Dan Campbell On Detroit Lions Feeling Urgency, Not Panic

After losing to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, the Detroit Lions are now a full two games back in the NFC North division race.  Summing up the situation, Dan Campbell said, “We dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole.” But in his typical calming fashion, Campbell insists there is a sense of urgency but not panic. The team is locked in and focused solely on beating the Dallas Cowboys. 

Dan Campbell On Detroit Lions Feeling Urgency, Not Panic

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Lions were swept up in an avalanche of bad news. Following Amon-Ra St. Brown’s ankle sprain, Frank Ragnow’s Grade 3 hamstring, and renewed concerns about the severity of Kerby Joseph’s knee injury, the team was forced to place Terrion Arnold on IR so he can undergo shoulder surgery. The ongoing litany of injuries is a grim reminder of last year. Even with their backs to the wall, Campbell is convinced that this team can pull off another upset victory. “It takes every guy that we have doing their job. The margin for error is small, but it’s doable.”

Lions’ Road To The Playoffs Begins With A Win Over Dallas

The Lions are going to need every bit of that determination, grit, and focus to wrestle a victory away from Dallas. The Cowboys are coming off a huge 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving. Claiming a third consecutive winning game, the Cowboys are peaking at exactly the right time. Dak Prescott is heading towards another 4,000-plus yard season, completing 303/437 for 3,261 yards. His two favorite targets, the lethal one-two-punch of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, account for 1,886 yards on 124 receptions and 11 of Prescott’s 25 touchdowns.

Dallas’ defense is getting healthier and stronger with the addition of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams. Campbell didn’t mince words when it came to the impact Williams has on the Dallas defense. “I mean, he helps. He helps those guys… So, they’ve got some guys now….But it really, you put Quinnen in there, man, he’s already a – he’s a good player, man. Run and pass, gets off the ball, disruptive, but then he really helps those guys around him, he does.”

Another strong player for Dallas is former Lions’ DE James Houston, who is having a career-best season. Houston leads the team in sacks with 4.5, along with 24 tackles (12 solo), a forced fumble, and an opposing fumble recovery.

Where Lions Hold A Slight Advantage

Detroit’s own MVP-caliber quarterback, Jared Goff, matched Prescott’s 25 touchdowns on 3,025 yards and five interceptions to Prescott’s eight. When he has time to make the throws, Goff’s exquisite precision passing gives him a slight edge over Prescott. However, St. Brown is injured. His absence from the game could be potentially devastating. If the Sun-God is sidelined, expect Jameson Williams to step up with another strong performance as he did against Green Bay.

Praising Williams’ growth this season, Campbell said, “He’s really growing. I mean, he just continues to grow and get better. He’s fearless. He’s fearless, and he’s just – his fundamentals. For the speed and quickness he has, the ability for him to drop his weight now and there’s really some detail to his routes. He’s becoming a hardcover. And then you see the run after catch ability, he’s had it. So, his confidence is growing, our confidence is growing, and he’s doing well. And I mean, he came back out this week again, I mean, he’s full-tilt. You should’ve seen him running yesterday. I mean, this guy, he works now. He works in practice every day. So, love where he’s at.”