Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
THE POSTGAME HANDSHAKE — We're certain Dan Campbell meant what he said as a sign of respect, with no ill intentions whatsoever.
But the head coach of the NFC North champs might have jinxed a division rival in the first round of the NFL playoffs — or at the very least, given some serious bulletin board material to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Detroit Lions head coach was caught on a mic telling Minnesota Vikings counterpart Kevin O'Connell, "I'll see you in two weeks" after the Lions' 31-9 win Sunday night to wrap up the 2024 regular season.
The two teams had just slugged out a winner-take-all division rivalry, with the victor clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in the playoffs — which the Lions did with a 15-2 record.
But the Vikings, who finished the regular season 14-3, have to go on the road to NFC West champion Los Angeles (10-7) in the wild-card round Jan. 13. The Vikings were 1.5-point favorites against the Rams by Tuesday morning, according to BetMGM.
Dan Campbell is always about business. 😤 #OnePridepic.twitter.com/Up3qNvYbwX
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 6, 2025
It's also ignoring the idea that sixth-seeded Washington or seventh-seeded Green Bay would upset No. 3 Tampa Bay or No. 2 Philadelphia, respectively, and face the Lions as the lowest-remaining seed on the AFC side of the bracket in the divisional round Jan. 18-19.
So did Campbell call his shot? Or maybe he knows something the rest of America doesn't?
Either way, the head coach is confident leading one of the NFL's top rushing teams and an offensive line led by former Desert Hills High standout Penei Sewell. That goes back to culture, he told the media Tuesday afternoon.
"Even in the bad times, you know you can win with that guy. You can look at each other and say, we're doing things right," Campbell said. "We trust it, we all believe in each other, and I think that's where it all starts. Everybody that we brought in were our type of guys, and they just added to that, they fueled that, and I think they really love the guys next to him, and really appreciate the guys next to them."
Yesterday's Have You Seen This?
Florida driver filmed traveling on sidewalk against traffic
A video captured by a Telsa showed the scary moments a driver decides to make the sidewalk an extra lane of traffic in a city in Florida Sunday morning. Not only was the driver on the sidewalk, they were also going the wrong way.
