Dan Campbell has confirmed the Detroit Lions’ approach for their Week 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers, making it clear that they are treating the match with full intensity, regardless of the playoff scenario.
The path for the Lions to clinch the NFC’s top seed is straightforward for Week 17: they must beat the 49ers, while hoping the Minnesota Vikings lose to the Green Bay Packers. If the Vikings win on Sunday, the clinching situation will be delayed until Week 18 when the Vikings face the Lions at Ford Field.
After the Lions’ postgame celebration on Sunday, Campbell expressed his commitment to the game with a strong statement: “Everything we got goes into San Fran. Everything we got, man.” Speaking to the media on Monday, Campbell acknowledged last year’s NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers and emphasized the importance of redemption, saying, “We know what this was last year, we went out there and weren’t able to win, so this will be good. We’re looking forward to this.”
When asked about the potential of resting players if the game had no impact on the standings, Campbell firmly stated, “We are bringing everything we’ve got into this game, and we are playing, and I don’t care what it looks like and where it’s at. Or who’s this? Who’s that? We’re going out to win this game on the West Coast.”
Campbell’s approach contrasts with last season, when he faced a similar question about resting players in Week 18, which ended up being irrelevant to the Lions’ playoff hopes. At the time, Campbell said, “When we’re done with the season, they’re going to rest. I promise you that.” This year, though, there’s no question of resting players, as the Lions are fully committed to winning in San Francisco.
Despite the 49ers’ struggles this season, Campbell’s drive for redemption after last year’s playoff loss is clear. Even without that motivation, the Lions are determined to give their all in this game, reinforcing their no-holds-barred approach to Week 17.
