Dan Campbell is never one to mince words. The Detroit Lions head coach made sure his message was crystal clear from the very start of the preparations for next Monday’s game in San Francisco against the 49ers.
His Lions are coming to play, no matter what.
With the 49ers already eliminated and the outcome of the game largely inconsequential for the postseason race, some thought Campbell and the injury-ravaged Lions might take it easy and rest up for the winner-take-all matchup against Minnesota in Week 18.
Those who thought that clearly don’t know Dan Campbell. The Detroit coach nipped those budding criticisms right off the table already.
“Yeah, I’ll make this easy for everybody that way all the critics can jump out and start attacking, but that way you don’t have to debate them anymore,” Campbell said. “We’re bringing everything that we have to this game, and we are playing, and I don’t care what it looks like, and where it’s at or who’s this, who’s that, we’re going out to play and win this game out on the west coast. So, there you go.”
The Lions’ season ended in San Francisco a year ago in the NFC Championship Game, a bitter ending to a magical playoff run. Campbell is well aware of the revenge angle with the 49ers. The Lions won’t need any extra motivation, however.
“Anytime we lose, the thought of losing is going to motivate you to not want to lose again, particularly with where you were at,” said Campbell. “So, that’s always going to bring it’s own level of motivation to it, but it’s also, this is where we’re at in the season, we know that we need another win, we understand where we’re at in the division and the NFC, so I think it’s all encompassing. And look, most importantly, it’s the next one. It’s the next one in front of us.”