The Detroit Lions find themselves in an unusual position this week — no game and no immediate opponent to prepare for.
After defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the league’s final game on Sunday night, the Lions secured their second consecutive NFC North title and clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed. With a bye week ahead of the playoffs, head coach Dan Campbell shared that the team will skip a key aspect of their usual weekly routine.
Dan Campbell Strikes a Balance
The Lions have had little rest since their early Week 5 bye — the first bye week this season — and maintained their intensity to finish with a league-best 15-2 record. They secured the division only after defeating the Vikings, unlike the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs, who rested starters before the playoffs.
Campbell told reporters the team is taking the chance to rest but remains cautious about losing momentum. Players were at the facility on Tuesday, had Wednesday off, and scheduled just one hour of practice on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy.
“You don’t want to turn it off, but let’s just leave it in idle,” Campbell said about this week’s strategy.
Though the Lions typically spend part of the week preparing for their next opponent, Campbell said they won’t speculate on their divisional round matchup.
“It’s tough because here’s what I don’t want to do — and I’ve experienced this as a player and a coach: you prepare for one team, and then it’s someone else. …I don’t want to put that burden on the coaches,” Campbell said, via The Athletic. “So, my plan is to give them three days off this weekend, refresh, get some sleep, and we’ll know our opponent by Sunday night. Then, we’ll fully dive into the game plan. We’ve faced almost all the potential opponents except for Washington. …We’ll work on breakdowns and go from there. I hate doing prep for a team you might not even play.”
Lions Aiming to Heal Up
The bye week is also a crucial opportunity for the injury-hit Lions to recover. Campbell shared that running back David Montgomery is expected to return after missing the last three games due to a knee injury.
Cornerback Terrion Arnold and guard Kevin Zeitler, who were injured in the season finale, are also improving.
“We got better news on Zeitler and Arnold,” Campbell said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “I can’t guarantee they’ll play in the divisional round, but the outlook is much better than it seemed when the injuries happened.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter for Heavy.com, focusing on the NFL, particularly the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins. Previously, he worked for the Rochester Business Journal and as the assistant editor for athletic trade magazines. Based in Rochester, New York, he is passionate about football.
