Campbell’s Lions seek another victim in 49ers

Miami (AFP) – If the Detroit Lions are to upset the San Francisco 49ers and earn a place in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, a large part of the credit will go to their head coach Dan Campbell.

The long years of failure in Detroit have been banished to the past by Campbell’s Lions who have reached the NFC Championship game for the first time in 32 years and have a shot at a first title since the pre-Super Bowl 1957 season.

Campbell’s rousing speeches, colorful quotes and tough demeanor have made him a popular figure among NFL fans, especially since he starred in the docuseries “Hard Knocks”.

While his team’s impressive 12-5 regular season, winning the NFC North for the first time since 1993, showed qualities well beyond the aggression and grit Campbell famously demands, his persona dominates the team.

Unlike many of his more studious contemporaries, Campbell, 47, not only has a long playing career behind him but also looks like he could still handle a quarter or two of action on the field.

A former tight end with the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit, Campbell is in many ways a throw-back to the days of the loud, upbeat head coach.

He raised eyebrows at his introductory press conference in 2021 when he outlined what kind of team he wanted to build.

“We’re gonna kick you in the teeth, and when you punch us back we’re gonna smile at you, and when you knock us down we’re going to get up, and on the way, we’re going to bite a kneecap off.

“We’re going to stand up, and it’s going to take two more shots to knock us down. And on the way up, we’re going to take your other kneecap, and we’re going to get up, and it’s gonna take three shots to get us down. And when we do, we’re gonna take another hunk out of you,” he added.

The Lions do have a bite to their play but they also have the skill and quality needed to excel in the NFL.

Quarterback Jared Goff was seen as a temporary solution when he was brought in from the Los Angeles Rams but has significantly exceeded expectations and was second in passing yards this season with 4,575.

His ‘go-to’ receiver Amon-Ra St.Brown had a career high 119 receptions and 1,515 yards receiving — both numbers putting him in the top three in the league.

The Lions pass defense has a habit of coming up big when it matters most — topping the league in “close and late” situations since 2022.