Dan Campbell has made it clear how the Detroit Lions will approach their Week 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers. The scenario for the Lions to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is straightforward: they must beat the 49ers, and the Minnesota Vikings need to lose to the Green Bay Packers.
The Lions will know whether they have a chance to clinch the top spot before taking the field next Monday night. If Minnesota wins in Week 17, the playoff picture, including the NFC North and the No. 1 seed, will come down to Week 18, when the Vikings face the Lions at Ford Field.
There is also a sense of revenge for the Lions after their disappointing loss to the 49ers in last year’s NFC Championship Game.
Following Sunday’s locker room celebration, Campbell emphasized, “Everything we got goes into San Fran. Everything we got, man.”
On Monday, Campbell echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the team’s motivation for redemption: “We know what happened last year, and we weren’t able to get the win. So this will be good. We’re looking forward to this.”
When asked about whether the game might not matter depending on other outcomes, Campbell was adamant in his response. “I’ll make it clear for everyone so there’s no debate,” he said.
“We’re bringing everything we’ve got into this game, and we’re playing to win, no matter what the situation is or who’s involved. We’re going out to win on the West Coast.”
Campbell had a similar approach last season when discussing the possibility of resting starters if Week 18 didn’t impact the Lions’ playoff positioning. “When the season’s over, they’ll rest,” Campbell said.
“They’ll get plenty of time off.” Last year, although Week 18 had little consequence, Campbell chose not to rest key players, a decision that backfired when tight end Sam LaPorta and wide receiver Kalif Raymond suffered injuries that limited their availability in the playoffs.
While the stakes may not be as high this time, with the 49ers having a rough season, the Lions are clearly determined to avenge last year’s NFC Championship loss.
Regardless of the standings, Campbell has confirmed that the Lions will continue to push hard and won’t ease up for any reason, even if the game could be seen as “meaningless.”
