Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, September 8, 2024. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rams, Eagles Using Lions as Motivation

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI | By Vito Chirco | Last updated Jan 11, 2025 11:22 AM ET

The Lions might have a bye to open up the playoffs, but they’re still fueling a couple of teams playing this weekend: the Rams and the Eagles.

Sean McVay’s squad, for starters, felt slighted after Dan Campbell told Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, “I’ll see you in two weeks,” after knocking off Minnesota in Week 18. It has since served as bulletin-board material for the Rams, which have hung up the quote in their locker room.

The Rams, which finished 10-7 for a second straight campaign, will face off with the Vikings, the first 14-win wild-card team in NFL history, on Monday night. The contest will serve as the finale of “Wild Card Weekend.”

There’s a printed screen shot in the Rams locker room above a door of Dan Campbell telling Kevin O’Connell “I’ll see you in two weeks”
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) January 10, 2025

Meanwhile, Penei Sewell’s second consecutive first-team All-Pro selection is the source of the Eagles’ frustration. Sewell had a standout season at right tackle in 2024, allowing just one sack and five quarterback hits on 618 pass-blocking snaps. Plus, he recorded a 91 percent pass-block win rate.

Additionally, the fourth-year pro put together an exemplary campaign as a run-blocker, paving the way all year for Detroit’s dynamic running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. For his efforts, he earned a 90.5 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the second-best run-blocking mark among all qualified offensive tackles.

Yet, these numbers weren’t all that impressive to Philadelphia right tackle Lane Johnson, who believes he deserved first-team All-Pro recognition for his efforts in ‘24.

The veteran offensive lineman was his typical productive self this past season. He kept Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts clean all season long, and allowed zero sacks on 451 pass-blocking snaps. It was good for an 88.1 pass-blocking grade from PFF. Plus, he was a proficient run-blocker for Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia’s backfield, recording an 80.0 PFF run-blocking mark.

Johnson, to say the least, felt snubbed after putting together the standout campaign, and so much so that he hung up a stat sheet comparing the numbers of Sewell and himself at his locker this week.

It never hurts to possess a bit of extra motivation going into a playoff game. And Johnson and the Eagles, courtesy of Sewell’s first-team All-Pro nod, are now equipped with just that going into their wild-card round clash with Green Bay Sunday.

Lane Johnson’s locker stall after he was voted second team All-pro RT behind the Lions’ Penei Sewell: pic.twitter.com/JDf67RLKhH
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 10, 2025