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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken L -
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
-
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Dan Campbell coaches the Lions the way he played — with hard work and tenacity
By Tara Sullivan Globe Staff, Updated January 27, 2024, 5:00 a.m.
Dan Campbell arguing a call - Boston Globe.jpg
Upon his hiring as coach in 2021, Dan Campbell’s memorably colorful description of the way his Detroit Lions would play made for quite the introduction to a national football audience.
“We’re going to kick you in the teeth,” promised a snarling Campbell, “and when you punch us back, we’re going to 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.”
He was just getting started.
“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 going to take three shots to get us down. And when we do, we’re going to take another hunk out of you.”
The speech went viral for obvious reasons, painting Campbell as some sort of raving football lunatic. The majority of the NFL world stood with mouths agape, wondering who in the name of football decency the Lions had just hired.
For me, I saw the player I’d once covered in New York, instantly recalling the intensity with which Campbell played tight end for the Giants.
Three years after that speech, as that same guy coaches once-hapless Detroit to the precipice of the Super Bowl in Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the 49ers, watching the Lions is like watching an entire team of Dan Campbells. His team is built on the same intensity, hard work, and fire. Words that once seemed laughable have proved prophetic, carrying a reminder that there is no single formula to doing this job.
“If I wrote down the characteristics of Dan Campbell from a football standpoint and then the characteristics of the Detroit Lions as a team, there’s a lot of the same words,” said Ernie Accorsi, the general manager who drafted Campbell to the Giants as a third-round pick in 1999.
“Campbell was everything we wanted at that time,” Accorsi remembered. “Howard Cross was retiring, there were some big-time big-play tight ends in the game like a Kellen Winslow, but not like today. Everybody’s got two now, Baltimore’s got three.
“What we wanted was a Howard Cross type, to help the running game, block, be big and tough. And when you threw the ball, he caught it. That was Dan.”
And now? “Dan coaches exactly the way he played — sound, tough, organized, smart.”
Campbell left the Giants after the 2002 season, signing with Dallas as a free agent, pushed no doubt by the arrival of a hot-shot rookie at the same position. Accorsi traded up a spot in 2002 so he could take Miami’s Jeremy Shockey with the 14th pick, getting a tight end more in the mold of today’s stars like Travis Kelce and George Kittle, a big, pass-catching, hard-hitting target.
The rookie with the wild temperament immediately found a mentor in Campbell, a kindred spirit whose Texas roots were so much like his own Oklahoma ones. Shockey went on to become a two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowl selection.
Looking back, Shockey might be the first person Campbell coached.
“I remember the first time I met Dan, it was before I was drafted to the Giants and they had me up to the Meadowlands for a visit,” Shockey recalled. “The first player I met was in the weight room, with [tight ends] coach [Mike] Pope was Danny, and he was this skinny guy with a sling on his shoulder. He’d had surgery that offseason.
“I came back three months later, his shoulder had healed, and he must have put on 60 pounds. That’ll tell you how hard a worker he was. That was always him.
“I watch the Lions now, and you can see it, his personality definitely resonates in his players, his aggressiveness. I’m sure they are having a great time.”
Even for this first-time NFL beat writer, it was obvious that Campbell stood out in the Giants locker room, with his long blond locks, preference for heavy metal, and, of course, his Texas drawl. Locker-room chemistry requires some elusive alchemy, but one necessary ingredient is always respect among teammates. Campbell earned it with work ethic, study habits, and tenacity.
Never the fleetest of foot, not blessed with the softest of hands, he stuck around the league for 11 years because he maximized every ounce of talent in his 6-foot-5-inch frame.
“He was such a great blocker, he was dependable, you could trust him,” Accorsi said. “You can see that in his team.”
When Shockey recalls a guy he “saw move up the ranks, make the most of what he had, take advantage of his strengths,” he could be talking as much about the coach as he was the player.
“I’ve always believed the farther away you are from the ball, the better overview you have, so I wouldn’t necessarily say the tight end position manifests itself toward coaching,” Accorsi said, “but sometimes the low-key — I won’t say overachiever because Dan achieved plenty — but a lot of times when you’re not a star receiver, you study the game more, and he probably had to study the game to get open. He wasn’t going to do it with his speed. Those types of players usually make the best coaches.”
Back in training camp last summer, before the Lions would go 12-5 and win their first division title since 1993, Campbell sat with another former teammate for an interview on NBC. Jason Garrett couldn’t help but ask Campbell about all those Mini-Mes on the Lions field.
Campbell laughed, saying, “I didn’t have all this talent, but man I think that’s the key. How do we build a roster of guys that think about the game the way I did, have love for the game the way I did and love the grind, right? But man, they got some talent.”
As a coach, he sure is making the most of it, kneecaps and all.
Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at tara.sullivan@globe.com. Follow her @Globe_Tara.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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The humbling of Jared Goff began at Levi’s Stadium. Now it might host his best moment yet
Jared Goff while in LA 2016 NFL Season.jpg
BY GARY KLEIN
STAFF WRITER
JAN. 26, 2024 3:05 AM PT
It was supposed to be a glorious homecoming for Jared Goff.
In 2016, five months after the Rams made the Marin County native and former California star the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, Goff was on the field at Levi’s Stadium for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
Goff did not play. He was not even in uniform.
A player the Rams proclaimed as their franchise quarterback was inactive, coach Jeff Fisher saying the previous week that Goff was “not ready.”
So with family, friends and a “Monday Night Football” audience looking on, Goff watched journeyman Case Keenum struggle in a 28-0 defeat. And those close to Goff observed how he navigated the beginning of his NFL career.
Jared Goff looks at baseballs from his father.jpg
“It was a tough start there,” Mazi Moayed, Goff’s coach at Marin Catholic High, said this week in a phone interview. “But he’s handled things gracefully, and I think he’s done a great job of that his whole career.”
On Sunday, Goff returns to Levi’s Stadium riding a wave of momentum. A player who led the Rams to a Super Bowl and then was discarded two years later has been at the forefront of the Detroit Lions’ drive to the NFC championship game. A victory over the top-seeded 49ers would send the Lions to the Super Bowl for the first time.
Goff had a 3-6 record against the 49ers when he played for the Rams. He is 2-2 at Levi’s Stadium.
“I grew up a Niner fan and I was able to get all those ‘playing in front of the Bay Area team’ done when I had my time with the Rams,” Goff told reporters in Detroit this week.
“So, yeah, it’ll be fun to be able to play a big game there, but I’ve played there quite a few times.”
The Bay Area is where Goff first demonstrated a knack for helping revive moribund programs. After losing only a few games in high school, Goff experienced a 1-11 season as a freshman starter at Cal. By his junior season, the Golden Bears qualified for a bowl game and he became the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Jared Goff walking on Cal campus.jpg
As a Rams rookie, Goff was 0-7 as a starter for a team that finished 4-12. The Rams hired coach Sean McVay in 2017 and Goff thrived for two seasons, earning Pro Bowl nods in 2017 and 2018.
But in January 2021, shortly after a divisional-round defeat by the Green Bay Packers, the Rams jettisoned Goff to Detroit, sending the quarterback, two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder for Matthew Stafford.
Stafford promptly led the Rams to a Super Bowl title. The Lions, under first-year coach Dan Campbell, finished 3-13.
But Goff helped the Lions improve to 9-8 in 2022. This season Goff passed for 30 touchdowns with 12 interceptions as the Lions finished 12-5 and won the NFC North.
Two weeks ago at frenzied Ford Field, fans booed Stafford and chanted “Jar-ed Goff” as Lions beat the Rams, 24-23, for their first playoff win since 1991. Last week Goff led the Lions to a 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before another ecstatic Ford Field crowd.
Jared Goff after the playoff win vs. Tampa Bay 1-21-2024.jpg
Campbell praised Goff for his ability to remain calm in pressure-packed moments.
“It’s just the way he’s made,” Campbell told reporters in Detroit this week, adding, “He does do a great job with it, and he does stay calm, he does stay cool, and he knows even if it feels a little shaky, a little rocky, it’ll smooth out.”
Goff said Campbell was “the greatest leader I’ve been around.” Goff also has benefited from the creativity of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who Goff said has allowed him input in the offense.
“Whether he takes it or he doesn’t, he allows me to say it and uses some of it,” Goff said. “It’s fun for me, it really is. It allows me to really be a part of the plan.”
Kyle Shanahan, in his seventh season as coach of the 49ers, told Bay Area reporters that Goff has “shown some of the stuff” he demonstrated when he played for the Rams, especially his first two seasons under McVay when he played at an “MVP-type level.”
“When they give him a good scheme, when he’s got good people around him, Jared’s going to always find the spot,” Shanahan said. “He’s as accurate as any quarterback I’ve seen. ... If you sit and make things easy for him, he will gash you.
“I’ve seen it over and over, whether he’s with the Rams, whether he is with Detroit. That’s why he challenges you. You better be on your stuff or [he] can embarrass you fast.”
This will be Goff’s second appearance in an NFC championship game. As with the first, it is on the road.
In January 2019, he passed for 297 yards and a touchdown with an interception in a 26-23 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints that sent the Rams to Super Bowl LIII, where they lost to the New England Patriots.
“It’s helpful playing in playoffs and winning playoff games and then being able to draw on those experiences,” Goff said. “Certainly, road playoff games I think are extremely hard to win and I’ve been fortunate to have success in them in the past.”
In the Lions’ two playoff victories, Goff outdueled Stafford and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. All were No. 1 picks in the draft.
Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ second-year quarterback, was the last player chosen in the 2022 draft.
This season Purdy passed for 31 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was voted to the Pro Bowl and is a finalist for most valuable player. Last Sunday he passed for 252 yards and a touchdown and directed a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a 24-21 divisional-round victory over the Packers.
Moayed is looking forward to this matchup. He is confident Goff will rise to the occasion, as he did two weeks ago against the Rams.
“That game against the Rams served him better than anything that could have possibly happened,” Moayed said. “I think it helped him with the Tampa Bay game, and I think that will help him this game.
“Because right now, you don’t have all that other emotional drama — you just have football.”
Gary Klein covers the Los Angeles Rams for the Los Angeles Times. Before that, he covered USC’s football program and athletic department. He began working for The Times in the San Fernando Valley edition and has reported on high school, college and pro sports. He grew up in Southern California and graduated from Cal State Northridge.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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A Detroit Lions related Detroit News paywall article (and Detroit Red Wings too!)
'Just fun to watch': Red Wings players are fans of the Lions' playoff run
By Dana Wakiji
Special to The Detroit News
Detroit — With several Michigan natives on the Red Wings, it is no surprise that the dressing room is like the rest of the state — brimming with Lions fever.
Ann Arbor native Jeff Petry said he didn’t grow up a huge football fan but he and his family did go to games.
“My family had season tickets back to the Silverdome, so I remember going to a handful of games with my dad or being able to take a friend as we got older,” Petry said. “I was able to catch a game when we came back from Sweden; we had that Sunday off. The first game I had been to since probably college. It was nice. It was Chicago, it was the game they came back in the fourth (quarter).”
Petry also has a personal connection to one of the Lions, Aidan Hutchinson.
Jeff Petry of the Detroit Red Wings.jpg
“I worked out with Hutchinson two summers ago,” Petry said. “He was in the gym in Plymouth. It’s always fun making that connection and watching. Really enjoyed their success and hoping for tomorrow night for them, it’s going to be an exciting game, so hopefully, they continue their success with that.”
Farmington Hills native Alex DeBrincat said he has only gone to maybe one Lions game in his life, but he is all-in right now.
“Pretty invested, I feel like a lot of the guys are pretty invested right now, come playoff time,” DeBrincat said. “Just fun to watch. Just rally around the city of Detroit. Obviously, this doesn’t happen very often, so it’s pretty cool.”
DeBrincat plays fantasy football but said it was tough to get most of the Lions' players this season.
“I had (rookie tight end Sam) LaPorta, actually,” DeBrincat said. “He worked out pretty well for me. I had a couple leagues going. I think he was the only guy that I was able to get with my position.”
Although Wings coach Derek Lalonde is a noted Buffalo Bills fan, he has also become invested in the Lions, partly because he was invited to Lions training camp.
“It was an awesome experience,” Lalonde said. “I appreciated it. He gave me time. He always sees his family. You talk about authentic. He gave me and my boys 5-10 minutes to chat. He’s an authentic guy and before meeting him I stated here for a long time, I’m a pretty big fan.”
Lalonde has also noticed his own players rooting for the Lions, like last Sunday before the Wings beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, when the Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional-round game.
“I was walking through the other day when they were on, and this was pregame, and the Lions converted a third down and Alex DeBrincat pumped his fist,” Lalonde said. “I said, ‘Did you just pump your fist?’ I think it’s pretty cool. It’s just different because we have such a Michigan feel here. Those guys are true fans.”
Like Petry, Lalonde is a Hutchinson fan.
“I like Hutch. I have a jersey,” Lalonde said. “Meeting him, too. He came over, gave me the bro hug, gave my boys some time. So, I appreciate that. My oldest son is a huge Amon-Ra (St. Brown) fan. We went to the Bills game last year on Thanksgiving and obviously, I’m very invested in my Bills and he had his Amon-Ra jersey on and was digging me, which was fun. The group, the way they compete, it’s fun to watch.”
Lalonde also has a plan to invite Lions coach Dan Campbell to speak to the Wings at some point.
“Definitely going to try to get him over here,” Lalonde said. “I think it would be a very cool message because of how authentic and passionate he is, but just our room. We have a lot of Michigan natives that are sincere Lions fans since they were kids.”
Husso gets in a game
The last time that goaltender Ville Husso played in a game was Dec. 18 against Anaheim.
So, it was a happy occasion for him Friday night as he played for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins in a rehab start, stopping all 25 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory over the Belleville Senators.
“A little butterflies before the first game I played for five weeks,” Husso said. “It was good. Got a good start and I always played well there. It was easy to jump in.”
While Husso has been practicing, there is no replacement for facing live shots in a game.
“It’s always (the) game is different than practice,” Husso said. “I think we did a good job here, giving a couple extra days to make sure everything was good. It was nice to get game action. It was a good jump-in there, feel the puck there and get a win, too. Always helps you mentally for sure.”
Husso was relieved that he was able to play before the All-Star break and bye.
“It was nice to get a game,” Husso said. “It would be a long time (with) no game if I didn’t play before break, so it was nice to get a game in the AHL. At least I know now (my) body feels good, knee feels good. It was nice to get a game for sure.”
Lalonde was able to go to the game and see everything for himself.
“I was able to watch it, so I was excited about that,” Lalonde said. “Got a chance to see some of the other prospects, too. Good to have (Husso) back and good sign he’s healthy.”
Husso drove back to Detroit after the game and practiced Saturday morning with his teammates.
“It was good, only a two-hour drive, so it wasn’t bad,” Husso said. “I wanted to skate this morning and get moving right away. I feel 100% right now.”
Injury update
In addition to Husso, the Wings have been without star forward Patrick Kane for five games due to a lower-body (not hip) injury.
“Patrick has had some positive days here,” Lalonde said. “There is a possibility for Wednesday. That’s something we’ll re-evaluate through two practices Monday and Tuesday.”
Defenseman Ben Chiarot has missed three games because of an upper-body injury, but things aren’t trending as well.
“I don’t expect Ben to be back before the break,” Lalonde said. “We’ll take advantage of the time and hope to see him after the break.”
After the Jan. 31 game against Ottawa, the Wings will be off until Feb. 10, when they host the Vancouver Canucks.
Dana Wakiji is a freelance writer.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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Paywall article.
Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers in NFC championship: Scouting report, prediction
Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press
No. 3 seed Detroit Lions at No. 1 seed San Francisco 49ers
The coaches: Lions-Dan Campbell (29-33-1 overall, 24-26-1 with Lions, 2-0 in playoffs); 49ers-Kyle Shanahan (64-51 overall, 64-51 with 49ers, 7-3 in playoffs).
Last game: Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-23; 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers, 24-21.
Last meeting: Sept. 12, 2021: 49ers won, 41-33.
Key matchups
Lions RT Penei Sewell vs. 49ers DE Nick Bosa: Sewell made his NFL debut against Bosa and the 49ers three years ago, when he played left tackle in the 2021 season opener in place of an injured Taylor Decker.
Bosa had one sack, two more quarterback hits and another pressure in that game, all on Sewell, but the veteran pass rusher came away impressed with his rookie counterpart, telling reporters after the game, “He’s going to be good.”
Sewell, now in his third season, has been more than good. He’s the best right tackle in football and he’ll see plenty of Bosa (10½ sacks) on Sunday.
“He’s excellent with both pass pro and the run game,” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said of Sewell. “I don’t know if there’s a better combination of the two at the tackle position in the league right now. But really, where I’ve seen the most growth is the leadership factor. You see guys looking to him now. He is a tone-setter for us here on offense.”
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Lions LB Alex Anzalone: The Lions and 49ers were the only teams to finish top five in the NFL in passing, rushing, total and scoring offense. San Francisco has one of the most dynamic and balanced offenses in the NFL, and McCaffrey is the engine that makes it go.
He led the league in rushing and total touchdowns this season, is a dangerous receiving threat out of the backfield and his presence helps create deep shots for the passing game. It will take a team effort to stop him, though Anzalone will be at the forefront of the pack as the Lions’ leading tackler and the nerve center of their defense.
“He’s a hell of a weapon for them,” Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky said. “He’s just got a great center of gravity, one cut and he’s up the field. He’s got his shoulders down and out. Just simple technique makes him a great back.”
Scouting report
Lions run offense vs. 49ers run defense
The Lions leaned heavily on the pass early in last week’s win over the Bucs to try and unlock the run, but they could take a more traditional approach Sunday. The 49ers had the NFL’s third-ranked run defense (89.7 ypg) in the regular season, but have given up more than 100 yards rushing in four of their past five games, and had minimal success stopping Aaron Jones (18 carries, 103 yards) last week.
David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs give the Lions one of the best running back tandems in the NFL, though they’ve had trouble getting started recently. Montgomery is averaging 3.8 yards per carry in the playoffs; Gibbs had three straight subpar games before scoring on a 31-yard run against Tampa.
The Lions have some injury concerns on their offensive line. Kayode Awosika will start at left guard in place of Jonah Jackson (knee), and center Frank Ragnow is playing through knee, ankle and toe pain. The 49ers have two of the best stack linebackers in football in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. Edge: Lions
Lions pass offense vs. 49ers pass defense
Jared Goff has been lights out in the playoffs, completing nearly 75% of his passes the past two weeks without a turnover, but he hasn’t done much to stretch the field with only two pass attempts of 20-plus-yards this postseason.
The Lions might be able to take a few more shots downfield against a 49ers defense that has one of the lowest blitz rates in the NFL. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta has tough matchups against the 49ers speedy linebackers, but Amon-Ra St. Brown has touchdowns in five of the Lions’ past six games and has topped 100 yards receiving in four of those contests.
Bosa leads a talented four-man front that does a good job applying pressure inside with Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw. Charvarius Ward (five interceptions) might be the best cornerback the Lions have faced this season, so look for Johnson to try and create favorable matchups against ex-Detroit King/Michigan corner Ambry Thomas (70.2% completion rate against, per Pro Football Reference). Edge: 49ers
49ers run offense vs. Lions run defense
Shanahan runs a souped-up version of the same wide zone rushing scheme that helped his dad, Mike, win two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos in the 1990s. The 49ers use motions and different personnel looks to create matchup advantages, and Campbell said they have “a bully mentality and they have an identity, an attitude, sound schemes” which they use “to test your boundaries. They’re going to find weaknesses and then just try to pepper you on those.”
McCaffrey is the most dangerous offensive weapon in the NFL, a north-south runner who was blessed with great vision. He had 2,023 yards from scrimmage this regular season and 21 touchdowns. He will get the vast majority of touches at running back, though the 49ers occasionally deploy receiver Deebo Samuel (37 carries, 225 yards) out of the backfield.
The Lions haven’t allowed a team to top 89 yards rushing in six straight games, though the Bucs averaged nearly 6 yards per carry before abandoning the run last week, and they haven't given up 70 yards in a game to a running back all season. To keep McCaffrey under that number, Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and the rest of the linebacking unit need to gang tackle and shut off his cut-back lanes. Edge: Lions
49ers pass offense vs. Lions pass defense
The 49ers had the most explosive passing attack in the NFL this season, leading the league in yards per pass (8.9) and pass plays of 20 and 40 yards (75 and 15, respectively). Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy operates with precision. He doesn’t take many sacks because he gets rid of the ball quickly, and he’s not afraid to challenge defenses in the middle of the field.
Samuel will play despite a shoulder injury that limited him to nine snaps against the Packers, and the 49ers have plenty of other weapons in the pass game including McCaffrey, 1,300-yard receiver Brandon Aiyuk and All-Pro tight end George Kittle.
Campbell said Wednesday he’s “willing to give up something to get something,” and the Lions have taken that approach on defense, creating turnovers and sacks with an array of defensive back blitzes in recent weeks while living with the big plays their secondary sometimes gives up. They’ve allowed a 100-yard receiver in five straight games, and Cam Sutton will have his hands full with Aiyuk. Edge: 49ers
Special teams
Neither the Lions (20th) nor the 49ers (25th) fared well in Rick Gosselin’s special teams rankings this season, but the Lions led the league in opposing drive start (23.7-yard line) and are the NFL’s most aggressive team when it comes to fake punts. That’s always something to watch for from Campbell in a game like this, even with punter Jack Fox kicking the ball as well as he has all season. Kalif Raymond will miss his third straight game with a knee injury, so Donovan Peoples-Jones should handle punt returns again. And Michael Badgley is 6-for-6 on field goals since replacing Riley Patterson in mid-December.
The 49ers were atrocious on special teams last week, surviving a 73-yard kick return and a blocked kick to beat the Packers. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in kick- and punt-return average, for and against, though Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said 49ers safety George Odum is “as good (a special teams player) as any guy that we’ve played against all year long.” Rookie kicker Jake Moody had his ups and downs this season, but the former Michigan star made a huge 52-yard field goal last week and was 21-for-25 on field goals in the regular season. Mitch Wishnowsky grossed 47.7 yards per punt this year, and Ray-Ray McCloud should handle returns. Edge: Lions
Prediction
The 49ers have been the best team in the NFC this season, and I do think they have a better roster than the Lions, with more top-end talent and better playmakers on both sides of the ball. But I’ve seen enough Disney movies to know most sports-related Cinderella stories are based on real life, and this Lions season has that kind of feel to it.
The Lions are a good team and they’re playing with a boatload of confidence. Goff hasn’t turned the ball over this postseason, Aidan Hutchinson has been on a monthlong heater and there will be a ton of Lions fans in attendance Sunday. This game is going down to the wire, and whoever has the ball last is going to Las Vegas. I trust Campbell in late-game situations and I think the Lions are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Pick: Lions 28, 49ers 27
Lions fans! Celebrate this memorable season with our new commemorative book: “From Grit to Glory: The Epic Story of the Detroit Lions’ 2023 Renaissance." Order now to save 25% off the cover price by visiting Lions.PictorialBook.com to get your copy now!
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him@davebirkett.
"I hope to see the Lions in the Super Bowl before I die"
My friend Ken LComment
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