'This Is a Playoff Game': Lions Not Downplaying Magnitude of Packers Game
The Detroit Lions are on the brink of the playoffs, heading into the final week of the 2022 NFL regular season.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell has revived the team from a 1-6 start to even its record at 8-8. Now, the team could reach the playoffs with a Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers and a loss by the Seattle Seahawks.
Campbell and his youthful roster aren’t hiding from the implications and magnitude of the showdown with the Packers. Speaking with reporters Monday, he said the team will embrace the intensity of the must-win game to end the regular season.
“We tell them the magnitude, this is big, that’s what we do,” Campbell said. “This is big, and it’s gonna be fun and let’s go. I mean, the intensity is up now. This is a playoff game, and they’re gonna know that. So, that’s how we’re going into it.”
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Following the team’s 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears Sunday, the players immediately turned their attention to the Packers. The game carries weight for Detroit’s opponent, as a Green Bay win locks the Packers into a playoff spot.
“Yeah, it’s important,” Detroit quarterback Jared Goff said Sunday. “It’s huge. It’s where we want to be, playing the last game of the season and it means something. And, we’ll see where we land after it all.”
Aidan Hutchinson is ‘everything we wanted’
Aidan Hutchinson continued his steady play in Detroit’s win over the Bears. He recorded a half-sack, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass from Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
The rookie now has 7.5 sacks, second behind teammate James Houston’s eight (in terms of NFL rookies). His three interceptions leads all rookies, and he’s become the first rookie to record at least seven sacks and three interceptions in the same season since 1982.
Together, Houston and Hutchinson are the first rookie teammates to both post at least seven sacks since 1982.
With all that production, it’s safe to say Campbell is pleased with the production of the 2022 No. 2 overall pick.
“I know as far as us picking him, for what we wanted him for, he’s everything we wanted, man,” Campbell said. “This guy’s a football player, and with the number two pick in the draft, we got a football-playing dude who’s high-motor and he’s versatile as hell. So, I don’t know what that is, if you’re asking me to cast a vote, then yeah, I would cast a vote. But, I don’t know the ins-and-outs of everybody else. But, for our value, absolutely.”
Jeff Okudah still contributing despite lesser workload
Jeff Okudah has seen his role decrease on the Lions’ defense over the last two games.
He was benched in the loss to Carolina, and played just 17 defensive snaps against the Bears. Mike Hughes, meanwhile, logged 34 snaps, and spent long stretches on the field while Okudah was sidelined.
Campbell explained his reasoning for each player’s workload Monday, outlining the fact that Hughes had played well enough to keep the reps. Though Okudah played sparingly, he took reps as a gunner, and remains in his coach’s good graces.
“It was a couple things last week we talked about,” Campbell said. “He came out ready to work, it was always about getting Mike Hughes more plays. Mike earned his right to play now, too. Okudah took some gunner reps for us, because Mike was gonna play more on the outside than probably Jeff was. And so, they both played. Jeff’s good, he’s helping us, man. He’s contributing.”
