Dan Campbell Interview - 11/26/24 - video Dailymotion

WXYT-FM / 97.1 The Ticket

Watch Dan Campbell Interview - 11/26/24 - WXYT-FM / 97.1 The Ticket on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Morning.

00:01Let's talk about that last game and the idea of road warriors.

00:05I know TJ Lang was giving you a hard time because can you be road warriors when the

00:09presence is so pronounced, all these Lions fans?

00:12As long as you've been in the league, just how special is it to see Lions fans on a weekly

00:15basis making these journeys?

00:17Yeah, it's very special.

00:21And no, I've never been a part of this.

00:24Not quite like that.

00:26In New Orleans, we had a lot of Saints fans that would travel 17, 18, 19.

00:32We're having some pretty good years, but this is totally different.

00:36This is rare.

00:38So it's pretty good.

00:41You could tell when we walked out for the game, pre-game and then right before kickoff,

00:47it was just, you could tell our fans were there.

00:51And they were taking over that stadium, which was awesome.

00:56So it's a good thing and it feels good and it's still a road win though.

01:01I'm curious at the start of that game, let's even go back to the coin flip, the Colts win

01:06the coin flip, they decide that they want to take the ball first.

01:10How does that change the mentality at the beginning of the game?

01:14And when you guys win a toss, how do you decide whether you want the ball or not?

01:23Yeah, well, it was awesome because we wanted to play defense.

01:28I wanted to play defense first, so it was perfect.

01:32You know, it depends.

01:34You know, what is the look of that week, the opponent?

01:39What I think, you know, just the energy that we want to start with that week where you

01:45think maybe you got an advantage or where you think you can gain some early momentum

01:48or set the tone.

01:52And so I think you just kind of go throughout the week and get a feel of that, you know.

01:56But definitely wanted to play defense first, and so it worked out great.

02:00Yeah, we could see why.

02:01Defense played well again.

02:03Defense improved so much last year, this year.

02:05What do you think the biggest reason is?

02:07Even with the injuries, all the improvement's been pretty clear.

02:10Well, I mean, look, we've, first of all, A.G. and his staff do a great job, you know.

02:17And, you know, we develop a damn good game plan.

02:22I think we're ready for our opponents.

02:25I think we understand how to play to our strengths and attack their weaknesses.

02:32You know, and then our players, man, we've had a number of these guys that have been

02:36in this system for a while and have grown and are beginning to develop from, you know,

02:40Max playing at a high level.

02:42Paschal has stepped up for us.

02:44You know, Levi is the best he's been.

02:47You know, you got Alex, you got Rodrigo, you got B.B., you got Kirby, you know.

02:52And then the addition of C.D. and those guys, it's just, you know, so we're growing.

02:57We're getting better every week.

03:00And I think it's, you know, there's a maturation process with all of this.

03:05So we're playing damn good.

03:07No two weeks are the same.

03:10You know, every opponent's different, and you've got to find a way to stop the one in front of you.

03:15We always see guys, especially in their second year, take a big step forward.

03:18Jack Campbell moving into the position of Alex Anzalone.

03:22I know you gave a game ball to Rodrigo, but what did you see from Jack specifically

03:27about being the green dot full-time and how he stepped into that role?

03:32Well, and look, yesterday, I think it was yesterday.

03:35These days are running together right now.

03:39Jack got another game ball, too.

03:41So, you know, just because he didn't get it in the big room where everybody sees doesn't mean that.

03:46So he played that well, you know, which honestly we expected him to play well.

03:53He didn't bat an eye.

03:54He went in there.

03:55He was physical.

03:56Got the calls in.

03:58He was good in coverage.

04:01Look, he and Rodrigo, man, they played lights out on Sunday.

04:06Short week, the injuries.

04:08Everybody wants to know the status of some of these guys and want to get that from you,

04:12but also just the big picture, juggling these guys on a short week,

04:17knowing, hey, you don't have a bye week the rest of the way in the regular season.

04:20How do you make these determinations?

04:22Yeah, you do the best you can.

04:24If you think the guys can play and they can produce and it's not going to set them back, you know,

04:30for a number of weeks or whatever, then you do that.

04:33But if not and we don't feel like they can recover, then it makes no sense.

04:37And so goes life, man.

04:40I mean, this isn't going to be the last thing we get hit with now.

04:43I mean, we may have three or four players out for this game.

04:47And then, you know what, we may lose four more.

04:49So that's life.

04:51But we'll adjust.

04:53Next man up, we'll be ready.

04:56And we'll do whatever it takes to get a win.

04:59Best you can.

05:00Updates on Decker, Montgomery, Carlton Davis, and Kalief Raymond?

05:05Yeah, I would say they're all questionable.

05:09The punt return.

05:11Obviously, Leaf went down.

05:13Amon Rosset-Brown went in.

05:16How worried are you that he might pick up an injury in that situation?

05:20And do you expect him to be returning punts again this week?

05:24Well, you know why St. was in there?

05:27Because Leaf got hurt.

05:29So, you know, now that we're in another week, you know,

05:34we're going to have probably a different returner.

05:37And if we need St. at critical, we'll use him.

05:40But, you know, that was really why he was in there.

05:43Because he's sure-handed.

05:45And we know he'll get the job done.

05:48And he's just so damn reliable.

05:50If he wasn't that reliable, maybe we wouldn't put him back there.

05:53Talking to Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

05:55Thanksgiving week bears on tap.

05:57Caleb Williams' rookie season.

05:59Ups and downs, it's expected.

06:00But what have you seen from him when you prepare for this?

06:03I've seen two huge ups in the last two weeks.

06:06This guy's trending to playing very, very good football the last two weeks.

06:11I mean, he's playing the quarterback position at a high level.

06:14You watch him progress.

06:17You watch him process.

06:19And it's happening fast.

06:20He's got mobility.

06:21He knows when to escape the pocket.

06:23He's dangerous when he gets out from it.

06:25He's one of those sneaky scramblers.

06:28And he's got big-time arm.

06:29He's pretty accurate.

06:31And I don't feel like it's been, like, I feel like the information that he's given

06:37to the offense and getting into the right play, all those things,

06:40he's been pretty damn good with, you know.

06:42So I see a developing player that's getting pretty damn good in a hurry.

06:47You mentioned when I asked you about the coin flip,

06:50setting a tone at the beginning of the game.

06:52What type of tone on Thanksgiving Day, and I don't necessarily know that

06:56history plays a part of it, it's been seven in a row,

06:58but what type of tone do you want to come out and set

07:02against the Chicago Bears at 1230?

07:05Well, I think we'll choose, instead of offense and defense,

07:08we'll choose special teams this week.

07:10Okay.

07:13Fair enough.

07:15How big a deal is it playing on Thanksgiving?

07:17Like, you know, John mentioned the seven straight losses.

07:20Does that play a factor at all in the preparation of this game?

07:23I'm sorry.

07:24Say that again.

07:25I'm sorry about that.

07:26No, you're good.

07:27I said seven straight losses on Thanksgiving.

07:29Does that at all play into the preparation, the messaging for your team

07:31for this game?

07:32Oh, yeah, I got it.

07:33No, look, not really.

07:35I mean, believe me, we want to win Thanksgiving.

07:40You know, we do.

07:41But, really, the messaging is let's win another divisional game.

07:46That's kind of the bigger focus of it.

07:48And then, you know, in turn, that will get us our Thanksgiving win.

07:52But I think that's the big one, man.

07:56These division games almost count.

07:57You know, they count for one and a half or almost two.

07:59So, that's the thing here.

08:01You know, you don't win this game, and, you know, and it stings.

08:04It stings pretty good.

08:06All the wins up to this point, they don't mean as much.

08:10It's great.

08:11Not in a row.

08:12You just lost to Chicago on Thanksgiving.

08:14That's division loss.

08:15That stings.

08:16So, we got our work cut out for us.

08:18This is an excellent team.

08:19It really is.

08:20They're so close to finding a way to win.

08:22I mean, I'm telling you, they're one play, and it's been that way for five

08:26weeks now.

08:27So, but we're looking forward to the challenge.

08:31That's what we do, man.

08:32We love it.

08:33If Decker's unable to go, do you plan, because it's a little bit further in

08:37advance than the last time Decker went down, do you plan on putting Penney

08:41over at left tackle?

08:44Look, a short week, we've thought about both.

08:49The walkthrough yesterday, we left Sewell at right.

08:52But, I mean, since we're not getting full speed reps anyway, it's very easy

08:58for us to just go ahead and throw him over and let him roll.

09:02So, we're not 100% on that yet, but I can tell you we left him at right

09:06yesterday.

09:07All right, Dan.

09:08Biggest game is obviously you guys facing the Bears, but I got to ask you about

09:12Texas A&M renewing their rivalry with the Longhorns.

09:15It's been a long time coming.

09:17What do you feel about that rivalry finally getting back on the schedule?

09:20Man, it's about time.

09:21I mean, it's ridiculous.

09:23That is one of the longest rivalries in the history of this game, and it's a

09:28special one.

09:29It's one I got to play in.

09:30I was fortunate, too, for my time down there, and when you're from that state

09:36and you're from the southwest, I mean, it means something.

09:40So, it's bragging rights, and it's long overdue, and I'm glad that everybody,

09:46you know, we got everything put aside.

09:48I know it took everybody getting in the same conference, but it's about time.

09:52I'm looking forward to it.

09:55You going to watch it?

09:56You going to have some time?

09:58Yeah.

09:59As long as I can keep my eyes open, I sure will.

10:02One of those sleep-deprived weeks.

10:04A little tryptophan.

10:08All right, Dan, we appreciate your time, and happy Thanksgiving.

10:11All right, you guys, too.

10:12Have a good one.

10:13It's 97-1.

Dan Campbell Interview - 11/26/24

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