The NFL-leading Detroit Lions escaped Thanksgiving by the skin of their teeth last week. If not for ex-Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus’ timeout brain fart in the closing seconds, a furious Caleb Williams second-half rally might have been enough to topple pro football’s best team.
Part of the Lions’ defensive mentality was apparently (and understandably) trying to rattle the phenom young quarterback in Williams. Ironically, this happened when Williams took a dangerous hit from Detroit linebacker Jack Campbell in the early third quarter. However, rather than throw Williams off his game, it was almost as if a switch flipped in him afterward. Williams threw three touchdowns and played some of his best football as a rookie after the scary sequence.
In the latest episode of the St. Brown Podcast, Detroit star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown revealed this Lions’ plan to a tee. Per St. Brown, Lions head coach Dan Campbell wanted his players to crush Williams whenever he dared not run out of bounds.
To Campbell’s credit, they certainly listened to his wishes.
(Warning: NSFW language in the video below.)
"He goes, 'If he does this, we're going to hit his a**. I already warned the refs, the refs know.'"
Amon-Ra St. Brown said Dan Campbell told the Lions to hit Caleb Williams if he's not clearly going out of bounds. pic.twitter.com/lI3neK7LlI
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) December 4, 2024
It says that Williams responded like a true franchise quarterback after getting absolutely leveled in that kind of spot. That he almost helped his team pull off a monumental road upset speaks volumes. At the same time, it says something about the Lions that they, at least, understand how to beat flawed one-note teams like the Bears, who rely so much on their quarterback to put on a red cape. It seems simple enough, but guys still have to execute.
What a fascinating mini sequence encapsulating where both the Bears and Lions organizations stand right now. We’ll see how Chicago and Williams respond to St. Brown’s comments when Detroit visits the Bears just before Christmas in a few weeks.