If Dan Campbell had an opportunity for a do-over, he’d use it on the NFC Championship Game.
Specifically, he’d make sure he and his Lions staff were a little bit more focused in their heartbreaking loss to San Francisco.
“Those are the little things where we can really grow offensively and defensively,” Campbell said Thursday, via Sports Illustrated’s All Lions site. “Like the awareness of who’s in, what’s the situation. We know what it says on paper, but we can’t do the Ron Burgundy. We can’t just continue to read off the teleprompter. And that’s the next step, that is the next evolution, because that’s what San Francisco did to us, quite frankly. They played at a different level.”
Essentially, like Will Ferrell’s character in Anchorman, Campbell is focused on ensuring a question mark doesn’t slip into the script (I’m Dan Campbell…?). In football terms, that means matching personnel better and adjusting in game quickly enough to counter an opponent’s approach.
It’s what the Lions failed to do when allowing San Francisco to overcome a 24-7 halftime deficit. And while it was nice to reach the NFC title game, Campbell knows heightened expectations won’t be kind to him if his team collapses again in a crucial moment in 2024.
In order to accomplish this, Campbell believes the work starts now, not in July when training camp opens. That’s the message he’s preaching to his players in June.
“I think just remember what are we playing for? Each individual, what do you want? Like, what do you want out of this year?” Campbell said. “What do you want it to look like when we’re sitting here and it’s February? Where is your mind? And so, think about that and let’s work backwards from there. That’ll be the message.”
It’s all talk now. But Campbell has experience with preaching a lofty message to his team and eventually realizing the dream.
Now, though, the dream is even bigger. And in his mind, there’s only one way to fulfill it.
“You know what I want,” Campbell said, “I want the whole enchilada.”
