ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell emphasized the importance of first-down success against a strong defense that is known for limiting opponents to fewer than three yards on first down.
Campbell said, “First down’s going to be big for us. We cannot get behind the sticks. We’ve got to stay in the green because if not, it’ll be a long day.”
He highlighted the challenge of facing elite defensive players like Myles Garrett and Maliek Collins.
“You’ve got to pay attention to them because that’s what they’re capable of. You have to use a lot of resources to make sure you’re taking care of business,” Campbell said.
Campbell praised Garrett’s all-around skills.
“He’s got everything. His size, length, get off, flexibility, and ability to bend the edge. There’s not a weakness. He’s an elite athlete with all the tricks and craft,” Campbell said.
Mason Graham
Regarding the challenge for the Lions’ young guards against players like Michigan Wolverines College Football Playoff national champion Mason Graham, Campbell said, “It’s going to be big for our guys to be fundamentally sound. We’re going to have to adjust to the speed of these guys.”
Graham has earned significant accolades during his college career.
He is a two-time All-American, receiving unanimous first-team honors in 2024 and second-team honors in 2023.
Graham has been selected twice for the All-Big Ten team: first team by the coaches in 2023-24 and first team by the media in 2024, as well as third team by the media in 2023.
He was named Defensive MVP of the 2023 Rose Bowl Game.
In 2024, Graham was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy, and a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2023.
Graham was named Michigan’s Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
He co-received the Woodley-Graham Award in 2023 and the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award in 2024.
Graham is a three-time letter winner from 2022 to 2024 and has appeared in 39 games with 27 starts along the defensive line.
Taylor Decker
Campbell addressed Taylor Decker‘s limited practice time this season and whether it was something to expect for the rest of the season.
Campbell said, “We’d rather not it be the case, but that’s just the way it is right now. We’re just trying to get him to where he feels good and feels recovered as much as possible for the game.”
He praised Decker’s contributions despite the limitations.
“Decker’s giving us what he’s got, man, and we’re all appreciative for that,” Campbell said.
Campbell emphasized the importance of Decker feeling good for game day: “That’s the most important thing right now for him.”
He noted Decker’s experience as a veteran player.
“He’s played a ton of football. He’s our most veteran player that we have,” Campbell said.
Campbell explained how walkthrough reps help Decker stay sharp.
“He can visualize it. He can see it. He works his craft out there when we’re going through those,” Campbell said. “He’s been pretty good for us the last couple of weeks.”
D.J. Reader
Campbell praised defensive lineman D.J. Reader‘s steady presence, saying, “He’s consistent and does a lot of dirty work that not everybody sees. He keeps people off our backers and makes plays.”
Teams identity
When asked about the team’s identity after several weeks, Campbell said, “I don’t know if I can quite get there just yet. I still say we need a couple of weeks before you really know. But it’s trending where we expect it to be.”
He described the offense as a “chameleon” able to play any type of game needed.
“Every game’s different and you have to play it differently,” Campbell said.
Cleveland Browns run game
Campbell shared his thoughts on Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins’ development since joining the team.
Campbell said, “You can tell he’s getting better. It took him a minute, but late in the game, he hit two back-to-back runs.”
He described one run where Judkins “made an unblocked defender miss and took off for 16 yards,” followed by another run over 30 yards.
Campbell noted, “You can tell his confidence is growing. The offensive line likes him over there.”
He added, “He’s getting better and better, and I’m sure they’re going to want to give him the ball and let him go. He’s a young, promising player in this league, and he’s only going to get better, too.”
Avoiding a letdown game
On guarding against a letdown after a big win, Campbell emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards.
“We have to play the way we practice, the way we prepare, the way we play. It’s about our standards. Nothing else matters,” Campbell said.
Campbell praised the Browns’ defense as “really good” and acknowledged the challenge ahead of them.
Tate Ratledge
Campbell discussed the rapid improvement of rookie Tate Ratledge and the character traits the team looks for in players.
Campbell said, “When you draft a player, you draft a specific type of player, just their intrinsic motivation if you will.”
He acknowledged that Ratledge didn’t have the best start but showed significant progress by week three.
“What I like is, with young players, you’re going to get beat. Things aren’t going to go your way. That’s how you get better,” Campbell said.
Campbell noted, “We’d all love to say as you’re kicking ass, you’re going to get better as you grow. It’s just not the case all the time. It takes a minute.”
He compared Ratledge’s growth to that of Amon-Ra St. Brown, who took about eight games before really taking off.
Campbell emphasized the importance of resilience.
“He can go down in the dumps. He doesn’t lose confidence. He’s just got to go back to work,” Campbell said.
Campbell added that Ratledge has support from teammates and coaches helping him along the way.
Toss play
Campbell reflected on a toss play to Jahmyr Gibbs that resulted in a highlight touchdown last week against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.
Campbell said, “That was an old play, man. That’s been passed down from Bill Parcells to Sean Peyton to me.”
Campbell recalled running a version of the play as a backside blocker during his 2002 season with the Dallas Cowboys.
History
The upcoming challenge against Cleveland’s vaunted defense, backed by Garrett, will be a tall task for the Lions’ offense.
Detroit leads the all-time series against the Browns, but the history between these two franchises includes four championship games, with the Lions’ last championship win coming in 1957.
The teams’ first significant matchups occurred in the 1950s, with both franchises frequently battling for league supremacy.
Detroit has won 19 of the 24 total games played between the two teams, although the Browns have won the most recent game, 13-10, inside Huntington Bank Field.
Here’s a fun fact: the Ravens were originally the Browns before they relocated from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1995, leading to a controversial decision where the city was able to retain the team name, while Charm City received the expansion team’s name.