The Detroit Lions are experiencing an unusual week, as they have no game and no opponent to prepare for. After defeating their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, in the season finale on Sunday night, the Lions secured their second consecutive NFC North title and earned the top seed in the NFC. With the playoffs starting, the team is on a bye week, and head coach Dan Campbell revealed that they would be altering their usual preparations.
Finding a Balanced Approach Since their early bye in Week 5, the Lions have not had an opportunity to rest, even though they finished the regular season with a remarkable 15-2 record. Unlike the Kansas City Chiefs, who rested their starters ahead of the playoffs, the Lions had to fight for the division title in their final game. Now with the bye, Campbell emphasized the need to rest while maintaining focus. The players worked on Tuesday, but were given Wednesday off and planned for a short, one-hour practice on Thursday, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic.
Campbell described their strategy as staying active but not overdoing it: “We don’t want to shut down, but we’ll keep it in neutral,” he said.
Normally, the Lions would be spending the week analyzing their next opponent, but Campbell stated they are avoiding unnecessary preparation for a potential playoff opponent, as they don’t yet know who they will face. “I’ve been in situations before where we did prep work for a team we didn’t even play,” Campbell explained. “I don’t want to put our coaches through that.” Instead, Campbell’s plan is to give the team a long break over the weekend, with hopes of knowing their opponent by Sunday night, at which point they will focus all their energy on developing a game plan.
Recovery and Health Concerns The bye week is especially significant for the Lions as they battle through injuries. Running back David Montgomery, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury, is expected to return. In addition, cornerback Terrion Arnold and guard Kevin Zeitler, who were both injured in the season finale, are showing positive progress. “We received good news on Zeitler and Arnold,” Campbell shared, according to Lions Wire. “While I can’t guarantee they’ll be ready for the divisional round, the outlook is much better than it was immediately after their injuries.”
