Dan Campbell had BOLD message for Kevin O’Connell after Lions’ thumping win over Vikings
Following the 31-9 feat, Dan Campbell gave a sweet and encouraging message to the Vikings’ HC Kevin O’Connell for their upcoming playoff game.
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Dan Campbell and Kevin O'Connell (Via Imago/SiouxlandProud)
The Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell faced significant scrutiny for his unconventional and aggressive coaching style. However, he has remained steadfast in his approach, successfully silencing his critics by leading the team to a historic achievement: securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Along the way, he made it clear to opposing head coaches that they should maintain their confidence in themselves.
Despite the 14 wins, the Lions and Minnesota Vikings had a lot of stake going into the final showdown of the season and the former portrayed an electrifying performance by clinching a 31-9 victory. But despite the victory, Campbell remained humble as he gave a sweet and encouraging message to the Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Without a hesitation, Campbell told O’Connell, “I’ll see you in two weeks.” He was referencing the Vikings’ upcoming game against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round and expressing his confidence in them to win the game. Upon the victory, the Vikings would again face off against the NFC North leader in the divisional round.
Meanwhile, the Lions secured the divisional title, a bye week in the opening of the postseason, and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, besides the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Dan Campbell to Kevin O'Connell: "I'll see you in two weeks." ? pic.twitter.com/WVnFoNsIx5
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025
The final showdown between the Vikings and Lions not only marked the game with the highest combined wins of 28 in a season but also the first game in three decades when a No. 1 seed of the NFC conference from the NFC North hadn’t been decided till the final game of the regular season.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell credits defense for historic victory over Vikings
The Lions electrified Ford Field with a brilliant performance on both sides of the ball. While the offense put 31 points on the scoreboard, the defense almost shut down the offense of Minnesota by holding them at a mere 9 points.
“I can’t say enough about our defense. AG and the defense, they really controlled that game for us,” said Campbell, crediting defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his players for the defensive brilliance in the post-game press conference.
Additionally, Campbell gave a special mention to linebacker Alex Anzalone, who returned after recovering from an arm injury. Calling him “our quarterback on defense,” the head coach appreciated his ability to dive right into the game despite missing six games due to his broken arm.
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Pratyusha Srivastava
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