The Detroit Lions earned the top seed in the NFC with a 15-2 regular season record. The Lions are considered the top Super Bowl contender. But before Detroit heads to New Orleans the team must take care of business against a hungry, young Washington Commanders squad in the Divisional round.
Given the Lions’ dominant season, head coach Dan Campbell was asked if it was Super Bowl or bust for the team. “Listen, everything’s about this game right now, and look I’ve said it before, I’ve been to the Super Bowl, I’ve lost, and it stinks. So it’s about this week… We’ve got to find a way to win this game, this week,” Campbell told reporters per NFL.com.
Campbell and the Lions aren’t looking past next Saturday’s clash with the Commanders. And that’s a smart approach after Washington proved its mettle with an impressive Wild Card round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dan Campbell is keeping the Lions focused in the postseason
During his playing days, Campbell went to Super Bowl XXXV as a member of the New York Giants but the team lost 34-7 to the Baltimore Ravens. However, he eventually became a Super Bowl champion with the New Orleans Saints in 2009. Now Campbell has a chance to lead his Lions to a title. But experience has taught him to take it one game at a time.
Detroit earned a bye in the first round. That break could prove enormously helpful as the Lions expect to have running back David Montgomery available for Saturday’s matchup with the Commanders. Montgomery injured his MCL in Week 15 and missed the rest of the regular season. While fellow RB Jahmyr Gibbs was excellent in Montgomery’s absence, the team is eager to restore its potent backfield combo. The two backs combined to score 28 rushing touchdowns this season.
While Campbell refuses to let the Lions look past the Commanders, he had no problem with the Minnesota Vikings looking past the LA Rams. After Detroit beat Minnesota in Week 18 to lock up the division, Campbell told Vikings’ coach Kevin O’Connell, “See you in two weeks.” With the statement, Campbell made the assumption the Bucs would beat the Commanders and the Vikings would beat LA, something the Rams are using as motivation.
