What Dan Campbell said about the Detroit Lions victory: ‘We found a way to win’
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Sunday night was the first look at the 2024 Detroit Lions. They didn't even hang the banner for the NFC North Championship – that happened at the end of last season – so this year is all about this year. And it was our first real look at the playmakers as they all rested during the preseason.
Head coach Dan Campbell admits it wasn't a perfect game in any way – but a win is a win as the Lions start 1-0 for the second straight year after being the Los Angeles Rams 26-20.
"This is our first taste. We'll get better. We'll get into better flow, on both sides of the ball. We will. But at the end of the day, our defense held these guys to less points than our offense. And our offense scored more points than their offense did. And so, we found a way to win," Campbell said.
Perhaps it's a perfect way to encapsulate the opening win of the 2024 season. It wasn't pretty but the Lions are 1-0. That's what matters.
Quarterback Jared Goff was efficient – completing 18 of 28 for 217 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Meanwhile, the Lions' defense surrendered 317 yards to Matthew Stafford through the air.
Campbell, who rested his starters during the team's three preseason games, says the Rams are a tough opponent who came into Ford Field with a plan.
"They adjusted to some things that we threw at them well, and they just kept coming, man. They fought and they fought," Campbell said of the Rams. "I respect them. I do. And that quarterback, Stafford, man I thought he played lights out man and played tough and hit after hit that just kept getting up and making unbelievable throws. So, I just give them a lot of credit. They did. They fought man. But, we're hard to break. So we did what we had to do."
The difference in the game came down to running the ball – with the Lions picking up 163 total yards on the turf – nearly double the Rams' total of 83 yards.
Running back David Montgomery gobbled up most of those yards with 91 and the game-winning score in overtime.
The Lions lost a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, before staging their own comeback.
Detroit won the coin flip and took advantage of having the ball, gaining at least 9 yards on its first four plays in overtime to set up Montgomery’s winning score.
Campbell raved about Montgomery's work in the offseason to get ready.
"He's in unbelievable shape. He's worked, worked extremely hard. And he's just man, he's reliable. He's reliable. He runs heavy, he's tough, he's physical. He gets in a rhythm. And I think he's a catalyst for us. You know, he starts carrying it and he gets better and better. And I think the line feeds off of him and he feeds off of them. And we get what we get. So that guy's a stud to stud," Campbell said.
The Lions have a few days to get ready for another playoff rematch – this time against the Tampa Bay Bucs. The last time they played, in January in the playoffs, Detroit won 31-23.
You can catch the game on FOX 2 this Sunday at 1 p.m.