Tag: Dan Campbell

Lions edge Packers in seesaw thriller on last-second field goal

The Detroit Lions edged the Green Bay Packers on a last-second field goal

‘Cause I got to ramble (ramblin’ man)Oh I got to gamble (gamblin’ man)I got to ramble (ramblin’ man)Know I’m a ramblin’ gamblin’ manOh, oh, just a ramblerYeah, yeah, I’m just a gambler — Bob Seger

The great rock Hall of Famer Bob Seger has company in Motown as a gamblin’ man. Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell kept taking chances and everything came up right in the end of a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday at Ford Field.

Faced with a fourth-and-short in the final minute, rather than kicking the field goal and leaving Green Bay time to come back, Campbell kept his offense on the field.

A lineman stepped on Jared Goff who fell to the turf as he was handing off to David Montgomery. The running back took the football, gained the first down and Campbell’s plan had worked.

Jake Bates kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired and the 12-1 Lions had their 11th straight victory. The Packers fell to 9-4, three games back of Detroit in the NFC North with each team having four to play.

Goff threw for 283 yards and  three touchdowns, including two to Tim Patrick, who had not caught as scoreing pass since 2021 with Denver.

For Green Bay, Josh Jacobs ran for 66 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns.

The Lions led 17-7 at halftime but Green Bay scored two quick touchdown in the third quarter to take a 21-17 lead.

Starting with that touchdown, the NFC North rivals traded the last six scoring pl;ays of the game with Detroit coming up the winner thanks to Campbell’s gutsy call and Bates’ clutch kick.

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions game against the Packers

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions game against the Packers on Thursday night

Join Russell Brown and Scott Bischoff on another episode of Bisch and Brown on the Detroit Lions Podcast! The guys are back from Thanksgiving week where the Lions are fresh off a victory against the Bears!

On this episode, the guys talk about the following:

  • Lions beat the Bears 23-20 and despite dominating most of the game, we’re left with wanting more
  • Injuries to the Lions defense going to catch-up with them?
  • Lions vs. Packers Preview for Thursday Night Football!

The guys get into all that and MORE! Be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the Detroit Lions Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify and wherever else you get your favorite shows! Also, make sure you’re following the guys on Twitter/X: @RussNFLDraft and @Bischoff_Scott!

Amon-Ra St. Brown revealed Dan Campbell told Lions to punish Caleb Williams if he didn’t run out of bounds

Dan Campbell wanted the Lions to rattle Caleb Williams at every possible chance.

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.)

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.

Dan Campbell not at all worried about Jahmyr Gibbs leaking the Lions OL calls

Lions head coach Dan Campbell not at all worried about Jahmyr Gibbs inadvertently leaking Detroit’s OL calls in a social media post

There was considerable consternation last week when Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted on social media a picture from inside the Lions meeting room. Behind fellow RB Jermar Jefferson was a whiteboard that showed the offensive line pass protection calls, exposing the code words and adjustments for the world–and opposing defenses–to see and study.

The post was brought to Detroit head coach Dan Campbell’s attention at the end of a press conference, and a clearly bemused Campbell walked off while noting,

“I need to check on that. Did not know that. Yeah, I’d rather our stuff not be out there.”

The head coach doesn’t seem fazed by the situation. Far from it, in fact.

“I don’t really give a crap,” Campbell said Monday during his weekly radio spot on 97.1 The Ticket. “If we’re going to lose because of code words then we’re not good enough anyway. So I think we’ll just post the whole fricking playbook out there and every code word we’ve got. And it doesn’t matter. It’s not going to hurt us, it won’t affect us and it’s all good.”

Campbell noted that everything is already out there on tape,

“It’s all out there and you can find any and everything that you need on the tape and how to attack people, how they’re going to attack you and no, listen, I’m not losing sleep over that.”

He added that Gibbs was not fined for unintentionally leaking the info.

Lions practice squad strategy is a reflection of Dan Campbell’s roster vision

The Lions practice squad strategy is a reflection of Dan Campbell’s roster vision, and he’s proud of it

All NFL teams carry a 53-man active roster. Teams also get a 16-person practice squad, which can serve in a variety of capacities depending on the team.

For Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions, that practice squad is effectively an extension of the 53-man roster. The Lions routinely elevate players from the practice squad to the active roster for games, and have liberally utilized the practice squad to bolster depth with veterans.

Several times over the years, Campbell has indicated that he considers those vets on the practice squad as being on the actual roster. He reinforced that view on Sunday.

With the Lions adding veteran safety Jamal Adams to the practice squad and signing three vets off other teams’ squads to fill out Detroit’s injury-ravaged defense, Campbell put the Lions money where his mouth is on the practice squad front.

“We say it every year but they’re an extension of the roster. They really are a part of the roster,” Campbell said emphatically. “It’s just a different way to get them on your team because you’re going to need them, you’re going to have to use them, and I think having the right balance of vets who have been able to – they’ve played in this league, they understand it, it’s not too big for them, plug and play, serve a role, a purpose, you know exactly what they can do, and you appreciate that about them. I think it’s big.”

Detroit’s practice squad composition reflects Campbell’s attitude toward the unit. It’s stocked with veterans like Adams and fellow safety Kaevon Merriweather, wide receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tom Kennedy, offensive tackle Jamarco Jones and tight end James Mitchell — all who have years of NFL experience.

Many teams use the practice squad more as a developmental tool for younger players. The Lions have some of that, too. Undrafted rookies Isaac Ukwu, Kinglsey Eguakun and Morice Norris are learning and growing with every practice. But that’s quite divergent from other teams who use the practice squad as a repository for unproven and developmental players. As an example, the Packers have 11 rookies on their practice squad and just one player who was in the NFL before 2022 amongst their 16-man unit.

[lawrence-related id=116215]

Lions sign LB Kwon Alexander to help after more injuries hit Detroit’s defense

Lions sign LB Kwon Alexander from the Broncos practice squad to help after more injuries hit Detroit’s defense

The hits keep coming for the Detroit Lions defense this season. In addition to losing starters such as Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone, it was confirmed today that linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez tore his ACL. The injury occurred on Thursday against the Chicago Bears, and it will be a season-ending injury for Rodriguez.

Rodriguez had earned a bigger role on the Lion’s defense due to injuries to linebackers Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone. This season, Rodriguez had played in 10 games and started in 6 games for the Lions defense. It’s resulted in him registering 43 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks.

With Rodriguez being out for the rest of the season, the Lions will need to remain creative with their defense. More than likely we will see them use more of linebackers David Long Jr and Ezekiel Turner. In addition to that, it was announced today that the Lions signed linebacker Kwon Alexander.

Prior to signing with the Lions, Alexander was on the Denver Broncos practice squad for most of this season. However, he has played in 3 games with 2 starts with the Broncos this season.

Last season with the Steelers, he suffered a torn Achilles against the Packers in Week 10, and it forced him to miss the remainder of the season. Fortunately, he did find his way back onto the field with the Broncos this season. His most recent start came in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Overall, Alexander is an experienced defender who was a 4th-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his career, he has played in 107 career games with 90 career starts between the Buccaneers, Saints, 49ers, Steelers, Jets and Broncos. The hope is that he can help provide some consistency to a Lions defense that is in desperate need of experience and talent after all the injuries this season.

Jameson Williams apologizes to Lions for his taunting penalty

Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that WR Jameson Williams apologizes to the team for his costly taunting penalty

One of the contributing factors in the Lions’ underwhelming second-half performance in the Thanksgiving win over the Chicago Bears was a costly penalty against Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams. “Jamo” flipped the ball into the face of a Bears player on the Chicago sideline, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The infraction stymied any Lions momentum at a time–just under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter–when the Lions desperately needed some. The penalty pushed the Lions back from near the 30-yard line to the Bears 44 and created a 2nd-and-22. The drive stalled, and kicker Jake Bates missed his first goal of the season.

After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked about several things that needed to get cleaned up after nearly blowing a 16-0 halftime lead. Williams’ penalty was prominent in his mind. Campbell credited Wiliams for owning his mistake.

“Yeah, and look, I’ll be honest with you, that’s already cleaned up. It’s already cleaned up,” Campbell said in his press conference. “So, we’re good. And as a matter of fact, Jamo got right in front of the team a minute ago, unsolicited, and wanted to apologize to his teammates. That’s big, that’s growth. So all good.”

Williams was a big part of the Lions offense in the win over the Bears. He was targeted on seven passes, catching five for 29 yards, while also running twice for 18 yards. That included a spectacular hurdle over a Bears defender.

[lawrence-related id=116083]

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions and Bears on Thanksgiving

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions and Bears on Thanksgiving

The Detroit Lions are fresh off their 9th straight and 10th win of the season! On Sunday, they beat the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 24 – 6 but it sure felt like that the Lions could have won by more. To break that game down, Russell Brown and Scott Bischoff are back for another episode of Bisch and Brown on the Detroit Lions Podcast!

On this episode, the guys discuss the following:

  • Lions beat the Colts 24 – 6 but doesn’t it feel like the Lions left some meat on the bone after this one?
  • Injuries are piling up for the Lions. What’s the latest with Taylor Decker, Carlton Davis, David Montgomery and others?
  • Lions vs. Bears Preview on Thanksgiving!

The guys get into all that and more! You can rate, review and subscribe to the Detroit Lions Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other podcast platforms!

Dan Campbell sees Malcolm Rodriguez and Jack Campbell taking on bigger roles

Lions coach Dan Campbell sees Malcolm Rodriguez and Jack Campbell taking on bigger roles with Alex Anzalone’s injury

As the season continues, the Lions defense seems to be getting thinner and thinner amid injuries. The trend continued last week when linebacker Alex Anzalone broke his forearm against the Jaguars; he will be out 6-8 weeks.

The Lions now have to fill a hole at linebacker, and Dan Campbell calls upon Malcolm Rodriguez.

“Yeah, it’s very important. I mean, he really does become somewhat the next man up,” Campbell said.

Rodriguez, a third-year man out of Oklahoma State, has made a name for himself in Detroit, becoming a fan favorite. So far throughout the season, he has tallied 16 solo tackles and two sacks in seven games after missing time with an injury of his own.

Alongside Rodriquez, Campbell looks to another young linebacker,  Jack Campbell, to take on a bigger role as well.

“I mean, he and Jack (Campbell) are going to take on the – Jack’s been playing with Alex in a heavy load, but it’s really Jack and Malcolm. I mean, those are the two that are – they’re going to take on the heaviest load of that whole room,” Campbell said.

It will be interesting to see how the two youngsters step up to the occasion and it is clear that Dan Campbell has high expectations for Rodriguez.

“He’ll be big for us and he’s going to be big the rest of the season, it doesn’t matter who we get back, we’re going to use him. He helps us there on defense and he helps us on special teams,” Campbell said.

Dan Campbell explains why he won’t ever pull starters before the fourth quarter

Lions head coach Dan Campbell explains why he won’t ever pull starters before the fourth quarter, even in blowouts like Week 11 vs. Jaguars

During the Detroit Lions runaway 52-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Dan Campbell kept his key starters in the game into the fourth quarter. The outcome had long been decided, but Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Brian Branch, Alim McNeill and other prominent starters were still out there running wild and free over the hapless Jaguars.

Campbell took some criticism for that decision. In a game where the already injury-ravaged Lions defense lost starting LB and captain Alex Anzalone to a broken forearm, there was consternation that leaving the important players in was too much of an injury risk.

When asked about that in his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket on Tuesday, Campbell pushed back hard at that notion. He explained his rationale for leaving starters in, even with the lopsided margin.

“Well you want to win the game. That’s number one,” Campbell told hosts Jim Costa and Jon Jansen. “What you don’t want to do is you get in one of those and you’re up, and then you decide you’re gonna let off the gas and, ‘Let’s get the starters out,’ and then they mount a comeback.”

The coach noted that it’s important to him to make sure the momentum doesn’t end. The Lions were playing excellent football and Campbell wanted to keep that sharpness and positivity going.

“You want to make sure you end on a good note,” Campbell explained. “You’re playing good, efficient football, the guys feel good about it, you’re in a rhythm, I think it bleeds into the next week and I think that’s important, so we did that.”

And then Campbell bluntly rejected the idea of pulling players before the fourth quarter out of fear of injury.

“If you’re able to pull them out in the early fourth, great, and we were able to do that,” Campbell explained. “But if you’re asking me to pull somebody out in the third quarter, or pull somebody out in the second quarter before Anzalone gets hurt, I’m never gonna do that.”

[lawrence-related id=115445]