Dan Campbell and Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
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Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions is getting real about his competition right before the New York Giants game.
The Detroit Lions are up against the New York Giants on Sunday, November 23, and even though the Giants have a 2-9 record heading into the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t taking any chances. While the gut instinct of a coach might be to assume that this is going to be an easy win for the 6-4 Lions, Campbell has been studying the Giants and knows what he’s up against.
The Giants have an interim head coach Mike Kafka who has brought a consistency to the Giants, and Campbell recognizes that. Speaking with the press this week, Campbell said that he’s been watching tape of the Lions’ games under Kafka, and he’s impressed.
So, the Detroit Lions are 10-point favorites against the Giants on Sunday, but Campbell has some words to say about this Giants team. He’s not taking anything for granted.
Dan Campbell Talks Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants
“I think there was some fresh energy last week when you watched them against Green Bay. Sometimes it’s just that newness,” Campbell said during a press conference this week. “Just the change itself, something a little different or a little new can spark you. There was a little bit of that. They’ve always played hard, watch the tape, these guys played hard in September, October, early November. But there’s probably a little bit of that, and they had a chance to beat Green Bay.”
It’s true that the Giants vs. Green Bay game wasn’t a blowout. The Giants lost to the Packers, 27-20, so it could have gone either way. It’s smart that Campbell isn’t taking any chances, even though the Giants will be without their rookie quarterback, Jaxson Dart.
Detroit Lions in the NFL Power Rankings
The Detroit Lions moved down to No. 8 in the NFL’s power rankings going into Week 12, but that’s okay. They’re still strong.
“The Lions have come up short in some of their biggest matchups of the season. And outside of Ford Field, they’re not performing to the level we’ve become accustomed to seeing, already suffering their third road loss — the same number as they had in the past two regular seasons combined — in Philadelphia on Sunday night,” Eric Edholm of the NFL’s website notes in a November 18 feature. “Interestingly, they still have a better playoff probability than the Bears, per Next Gen Stats, even as Detroit finds itself in third place in a tough division.”
The Detroit Lions are also No. 8 on the ESPN’s power rankings. “Morton was stripped of his play calling duties after a Week 9 loss to the Vikings, and he might have to fight to secure a long-term role with the Lions,” Eric Woodyard of ESPN notes. “In 2024, Detroit led the NFL with 33.2 points per game under former OC Ben Johnson, and Morton was given the tall order of following the current Bears coach.”
He adds, “Morton has said he’s ‘fully supportive’ of the Campbell’s decision and would be ready if he’s needed to call plays again. But things not initially working in that area could be costly for his future.” It would be a shock for Campbell’s play calling to not do well against the Giants, but the question arises when there are tougher opponents ahead.