The Detroit Lions are gearing up for a crucial NFC North showdown against undefeated Minnesota following an almost perfect Week 6, dominating the Cowboys 47-9 in front of a shocked audience at Jerry World.
This marks another peak in an impressive rebuilding effort led by fourth-year Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who recently faced unexpected criticism from former New Jersey governor and Cowboys supporter Chris Christie, who claimed the 48-year-old coach lacks class.
“That’s Dan Campbell. He has no class. Never has,” Christie stated on Chris Russo’s “Mad Dog Unleashed” podcast Thursday afternoon. “It’s fine. It’s fine. Look, that’s just who he is, and what goes around comes around.”
Last season, Detroit and Dallas had a much tighter contest, with the Lions attempting a go-ahead two-point conversion while trailing 20-19 in the last 40 seconds. Left tackle Taylor Decker caught a pass from quarterback Jared Goff in the end zone, but the play was nullified due to an illegal touching penalty, even though Decker appeared to be an eligible receiver.
The Lions quickly dispatched their opponents over the weekend, jumping to a 27-3 lead just before halftime in Dallas, and used their commanding lead to help Decker atone for last year’s officiating error. The 315-pound lineman was the target of a play-action pass attempt on a 1st and goal, a move that Christie believes was unfairly aimed at the Cowboys.
“I think it’s misplaced. Dan Campbell’s upset because the referees made a mistake in a game last year,” Christie said. “Then, you know, run that play on Roger Goodell. The Cowboys had nothing to do with that call being wrong… But because of that, you want to take your shot while you’re dominating these guys. I don’t believe that’s what professionals do.”
Growing up in Livingston, New Jersey, Christie has lived most of his life in the Garden State with various sports allegiances that mirror his tri-state roots, becoming a regular at Citi Field this fall during the Mets’ surprising MLB postseason run. Though Christie’s father was a Giants fan and he grew up just 15 miles from Metlife Stadium, he chose not to support the G-Men due to their frequent failures on the field — the Giants had only two winning seasons and zero playoff wins during Christie’s childhood from ages 2 to 18.
“Because the Giants were terrible,” Christie explained regarding his support for the Cowboys. “I watched Super Bowl V, fell for Roger Staubach even though they lost, and I became a Cowboys fan from then on.”
Dan Campbell remains cautiously hopeful that Aidan Hutchinson could return this season.
The star edge-rusher suffered a severe injury, but could he still return in 2024?
Late in the Lions’ impressive win over the Cowboys, the team received troubling news that may overshadow their victory—edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, fractured his tibia, likely ending his season.
This is a significant setback for a Lions team rich in talent yet somewhat thin defensively, lacking a strong replacement for a player like Hutchinson, whose presence is hard to substitute. The Lions are strong contenders in the NFC, but moving forward without perhaps their best player will be challenging, especially given the high level of competition in the NFC North.
While the Lions currently hold the second-best record in the NFC, they are generally expected to make the playoffs, but the key question is how far they can progress without Hutchinson on the field. Nevertheless, head coach Dan Campbell recently shared optimism that Hutchinson might return, even though the chances are slim.
Campbell mentioned a recovery timeline of four to six months before Hutchinson can play again. If interpreted strictly, this could mean the earliest return date would be February 13th, exactly four months after his injury.
This is just four days post-Super Bowl, so if Hutchinson recovers quickly, there’s a chance he could participate in the big game. Of course, the Lions would need to make it that far and feel confident in his readiness despite missing several months of play, but Campbell believes we shouldn’t dismiss that possibility.
“If anyone can come back, it’s him,” Campbell said regarding Hutchinson’s situation. The third-year player’s surgery reportedly went well, marking a significant first step toward recovery.
The timing of the injury could not have been worse for Hutchinson and the Lions. After coming tantalizingly close to their first Super Bowl appearance last season, the Lions have a legitimate claim as the top team in the NFC.
HÂ a local hero and fan favorite, has consistently improved over the past couple of seasons and was emerging as one of the league’s elite players in just his third year. Both the player and team seemed ready to reach their ultimate goal, but that aspiration may have to be postponed for at least another season. However, if Campbell’s assessment is accurate, we could see an unexpected turnaround much sooner than anticipated
