Campbell: Lions to use Cowboys loss ‘as fuel’

Eric Woodyard, ESPNJan 1, 2024, 03:45 PM ET
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ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is ready to put the most recent game behind him.

In the aftermath of Saturday’s controversial prime-time loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Campbell said he woke up feeling fine the very next day and now has “controlled fury” entering the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday — where the Lions have a shot at winning 12 games in a season for the second time in franchise history.

“I’m absolutely ready to go. I don’t go the other way. And the team won’t either. We’re on a mission and we’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves and wallow in everything,” Campbell said. “We had plays to make and we didn’t make them. It’s a tight game, a good opponent, playoff-type atmosphere, and you’ve got to make that extra play that we didn’t.

“So, we will use this as fuel. I’ve got pure octane right now,” he said. “I woke up, I’m ready. So, we’re moving forward.”

Detroit’s loss in Dallas has been a trending topic in the sports world after a potential game-winning 2-point conversion by offensive lineman Taylor Decker was negated by an illegal touching penalty for not reporting as eligible.

The referee controversy also brought back memories of Detroit’s 2014 wild-card playoff game at Dallas where the Lions led 20-17 with 8:25 left when Matthew Stafford threw a pass for Brandon Pettigrew on third-and-1 from the Dallas 46, but it fell incomplete.

Cowboys rookie linebacker Anthony Hitchens was initially called for pass interference but the call was changed, and the referees picked up the flag. The Cowboys would score the game-winning touchdown on their next drive.

Campbell doesn’t want history or the latest controversial 2-point conversion trick play penalty to affect the players. He says he’s over it and is now letting Lions president and CEO Rod Wood handle any legal matters with the league. The Lions haven’t heard anything back from the NFL yet.

“It’s unfortunate it came down to what it did. I don’t think there was no ‘the fix is in,'” Lions QB Jared Goff said following Saturday’s loss. “They just messed it up. It happens. It’s part of the game. But unfortunately, it happened on that play.”

Campbell also doesn’t want the fans believing that the NFL is holding any biases against the Lions.

“Don’t buy into that. Don’t live in that world, man. That will just pull you down. And if it makes you feel any better, the NFL is against every team, all right. Because look, I was at New Orleans, so I know what that feels like,” Campbell said. “And, but you know what? We walked away. Even in that game, we had chances to win before all that happened, but that one ended it. That was it, man. We walked away, packed our bags and left.

“This one, we got a taste of what that’s like, but we’ve still got a chance. We haven’t even started the tournament. So, I think it’s a blessing. And I would tell fans, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t even believe that.’ We’re just getting started.”