DETROIT — There’s nothing Dan Campbell loves more than when his football team indirectly tells him everything’s going to be OK.
Of course, that responsibility usually falls on Campbell. Coaches are supposed to be the calm amid chaos. We saw it a year ago. Campbell had to navigate the Detroit Lions’ 1-6 start, injuries and a young roster finding its way. He remained a believer that things were on the right track, and in turn, his players followed suit. That was a pivotal point in time for these Lions and what they’d ultimately become. That’s when Campbell’s message became their message.
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A trap game against an 0-4 team? Treat ’em like the defending champs. Shorthanded at several positions? Pfft. What Campbell saw from his team on Sunday — a 42-24 win over the Carolina Panthers — was a group that collectively patted him on the shoulder and nodded, almost as if to say …
Coach, relax, we got it.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: They don’t care who we play,” Campbell said of his team. “It’s competition and they show up. They’re not worried about the elements, who they have, who we have, what the records are. I’m proud of the way we showed up.”
"Did exactly what we're supposed to do." pic.twitter.com/HbRkTb4rWv
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 8, 2023
It’s easy for Campbell to wonder if his team’s in the right headspace. After all, this is all new. The Lions are a good football team. It feels relatively safe to say that, based on how they’ve played this season. Their 3-1 record entering the day speaks to that. In turn, they’re also being discussed like a good football team. That, as we know, is uncharted territory for this group.
So, then, what makes for a good football team? For starters, attitude. The Lions speak highly of themselves because they know what they’re capable of. They’ve won 12 of their last 15 games dating back to last season. They’ve shown they can hang with some of the better squads in the league and emerge for the moment. But one particular slip-up from last season, against the very franchise they played Sunday, left a lingering, sour taste.
The Lions were in a playoff hunt, essentially needing to win out to earn a spot in the postseason. The Panthers, then 5-9, had other plans. They ran it down Detroit’s throat to the tune of 320 rushing yards in a 37-23 victory on Dec. 24. It was an inexcusable effort with so much on the line. Good teams don’t fold when it matters most. It was a sign there was work to do to get where they wanted to go.
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That day ultimately sealed Detroit’s fate. But in the process, it made the Lions realize they can’t overlook anyone. They’ve carried that into this season, even after a hot start.
“It’s still very early,” defensive tackle Alim McNeill said earlier this week. “3-1 does sound great, though, and it’s good to be in that position, but that could change in a heartbeat. We just gotta stay on everybody’s neck these next couple of weeks. It feels good to be here, but we have not done anything yet.”
GO DEEPER
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That’s how players talk and carry themselves. Comments like that will give a head coach confidence. It’s an attitude this team has developed over time — one of many. Another one? A collective attitude that this roster has enough to walk away with victories, even without key players.
The Lions have been tested early this year. They’ve played without their starting right guard, starting left tackle, a co-starter at running back, a starting wide receiver, two starting safeties, a starting nickel, a starting-caliber cornerback and three rotational pass-rushers. And yet, you wouldn’t know it by their record.
Sunday’s game was no different. The Lions scored six touchdowns, en route to a 42-point effort. Quarterback Jared Goff had an excellent day — 20-of-28 for 236 passing yards and four total touchdowns — leading an efficient offense that scored early and often. Two of those touchdowns went to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, as the offense found ways to generate points without two key weapons in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. The offense was aided by a strong rushing attack, led by David Montgomery’s 109 yards and one TD, and a defense whose three turnovers turned into 21 of those 42 points.
“You get certain chances in life to have opportunities,” Montgomery said in the locker room. “It’s either you capitalize on ’em or you fold, and we got guys on this team who capitalize every chance that they get. … Injuries happen and it happens throughout the season, but you gotta make sure that you got guys that are ready, and we do have guys.”
Picking up right where he left off @MontgomerDavid 💪#CARvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/LHtAI2K532
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 8, 2023
Detroit’s rushing defense, a group that entered the day allowing the fewest yards on the ground in the NFL, allowed just 99 rushing yards to the Panthers. Far cry from a year ago. The defense forced three turnovers in a game without one of its best defenders — rookie defensive back Brian Branch — who’s still recovering from an ankle injury. It’s not a stretch to say he’s been one of the best nickel corners in the NFL through four weeks. He makes impact play after impact play. A pick six against the Chiefs, three tackles for a loss against the Falcons, an innate ability to cover the run and the pass at a high level. That’s not an easy dude to replace.
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And yet, there was Will Harris, stepping in seamlessly. The Lions’ coaching staff kept around, much to the dismay of some fans, because of their trust in him when called upon. He recorded nine tackles in Sunday’s win, broke up a would-be touchdown in the end zone and recovered a fumble that the Lions would score on.
Efforts like that serve as further proof this group will keep humming its tune, blocking out the noise. Last year’s team might’ve struggled along the way, or at least made you wonder if it were susceptible to a letdown. This game was comfortable. The Lions tucked the Panthers into bed and said goodnight by halftime.
“This is a beautiful thing, man,” said Harris, who also mentioned this is the deepest Lions team he’s played on in five years. “I feel like everybody who you don’t see in the game is just scratching and clawing to get in the game, you know? That’s a beautiful thing when guys are ready, guys are competitive, guys are ready to make plays. That’s the precedent we have in the locker room.”
That’s where these Lions are at. They’re 4-1 with the urgency of an 0-5 team. They don’t pretend to be good enough to show up and sleepwalk to a win. They can lose to anyone just as easily as they can beat anyone. They have a roster full of like-minded players who know what the deal is and what the expectations are. They know there’s much to accomplish along the way and little reason to pat yourself on the back.
So instead, they pat Campbell — reassuring him his team is wired the right way, and that things will be OK.
(Photo of Marvin Jones and Sam LaPorta: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
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