by Dorsey once again, the guy’s a weapon for us on teams. Then our field goal protection unit, those guys had blocked one in Chicago for the game-winner three weeks ago and our guys held in there and I thought we – there’s things to clean up but we protected really well. That was kind of it in a nutshell, it was a good win for us and now we’re onto the next one.”
On Bills QB Josh Allen’s dual threat of passing and running the football: “He is challenging, and I haven’t had a chance to truly deep dive them yet, but I do know this, he’s taken care of the football. He’s taking the plays that are there and once he progresses it’s not, then he uses his legs. So, I feel a more patient player out of him and because of that, he’s playing at a very high level and that makes him even more dangerous. So, it is, he’s got a big-time arm, he’s accurate, he can read defenses, and then he’s got the physical ability to take off and run, and he can run over people, he can run around you, he can get on the perimeter. So yeah, this is going to be a huge task for us, this is not going to be easy.”
On how much healthier he expects the team to be this week: “I don’t know. I know this, every one of our guys, it’s much more positive. Everybody is healing up and so we’re better than we were last week. I don’t know yet how many we’ll get back, and honestly, I may not know until Thursday of this week, just exactly where we’re at. I’m feeling better about (Lions T Taylor) Decker, but yet I need to see. And then the D-line is in flux. There’s a chance (Lions DL) Levi (Onwuzurike) can be back, (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac’s got to pass protocol, he’s in everything. He did not take a step back, so as long as he can clear, that sounds positive, but it’s just going to take time to figure some of this out.”
On how much more optimistic he is that Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson can return in the postseason: “Honestly, I’m where I was when the injury happened and that’s only just saying, this is a tough injury. It is, but I just would never count him out just knowing who he is. He’s working, he is progressing, but I can’t say – I can’t give you a timeline and I don’t know if he’ll have the time to get there, but if anybody could, it’s him.”
On if any Reserve/Injured players are eligible to return soon: “Yeah, we’ll have that conversation about (Lions CB Ennis) Rakestraw and (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy next week because that’ll be through their four-week period. (Lions LB) Alex (Anzalone), we feel like, is on pace to towards the end of this season. It could be the last game, it may not be until the playoffs, but we feel good about getting him back. I think (Lions WR) Kalif (Raymond)’s probably in that boat, probably where Alex is at. And then (Lions LB) Jalen (Reeves-Maybin), he’s better. Jalen Reeves-Maybin is better, but it’s just slow going right now. So, I don’t really know where he could be. There is a chance that we get him in a few weeks, there’s a chance that we don’t. So, it’s just kind of – it’s just where we’re at.”
On if it is sustainable to keep putting the game on the offense to produce with the defensive injuries: “I think every week you have to do what you feel like gives you the best chance to win and where do you feel your best matchups are at and where are your best players at? Now, I haven’t had a chance to just deep dive Buffalo yet and see where they’re at. They’re traditionally a very good defense, they fly around, they play sound, disciplined football, they always have, that’s how (Bills Head Coach Sean) McDermott coaches. So, we’ll just have to see but we’ll do whatever it takes to win the game, whatever we need to. Now that being said, like I said, we put ourselves in some of the situations that we were in offensively. There are things that we can do so much better and just clean up a few things. And then defensively, it was, ‘OK, we got some new guys, just give us everything you got and finish.’ That’s the stipulation, so now we need to take it a step further. ‘Now that you guys are laying it on the line, you’re finishing, now we have to start getting a grasp of what we’re doing defensively and take the next step and the detailed part of this to where we don’t have a few plays that hurt us.’ Our defense will, depending on who we have here, we’re going to be better than we were last week, I believe that and whether we don’t get anybody back or not, this will be another week in the system with (Lions DB Jamal) Adams and (Lions DL) Myles Adams and (Lions DL) Jonah (Williams) and (Lions LB) Kwon (Alexander), and so I know that they’ll be better. But we’ll do whatever we have to to win the game.”
On Lions CB Terrion Arnold’s growth throughout the season: “I think it’s just that we’re getting to that time of the year, and honestly, what happens with a lot of rookies, especially guys that you’re counting on, unfortunately, some of them start to take a nosedive because this is where their season begins as a dip down, it’s over. But then the other ones who hang in there, they really start taking flights. What (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown did his rookie year, right, he started to take off once we hit November, December. He started to gain strength. (Lions T Penei) Sewell did the same thing, (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac did the same thing, and I feel like that’s where Arnold’s at. He’s starting to push through this and he’s gaining enough valuable reps, experience, he’s not letting the grind of the season weigh him down and he’s getting better.”
On if there is a benefit to playing teams with minimal losses and if he has ever seen a division with three teams playing as well as the NFC North: “It’s hard to say. I don’t know if I’ve – maybe not quite like this. I think – is there a benefit? Yeah, absolutely I think there’s a benefit. I mentioned this last week, I feel like we are in playoff football in a sense. I know that we got in but that’s – this is about more than that. We’ve given ourselves an opportunity postseason which is great, that’s all you need and so we’ve got that. But any time you play the best of the best, the best competition, you can’t help but get better. Whatever it takes to win those games, you learn how to win those games. You learn a new way to win. We had to grind some things out the other day, we had to win that game without our run game really being effective at all for the most part. That’s huge. Our pass protection had to be on point, (Lions QB Jared) Goff was outstanding, the receivers, tight ends, the backs, protection, (Lions RB) David (Montgomery) and (Lions RB Jahmyr) Gibbs having to mount up in there, we had a lot of A-gap pressure and those guys were – that’s not an easy way to live if you’re the runner. So, that serves you well, I think. So, the competition is great, there again, Green Bay and we’ve got Buffalo this week, we’ve got more coming down the wire, so these serve you well I believe.”
On the performances of Lions DL Brodric Martin, Lions DL Jonah Williams and Lions DL Myles Adams: “I thought, Myles and Jonah, I thought both had winning performances. I thought for what we asked them to do, I thought they went in there and battled and did their job. It was good to see and it’s exactly why (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) brought those guys in, because we felt like they fit what we’re about and what we need and we just need guys that are lunch pail guys, hard hat, come in a give us a good day’s work, do what we ask you to do and go all out doing it, and just battle, just strain. And I thought those guys did it. Brodric was up and down. You have a couple that were good and then you have some that weren’t so good, but that’s all part of the growth process, development process, but I was impressed with those two new guys we had.”
On if the Packers’ ability to shut down the explosives in the run game furthers his belief in using all four downs: “Yeah, I think that – normally what we feel like we can get out of our run game is explosives, which we didn’t really get those. But we were able to grind some of these out and I felt like our short-yardage plan was good. We liked what we had, we liked where we were going with it, so I had a lot of confidence there and as well as the pass game. If it was a little bit outside of that range to run the ball. It’s going to be awfully hard for me to not have confidence in (Lions QB) Jared Goff and our receivers and really the whole offense, the O-line, what (Lions Offensive Coordinator) Ben (Johnson)’s going to call. It’s just that I have a tremendous amount of faith and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t believe that we could get it and they continue to prove us right, everybody right.”
On if Lions QB Jared Goff said anything on the sideline that made him want to go for it on fourth down to end the game: “No, he just wanted to know what we were doing, like, ‘Let’s go. Are we going or are we not going?’ Which I’m with him, I mean I’d want to know.”
