LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
December 16, 2024
Opening Statement: “Really, what we’d talked about yesterday, had a turnover and got none on defense, so lost the turnover ratio in a tight, close game as it ended at the end. And then we just didn’t complement each other. We go three-and-out to start that game and then they go all the way down and score a touchdown and followed it up with another three-and-out offensively, and then come out at halftime and they get the ball, need a stop, they take it down and then we go three-and-out, so – and then, on the flip side of that, I mentioned yesterday, right before halftime our defense gets a crucial stop and offense, we drive it down there and then we come away with no points, we don’t make the field goal. And so, really, look, that team played really well, but we couldn’t get out of our own way either. Just had a number of errors that had been uncharacteristic, and that tape speaks for itself and we’re going to learn from it, then we’re going to burn it and then we’re moving on because that’s what we do. So, we’ll bounce back from this, sometimes you’ve got to get punched in the face before you know how to respond, and so I think this is good for us and we’re going to use this to our advantage and get ready for a division opponent on the road.”
On reports that Lions RB David Montgomery suffered a significant injury in the game against Buffalo: “Yeah, looks like he’s going to require surgery that’ll put him out through the rest of the year, and he had gotten it at some point yesterday in that game. I mean, David’s so tough, man, he continued to play through and then got it checked out today and realized that’s what it was and, I mean, he’s just the ultimate teammate, ultimate competitor. We’re going to miss him, man, he’s another one of these guys that got us to this position, helped get us to where we’re at, and man, we – the rest of us, we owe him to keep going and make sure that wasn’t in vain, no different than (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac. Mac’s out for the year, he’s got a knee injury that’s going to require surgery, (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey had his last night, (Lions CB Carlton Davis III) CD has got a jaw, he’ll be out. So, those guys helped us get to this point, so we owe it to them, they laid it on the line for us.”
On the confidence that he has in Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs going forward: “Yeah, we’ve got a lot of confidence in Gibbs. He’s continued to get better and better as this season’s gone and, when given the opportunity, he’s made a lot of plays, he made some big plays for us yesterday. He brings the explosive element, he’s getting better in the pass game, and then you see what he’s able to do in the run game, so we have a ton of confidence. I think for him it’s going to be, we’ve got to use and maximize the reps that we have for him, and be careful that we don’t give him too much. We’ve still got to be able to be smart with him, but we need him – we need him and that’s the trick. So, those other guys, (Lions RB) Craig (Reynolds)’s going to need to help us, which, he’ll be ready, and (Lions RB Sione) Vaki, potentially, as well.”
On if Lions CB Carlton Davis III will be out for the season: “Yeah, not sure yet on that one. Not sure how long that’s going to be, I just know in the immediate future, I don’t see it.”
On the process of figuring out who will fill in at cornerback with the injuries sustained: “Yeah, I mean, that’s something that we’re going to go through. I mean, (Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG and I talked about that a little bit earlier today and then we’re going to continue to discuss this as we go. But who do we use to fill in for those spots, who’s going to give us the best opportunity to compete, and so that’s – certainly E-man is somebody we have on the roster. You see him, we’ve already got (Lions CB Kindle) Vildor, who helped us out, finished that game out, you’ve still got (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA, and you’re right, (Lions DB Brian) Branch, he’s somebody we’ve got to talk about. What do we do with Branch, do we keep him where he’s at, do we move him? We’ve got (Lions CB) Amik (Robertson), does Amik stay inside, does he go outside? (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy, start his clock this week? Maybe, potentially, we’ve just got to see, and because of that we’re going to need to practice a little bit to see where some of these guys that haven’t practiced in a while are at. So, we’ll see, we’ve got options, and we’ll find the best combination of guys and go from there.”
On the psychological toll that injuries take on a locker room: “Well, I don’t think you get caught up in it, I think you – most of the time, I think you’re so focused on getting yourself prepared for the game and your unit prepared for the game that you just – that’s where your focus has got to be. I don’t – I mean, everybody – we acknowledge the fact that, man, we’ve lost players, we’ve lost really good players, but nobody cares. I mean, nobody cares and nobody’s going to give us a pass or put an asterisk next to your record. So, what it means is, some guys are going to have an unbelievable opportunity. Because of what has happened, that means, now, man, you’re a guy who’s on the vet squad or you’re a young player or you’re somebody that’s been dying to get an opportunity, you’re about to get it. And so, that’s a pretty cool thing, that’s a pretty inspiring thing, what are you going to do with it? And it’s up to us to give them a plan to where they can succeed, and I’ve said it before, we play with three units here and we’ll do what we have to do to win a game, and that’s all that matters. That’s all that matters, from here on out, is that you just need to have one more point than the opponent, period.”
On Lions QB Jared Goff’s performance yesterday after having time to reflect on it: “Played really well. It was as good as I thought it was in real time, I mean, it was really good. And you’re right, I mean, he threw almost 60 times. I thought our protection was solid, man, those guys up front did a good job in pass protection for most of the day, and man, he stepped in there, made some huge throws, and then he also – he had to buy time on a couple of things, moved around in the pocket, broke the pocket, extended a few things, which we had talked about, that he may need to do that, (Lions Offensive Coordinator) Ben (Johnson) had talked to him about that, (Lions WR) Tim Patrick’s touchdown was one of those. So, he just – man, he continues to play at a very high level right now, and he’s going to give us an opportunity to have a chance to win every game. He’s just – he’s playing at a very high level and we’re going to get our run game back on track, and that’s only going to make things better. But that was the other story of yesterday, we just didn’t – we couldn’t shut down their run game and we couldn’t get ours going, so it turned into that kind of game. But yeah, I can’t say enough good things about Jared Goff right now, he’s doing it.”
On what he thinks the issues have been with the run game and if fixing those issues can help the defense: “Absolutely, even yesterday we came out from this, and it’s frustrating because it’s – man, it’s one guy here, and it’s one guy there, it’s not just, ‘Well, it’s the scheme, it’s the same player who’s continuing to –‘ Man, it’s – it could be the receiver one play, it’s the backside tackle one play, it’s the tight end on one play, and so it’s just – we’re taking turns a little bit on some things right now. But I’m telling you, it’s all correctable. It’s all correctable and we will get it corrected, and absolutely, it’s going to help the defense. It’s going to help us offensively be more efficient, and then it’s going to help the defense because we can stay on the field, we can convert, and then we’ve got to turn them into seven, not three.”
On the lack of urgency to score on the team’s last drive of the game: “Yeah, no, listen, I don’t disagree. We’ve got to do a better job of really pushing it there. We were – there are some things, even when we were getting in position to clock it, we’ve just to go to – we’ve got to get going a little bit more. No excuse for that, that’ll be something that we talk about, we’ve just – we’ve got to have a little bit more emphasis to get that done, absolutely.”
On if Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu will be back soon: “Yeah, I see his clock starting, and so then it’s, ‘Well OK, that’s good.’ We get him out at practice, do we think he could help us as early as Sunday? I don’t know that right now, and I won’t until we get him out there running around a little bit.”
On if Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. will come back soon: “I don’t see him being ready, not yet. He’s close, but not yet.”
On if he will use Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu at linebacker or safety: “Yeah, that’s – it’s tough to say, I mean he could, depending on if we’re talking about base downs, third downs, is there a place, a role, is it – I wouldn’t shut that down. I think wherever we feel like he can help, we’re open to it.”
On his overall message to the team in the face of adversity: “Yeah, I mean, I think it’s the same thing. Look, we all know it doesn’t feel good to lose, nobody likes losing, especially the guys in the locker room and the coaches who put all this work into it, and you go down that way. And losing is one thing, it’s also how we lost, that was – that puts a bad taste in your mouth. So, I think for us, man, what do you want to do about it? And that’s how I view it, is this is not time to freak out and panic and start acting like things are worse than they are. We lost a game, we didn’t play well and, you know what, why don’t we go back to work and clean up those things that we talked about that hurt us yesterday in that game? And we do that, then we’re going to have a chance to win the next one.”
On if Lions OL Graham Glasgow came out of the game healthy: “Yes, he did, yes, he did. He’s a little sore, but he came out OK.”
