Dan Campbell was absolutely fired up in his postgame speech after the Detroit Lions pulled off a crucial 34-31 victory against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night in Week 14, completing a season sweep of their division rivals.
The win was significant on multiple levels for Detroit. First and foremost, it secured the Lions a spot in the playoffs, marking the first time the franchise has achieved back-to-back postseason appearances since their three consecutive trips from 1993 to 1995.
Additionally, the victory gave Detroit the head-to-head tiebreaker over Green Bay in the NFC North, effectively ending the Packers’ chances of winning the division. Now, the Lions’ primary focus shifts to fending off the Minnesota Vikings in the division race.
This triumph marked Detroit’s 11th consecutive win and secured the team’s second straight 12-win season — both of which are franchise records.
After the game, Campbell delivered a fiery and passionate speech to his team. Check it out.
As expected, Campbell didn’t hold back with his aggressive play-calling during the game. The Lions head coach went for it on fourth down five times, including a high-stakes decision late in the fourth quarter.
With just 43 seconds left and Detroit at Green Bay’s 21-yard line, conventional wisdom suggested kicking a field goal on fourth down to avoid risk. With the Packers out of timeouts, it seemed like the safe play.
But Campbell had other plans. Opting to go for it, the Lions ran a play that nearly went sideways when Jared Goff slipped while handing the ball off to David Montgomery. Despite the scare, Goff managed to complete the handoff, and Montgomery powered through to keep the drive alive, setting up Jake Bates’ game-winning field goal.
Perhaps that sigh of relief is what fueled Campbell’s extra enthusiasm in the locker room. Regardless, with a playoff spot locked in, the Lions are one step closer to their ultimate goal: winning a Super Bowl.
