LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL QUOTE SHEET
January 8, 2024
Opening Statement: “So, yesterday, we kind of talked about it last night, but a number of guys played well. On offense, (Lions WR Amon-Ra) St. Brown, (Lions WR) Josh Reynolds, (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf, (Lions T Taylor Decker) Deck and (Lions T Dan) Skipper, all played really good games for us. And on defense, (Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, got him a couple of sacks, a lot of quarterback hits. I thought (Lions LB) Jack Campbell, that was the best game he’s played all season. Good to have (Lions DL Alim McNeill) Mac back. He made some plays out there. Was able to shake a lot of the rust off and he’ll be better for it, but he really did some really good things. And then (Lions DL) Romeo (Okwara). Romeo’s last few weeks here, he’s picking up steam on the edge, on the perimeter here for us on the run and pass game. And then on special teams, man, our whole return unit, but Leaf, 22-yard average on four returns in the punt return game. And (Lions P Jack) Fox, I mean, wow. Outstanding job there. (Lions FB Jason) Cabinda made a couple of tackles, good to get him back, and (Lions CB Khalil) Dorsey. So, all those guys. There’s a number of guys that did really well, but – and probably, just special teams-wise I thought that was one of the best performances we’ve had here in three years. I mean you talk about field position, gaining an advantage, we did that. So, we complemented each other really well. I thought to start the game out, certainly you want to score on offense, we weren’t able to do that, but our defense gets two stops and then offensively on series two and three, we go down the field and score touchdowns. So, that was good. And then we come out of the third quarter, kind of has been our Achilles heel and defense gets a fourth-down stop, offense takes it down 10 plays and scores a touchdown. So that’s – those are good things. Two takeaways on defense, no turnovers on offense. Just a number of good things. We’ve got to be better on third down on offense, but look, all-in-all, gave up some explosives on defense, we hit the quarterback 15 hits, four sacks, we were disruptive. And so, it was a good win. I was proud of the coaching staff, I was proud of these players for getting back up, ready to go and finish the season out. And now we’re ready to roll.”
On injury updates from the game and if they need outside help at tight end with injuries to the position: “No, I think we’ll be alright. I mean look, I know (Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes)’s got his eyes open. He’s constantly looking to see if there’s somewhere that would help us. But look, (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta’s got an outside shot now, so we’ll see. We’ll know a lot in 48 hours. We’re going to know a lot with him, but he’s got an outside shot. I think (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf’s kind of in that boat, maybe a little bit farther away than LaPorta, but it’s very much we’re talking in days, not weeks I think here, which is a good thing. (Lions TE) Brock (Wright) is doing much better. (Lions WR Jameson Williams) Jamo’s doing much better. So, we’re at a pretty good spot right now.”
On if Lions LB Jack Campbell is dealing with an injury: “Listen, can I just say this? You started this with (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta last week, so careful when you start asking about these phantom injures because these things start to now all of a sudden pop up. I don’t know anything about Jack. I haven’t heard anything, so please don’t bring that up anymore (laughs).”
On what jumps out offensively and defensively about the Rams: “Well, look – and I have not been able to deep dive into them yet, but I do know this, the crossover tape and some of the things I have seen, number one, they are still explosive on offense. They’ve been explosive, their play-pass game. But what’s making it so dangerous, their run game. That’s what’s showing up. They’ve got a pretty dangerous run game. This mid-zone, they’re running a lot more gap than they have previously and so that’s kind of where it all begins with them. And you put that with (Rams QB Matthew) Stafford’s ability to push the ball down the field and it’s dangerous. And then defensively, man, it’s just sound. It’s sound football and it’s fundamentally on point and these guys play hard. They play hard, they run the football, it’s a young group, led by (Rams DT) Aaron Donald. So, look, it’s no secret why they’ve won whatever it is, seven out of the last eight games. They’re doing it for a reason. I mean this is one of the hottest teams coming in right now.”
On his initial reaction when he found out they would be playing the Rams: “Yeah, excited. I’m excited. I just – I think it’s a great setup. It’s good to be able to host a playoff game here against those guys. I mean this is a team’s that’s got a number of players that have been to the Super Bowl over there, they’ve been in it. This (Rams) Head Coach (Sean McVay) has done an outstanding job with them. And they’re a hot team. I think it’s good and it’s also – look, it’s a fresh team. It’s somebody we haven’t seen in three years, so I like that. I just kind of like the newness of it. So, man, this is when it gets – it’s been fun, but this is when it gets really fun. This is why you do it. This is why you coach, this is why you play, is for these moments right here. So, yeah, I was excited.”
On if he can appreciate the storylines between the Lions and Rams without getting caught up in it: “I mean I understand why people will be fascinated by it, I get that. So, I guess I can appreciate if I’m sitting where other people are. Yeah, I mean I understand it’s one of these stories, but I just – it’s a reminder too though, and (Lions QB Jared) Goff knows this for example, but we win as a team. Man, this is about the Lions versus the Rams, and we win with three phases here and he’s a huge part of that and all he’s got to do is do his part and he knows that. So, just do what you’ve been doing all year.”
On if he would use the opportunity for Lions QB Jared Goff and Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes to beat their old team as a pregame motivator: “No, I mean look, I don’t think I need to say anything about that. I think everybody understands what that is, and we certainly have a lot of guys that have familiarity with that other there. You just mentioned two of them. And so, yeah, certainly – look, we want to win this and they’re going to want to win it for other reasons, but ultimately, it’s win or go home.”
On how to maintain normalcy this week while also embracing the magnitude of the opportunity: “Yeah, I think you don’t change who you are and what you’ve been doing. I think a number of things that we do anyway have been – everything’s about getting ready for this moment. So, I mean I don’t ever – I don’t let things get stale. I don’t – I get bored in a hurry, and so I think you add that with the schedule we’ve had, everything has constantly been – we’ve changed everything. You’re constantly, ‘Alright, what time are we coming in? When are we doing this? What time is this? When is the’ – so I think there’s been a little bit of, not chaotic, but just enough to where man, you’re constantly having to stay on your toes, evolve, move. We’re never in the same place twice and so I just think this team is prepared for what’s next. And I think it’s about the next challenge and I think you just – that’s all you do, man. You treat it like any other week. You’ve got to go do your job, and they’ll understand, once they get in the game, the ones who’ve been here, they’ll know, but the ones that haven’t, they’ll figure out real quick that the intensity level will go up. And you’ll just naturally fall right in line because it just happens. It’ll go up and our guys will react, their guys will react, and we’ll be good. But what you don’t do is you don’t press. You don’t press, you don’t get – start worrying about making mistakes. You do what we’ve done all year, you’re thinking about making plays. You’re going to make plays, do your job, do it the very best you can do it and everything will take care of itself.”
On Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn receiving interview requests for head coaching jobs and the balance of staying focused on the task at hand: “Yeah, look, I mean both of them know – they know this, it’s all about us right now, and it’s about the team, and they’re very much invested in this team. Their opportunities will come. You can’t do anything this week. So, it’s just that. Stay focused on what it is right now, and that time will come if you interview with these organizations and of course I want that for them, but it is – it’s about us right now and look, both of those guys are worthy, more than worthy, to be head coach candidates. I don’t care where you’re at. They are two of the best that you’re going to find, I believe that. But until then, they’re with us and I don’t want to lose either one of them, but that’s the way it goes.”
On the outlook for Lions LB James Houston and Lions WR Jameson Williams for this week: “Yeah, well look, Houston will be out there practicing, and we’ll see. He’ll be better than he was last week. Now how much is that? How good is that going to be? I don’t know. So, I don’t feel like – I’m not as optimistic about him. I think Jamo’s going to be good here. He should be good to go, practicing on Wednesday. And I think (Lions TE) Brock (Wright)’s going to be good to go, will be out there practicing as well.”
On the decision to make Lions DL John Cominsky inactive against Minnesota: “That was just – felt like, man, he’s got some hard miles on him through this season, all the dirty work he does. And so, we just felt like the right thing to do was just give him a blow here.”
On the potential of Lions WR Donovan Peoples-Jones getting more reps this week: “Yeah, he could. If (Lions WR Kalif Raymond) Leaf is not able to go, then that’s just more. And then (Lions TE Sam) LaPorta too, that’ll be more for all those receivers.”
On if Lions WR Donovan Peoples-Jones will take over punt returns if Lions WR Kalif Raymond is out with an injury: “(Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Fipp and I are still talking about that. He’s certainly a candidate.” |
