The fiery Dan Campbell may be a little more subdued during the Detroit Lions head coach’s weekly news conference.
He’s used to being in a good mood on Mondays in November 2022. Campbell has led the team to its first three-game winning streak in about five years after a dominant 31-18 victory Sunday over the New York Giants at blustery MetLife Stadium. The streak has elicited talk of playoffs, yes seriously, amid a mediocre NFC field, but we’ll see if Campbell is willing to talk postseason.
The Lions are four games back of the division lead, even after the Minnesota Vikings (8-2) were thrashed by the Dallas Cowboys, so the wild card is where any playoff hopes are aimed. Compared to the NFC South and West, the Lions are right in the thick of the race for the third wild-card slot, after the top nondivision-winners in the NFC East almost assuredly bag up the first two spots.
Campbell will probably be more inclined to talk about the Buffalo Bills, who the Lions play on a short week at 12:30 p.m. Thanksgiving. The Bills (7-3) are tied atop the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins and are led by hobbled MVP candidate Josh Allen (2,930 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions along with 483 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns).
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Oddly enough, it’ll be the Bills’ second straight game at Ford Field, after “hosting” (and beating) the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. (Snowfall inundated Buffalo on Saturday and the NFL decided on Ford Field as the neutral site alternative, inundating Detroit with Bills Mafia members and Dawg Pound residents.)
But if the Lions can take down the Bills, they have a shot at a lengthy run with a softer December schedule awaiting: a home game vs. the Vikings surrounded by matchups vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, at the New York Jets and at the Carolina Panthers. These are the Lions, though, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Follow along as Campbell addresses reporters in Allen Park:
Dan Campbell live updates
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