Everything Dan Campbell Said After Lions Beat Buccaneers

Here is everything Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after his team defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-9, in Monday's game.

Opening statement: “Man, good to get a win, get back in the win column. Guys responded, which we knew they would. Defense played lights out. Give a lot of credit to (Defensive Coordinator) Kelvin Sheppard. The plan to go against these guys, knowing what we were about to face, and those DBs, man (Arthur) Maulet and (Erick) Hallett (II) and (Thomas) Harper and (Nick) Whiteside and Amik (Robertson) and (Rock Ya-Sin) Rock. (Loren) Strickland had to come in and play a little bit, and (Tre) Flowers. I just thought (Lions Defensive Assistant/Safeties) Jim O'Neil and (Lions Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs) Deshea Townsend had those guys ready to go, and I think they competed, they challenged. Man, that front came alive and played really big for us. Those three in the middle. It was just an outstanding defensive performance. On offense, there's things certainly we know can be done better and will need to do better. At the end of the day, when we needed points, we found points, and we’ll clean up the rest. It was a good team win. I was hoping to get (Kalif Raymond) Leaf going on special teams a bit. He hung them up there a bit but we just couldn’t buy enough to get him, had to settle for some fair catches. Anyways, listen, it was good to get back in the win column. That's a good team. They're going to be in it, just like they are every year, so that's a good win.”

On if today's game is an example of the team’s next-man-up mentality: 

“Yeah, it is. And that's what's expected here. I’ve said it before, you get in there, you don’t have to be perfect, just challenge and compete and we will help you. The guys around you will help you, and we’ll play with three units. But I love the fact that the game didn’t feel too big for some of those guys. That’s (Thomas) Harper's first real start - (Erick) Hallett's first start, and I thought it wasn't too big for them. They got in there and competed and that's a great sign. We did some things, we put Amik (Robertson) on an island there a little bit, and I thought he really answered the bell. We put our linebackers on an island a little bit and they answered the bell. I was just proud of all of those guys, it was really good.”

On not losing back-to-back games in going on three years: 

“Well, I hate when you guys ask that because it’s like the kiss of death is coming. We just got a special group. A special group of coaches and players. They're competitive, they want to win, and they're able to focus on what needs to be fixed, what cost us the loss the week before, and simply keep it in that compartment. Don’t make more of it than it needs be, don’t lose confidence, and just fix it. We just go to work and it's always been that way. Then the lights come on and guys show up. (Amon-Ra) St. Brown showed up, that defense showed up, (EDGE Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch showed up. It’s great to get (Alim McNeill) Mac back, Jack Campbell. Our guys show up. It's just good to win.”

On RB Jahmyr Gibbs being a difference-maker: 

“He’s huge. You felt like this was coming. You felt like this has been building, and once he gets in better shape and starts getting his feet under him, starts getting a feel of it, starts breaking tackles - you just feel like it. Every week he’s gotten closer and closer and tonight where he just busted one of those out of there. There will be no looking back. He’s going to just continue doing this. Our O-line did a good job in areas of getting to the second level. We have to continue to improve there. If you can get him to the second level, that’s all you have to do. Our O-Line can open some holes and we have receivers that can block. The rest is up to him one-on-one with the safety.”

On how he knew the team would bounce back tonight despite the uncertainty with the defensive backs:

"Everything is not about the DBs, it's about the linebackers, it's about the D-Ends, the quarterback and the O-Line and punt returner. So that’s what I meant. I knew our guys would bounce back and be ready and have urgency.”

On if he expected the Lions defense to hold Tampa Bay to nine points: 

“No, I knew we were going to challenge more. We were going to do more than we did last week. I did feel good about that. But that's a good quarterback over there, they've been playing good football. I knew (Buccaneers WR Mike) Evans was coming back and so I had confidence. I didn’t think nine points. Nine points now, I don't know where that ranks among all the games this week, that's probably number one or close to it. That's just a great job, but I knew we would hold our own. But it's a testament to what they did, just a really great job.”

On having confidence in Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard: 

“Listen, I just think (Kelvin Sheppard) Shepp has gotten better and better and better. I think he’s gotten more and more comfortable as he's gone. I feel like he’s got a really good feel of our personnel, what the opponent is trying to do. He’s got a really good staff with him, those are some really good coaches, too. All of those guys work really well together, but he's the leader over there. He knows how to communicate, he understands how to really give them the picture of what we are looking at. I am really proud of him, but I'm not shocked either. This is what I expected out of Kelvin Sheppard, man. This isn't surprising. It's a really good job.”

On carrying momentum going into a Bye Week: 

“Just focusing on the moment you’re in. Like hey man, you’ve got this, you're going to clean it up and then you got five days off. Give us all you got and cut it loose, which our guys do every game. I just think hey man, you aren't saving anything you do, but it's that little extra you know what's on the horizon. It's a little clear the mind and let the body heal a little bit and get right for the last push. The big push will be here. We get the divisional opponents, 10 (games) until the playoffs and then it’s on. It feels good to get to 5-2. I’m pleased with the team. Are there things to clean up? Yeah, there is. The good news is that we are going to start to get a lot of players back. You are going to see players start to come back over the next month, so that is encouraging. While we are only getting better and better, we are going to start getting some of our players back, too.”

On the presence of DL Alim McNeill in his season-debut: 

“Makes a huge difference. Anybody would tell you that with a quarterback, if you push him in the middle, most quarterbacks, it's disruptive. Baker (Mayfield) is not 6’ 6, and if you can push him a little bit, he'll just maneuver some and find a crease where he can run. We just thought that was big and having (Alim McNeill) Mac, his presence was big early. And he's not even in great football shape yet. He was ready to play in this game for the snaps he did, but you could just feel what he looked like in practice is what he looked like here. His ability to get an edge, push the pocket, I just thought he was a force in there. It was great to have him back. He makes guys around him play better, and I thought those guys played off of each other. (EDGE Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, that gives him more of a wing-man with (EDGE Al-Quadin) Muhammad and those guys. It’s just good to have him back.”

On an injury update with CB Rock Ya-Sin: 

“He’s good. It was just cramps.”