ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions, said the story of their loss to Matthew Stafford and his Los Angeles Rams was the three series in the third quarter that hurt them both offensively and defensively.
“We had three touchdowns in 12 plays on defense,” Campbell said. “Then we had nine plays for six yards total in that kind of third-quarter stretch. That was tough.”
Recommended Videos
Campbell noted several errors, including technique and fundamentals, that the team must clean up to compete against a strong opponent.
“You do anything on any one of those series, offense or defense, and it changes the dynamic of the game. That was not good. That’s what bit us,” Campbell said.
Despite the setback, Campbell expressed confidence in his team’s resilience and preparation for their next game against Pittsburgh.
“We got the right guys. We’re a resilient team. We’ve got to win. We got Pittsburgh at home. We’re going to get prepared for them. We know they’re a physical team, well coached, and in the hunt. We still got an opportunity, so we got to make the most of it.”
Defensive performance
When asked about the defensive performance, Campbell pointed to the Lions’ inability to control the run game as a key factor.
“We said going into the game, it was ground supremacy on both sides. We did not own the ground, which makes it extremely difficult defensively to defend those guys,” Campbell said.
Campbell described how the Rams used motions and tight end inserts to challenge the Lions’ corners and outside linebackers, forcing them to adjust.
“We’ve got to be much crisper on those things. Pittsburgh does that. We got a little bit,” Campbell said.
Campbell also highlighted the need to better use defensive help in the back end to limit key players like Puka Nacua and Stafford.
“We tried to limit some of his production, but couldn’t quite get there. We got to use our help better. Don’t go out on your own and try to make it one-on-one. Use the help,” Campbell said.
Streaking
Campbell addressed the team’s win-loss pattern and the need for a winning streak to make the playoffs.
“You can’t have a streak without winning the first one,” Campbell said. “All our focus has got to be on Pittsburgh and everything we’ve got.”
Campbell emphasized the importance of studying the opponent and understanding matchups.
“You need to know exactly who most of your one-on-ones are going to be against, the way they play, the style of play,” Campbell said.
Campbell stressed the need for disciplined football and protecting the ball.
“We did a good job protecting the football. We got a takeaway. We got to continue to protect it, and we need more than one takeaway,” Campbell said.
Campbell e praised players like Jack Campbell for their efforts to go after the ball but noted the team must keep that intensity.
“That’s got to stay that way,” Campbell said.
Despite frustration, Campbell said the team will not feel sorry for themselves.
“We don’t have those types of guys. We go back to work,” Campbell said.
Campbell’s message was clear: win the first game, then focus on the next.
“You want a streak, you win the first one, then you worry about the next one after that.”
Injuries
Campbell provided an update on cornerback Amik Robertson’s hand injury.
“Amik Robertson had a hand injury. We’ll see where it’s at. I’m hopeful he’ll be able to go,” Campbell said. “He had an MRI. It could affect him a little bit, but we like to believe he has a chance to play. Until we get through practice, we won’t entirely know.”
Campbell also addressed the challenges faced by the Lions’ boundary cornerbacks in recent weeks.
“There are some things we can do to help,” Campbell said. “We try to get to some of that later in the game. Wherever you try to reduce stress in one area, you’re putting it on somewhere else.”
He explained the team’s efforts to ease the load by adjusting defensive schemes, such as stopping the run in a lighter box.
“We’re trying to relieve a little bit of stress off one area and put it on another group and just spread the load. You want to do that on all sides if you can,” Campbell said.
Regarding cornerback D.J. Reed Jr., who has struggled to find his flow since returning from injury, Campbell offered encouragement.
“Those guys are put out on an island,” Campbell said. “They’re like quarterbacks — nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. You’re not going to win all those battles.”
Campbell expressed confidence in Reed’s ability to work through the challenges.
“I know him well enough to know whatever it is, he’s going to continue to work himself through it. He went after it last week, continued to work, and he’s going to be all right,” Campbell said.
Correct errors
With only three games left in the season, Campbell said the team keeps trying different ways to communicate and correct errors.
“You keep changing it up, trying to address things in a different way. I do believe we’ll get it cleaned up and correct those errors,” Campbell said.
Campbell encouraged players to learn from reps even if they were not directly involved in the mistakes.
“We got some guys who have been role players getting significant reps now. They got to grow from them,” Campbell said.
Campbell’s message to the team was clear: go back to work and focus on winning.
“Don’t worry about the what-ifs. We’ve got to win. Keep putting in the work, the focus, the detail, and trust that the guy next to you is going to do his job. You do your job the best you can, and let’s find a way to win,” Campbell said.
Nine-play second half
Reflecting on a difficult nine-play offensive stretch in the second half, Campbell said he wanted to get the run game going, but penalties and sacks made it tough.
“We could not execute in that nine-play stretch. We were not able to overcome the negative plays, the penalty, and the sack.”
Campbell said in hindsight he might have thrown the ball more, but did not regret trying to establish the run.
On a controversial touchdown call from Stafford to tight end Colby Parkinson, Campbell said they would ask about it, but the call stood, and that was all he had.