Former key player for the Detroit Lions is returning totally healed…
Since he was appointed head coach of the Detroit Lions over three years ago, Dan Campbell has made no secret of his enthusiasm, memorably declaring during his first press conference that his teams will bite opponents’ kneecaps and kick them in the mouth.
After victories and setbacks, Campbell has cried and screamed with happiness.
Furthermore, he has never seemed or sounded more energized than he did on Monday.
Campbell declared, “I’m fired up and ready to go. I have controlled fury.”
About three-quarters of an hour after a contentious call in Dallas resulted in a defeat that eliminated the team’s chance to secure the top NFC seed, Campbell maintained that he had moved on and that the players would follow suit as they got ready for the regular-season finale.
Right now, Campbell declared, “I’m running on pure octane.” “I became conscious. We’re going to proceed now that I’m ready.”During his two-minute, ten-second opening remarks, he omitted any mention of offensive tackle Taylor Decker’s stopped 2-point conversion against the Cowboys.
Because offensive lineman Dan Skipper checked in as eligible when he and offensive lineman Penei Sewell contacted referee Brad Allen prior to the crucial play, officials concluded that Decker was an ineligible receiver.
ecker told reporters in Dallas that he reported as eligible and Skipper said he didn’t say a word to the officials.
Campbell said he didn’t know if Skipper wiped the numbers on his jersey, potentially causing confusion for officials because they may have thought he may have been doing that to report as eligible.
After a series of questions related to the penalty, the usually talkative and cooperative coach seemed uncharacteristically annoyed by the media.
“Why do you guys want to talk about this?” he asked.
Campbell said he did not know of a response from the NFL relating to the team’s questions about the call, adding team president Rod Wood is charge of communications with the league.
“Until you guys asked me the questions, I’m over it,” Campbell said. “I don’t even want to deal with it. Rod’s handling all of it, man. He’s got it and I don’t even want to deal with it. I’m done. I’m good. I just want to go and I want to get ready for Minnesota and our players will be ready to roll.”
Wood was not available for reporters Monday, and the NFL has not commented on the call.
Because of the one-point loss at Dallas, the NFC North champion Lions (11-5) have less at stake Sunday at home against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings (7-9). Yet Campbell insisted he has no plans to rest hurting players for the playoffs.
“That’s the plan right now,” he said.
Detroit has a chance to improve its playoff seeding with a win. The Lions currently hold the No. 3 spot in the NFC.
Campbell said banged-up rookie tight end Sam LaPorta is “good,” and that receiver Jameson Williams left the game against the Cowboys with an ankle injury, adding it was not significant.
He’s hoping defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson will play against the Vikings, marking his return from a torn pectoral muscle in the season-opening win at Kansas City, along with defensive tackle Alim McNeill, who has been out for a month with a knee injury.
Even though Campbell did not want to talk about the call against the Cowboys, he believes it’s a blessing.
“We were in a tight game, had a chance to win it, we weren’t able to and so now you know what that’s like,” he said. “You know what that feels like and you can’t let that opportunity slip. You don’t know when that play’s going to be made — could be the first quarter, second quarter, right before halftime — so that’s why.”
