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Dan Campbell's Week 18 Message to Kevin O'Connell Resurfaces After Vikings Lose to Rams

"See you in two weeks."
Michael Kadlick|
Campbell thought the Lions and the Vikings would meet again.
Campbell thought the Lions and the Vikings would meet again. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Minnesota VikingsLos Angeles RamsDetroit Lions

After thumping the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told Kevin O'Connell he'd "see [him] in two weeks," hinting at the two teams squaring off in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

That won’t be happening, as the Vikings lost 27-9 to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night and were eliminated from the postseason.

The Rams reportedly used Campbell's message as motivation this week and even posted a screenshot of the quote inside their locker room. Safety Quentin Lake told NFL Network's Mike Garofolo that L.A. was well aware of Campbell's comments:

"There was a little message that Dan Campbell gave, but I don't want people to overlook us," Lake said. "We're a team that has everything we need to do well in the playoffs. We're gonna be ready come Monday night... We're gonna do some damage, I truly believe that."

Damage done.

Following the Rams' victory, those on the internet—as they tend to do—resurfaced Campbell's comments from last Sunday. Here's a look at some of the best reactions:

The Rams will take on the Eagles next Sunday in Philadelphia for a chance to advance to the NFC championship game. Kickoff is schedule for 3:00 p.m. EST.

As for the Vikings, they now have a major decision to make about the future of quarterback Sam Darnold in Minnesota.

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Mike Kadlick
MICHAEL KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.

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