Dan Campbell on Branch Suspension and Previewing Bucs Game
FOX 2 - The Alim McNeil watch is officially on.
Lions Coach Dan Campbell gave a positive update on the star defensive tackle possibly returning to the lineup.
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McNeil has practiced with the team the last two weeks, and Campbell said there is a chance he is back for Week 7's Monday Night Football game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Yeah, I mean, he looked good last week," Campbell said. "The last two weeks, he's looked good. He's getting more comfortable, his legs are under him. He's physically ready, and so I think we're all hopeful."
McNeil was injured in the Lions loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 12 last season when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Campbell said he could not be exact on putting a percentage on the chances he'll return outside of backing him to return.
"I would, 58-42 (percent chance of playing)," he said. "I don't know. We're getting closer. I am starting to feel pretty good (about it)."
Brian Branch suspension
Campbell said although the Lions star safety is suspended for one game, the team will be picking up the slack with the next man up mindset.
He said he is not anticipating Branch's appeal to the suspension for hitting JuJu Smith Shuster, sparking a brawl after Sunday's loss in Kansas City.
"If it happens, that's a bonus right now. I'm assuming he's out and he's not going to win it," Campbell said. "He's an outstanding player for us. It's no different than when you lose guys that you really depend on and … you know, the next guy's got to step up and serve a role for us, help us out."
Campbell said he spoke to Branch about the incident and that he will learn from it.
"I saw him yesterday before all this stuff came down. he understands all that. He knows you can't react that way and he will be better for this," Campbell said. "It's no different than you're driving down the road and something happens on the highway, right. You can't take out your aggression on somebody else, you can't cross that line."
Trick play talk
Campbell was asked about the nullified touchdown play on the David Montgomery lateral toss to quarterback Jared Goff.
A procedural penalty took the touchdown off the board for the Lions, which then settled for a field goal on fourth down and five.
After being asked if he spoke to officials before the game to go over a possible trick play beforehand, who responded that the play was a "real sore spot."
"I don't even want to talk about it. I don't," he said. "I told the team, I take full responsibility for that. I do. The players did exactly what we told them to do. Goff did exactly we told him to do, David did. And I will take that.
"You've got to make it very clear on where you are, and I did not do that. I told him I'd take responsibility for that."
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