Very disappointing: Dan Campbell said something I never expected to hear from him…
After the Detroit Lions surprised everyone by defeating the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday’s inaugural game, head coach Dan Campbell said he had learned nothing new about his team.
The phrase “surprise package” may not be appropriate for a team that hinted at its ascension with eight victories in its final ten games of the previous campaign, but Detroit’s optimism is at an all-time high after defeating the best team in the league.
After trailing 14-7 at halftime, David Montgomery broke free for an eight-yard score with five minutes remaining to put the Lions ahead for good.
The Chiefs would then fail to convert on a fourth-and-25 with two minutes left, and he would surge through for the first down to complete a 21-20 victory.
Campbell told reporters, “I love the fact our guys never wavered, it was something we talked about.” “We anticipated that this game would have its rough patches, but we persevered and didn’t give up. The squad is made for this, I informed them.
After all the Lions had done to annoy the Chiefs in the first half, Patrick Mahomes’ 34-yard pass to Marquez Valdez-Scantling on third-and-17 to keep the drive going, which culminated in Blake Bell’s four-yard touchdown catch, served as a somber reminder of the task ahead.
After the half, the Chiefs had a chance to try to widen their lead, but Detroit tied the score when rookie safety Brian Branch took advantage of a careless dropped reception by Kadarius Toney and raced a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown.
They were down 14–17 at the end of the third quarter, but they managed to hold off Mahomes in the fourth quarter to get into winning territory.
“I didn’t learn anything, I got verification on what I already knew, and this is a resilient team,” stated Campbell. We strengthened an already-resilient team, so we are equipped to manage a variety of situations, and we succeeded in doing so against a formidable foe.
“We thought we would win this match. When we first arrived, we realized what had to be done and that it wouldn’t be simple. So, we followed through. In actuality, it means that’s one [victory]. That’s the first. We must therefore resolve our differences. We had some minor injuries and were prepared to go to Seattle in ten days. That’s the reality.”
Although the Lions’ offense led by Ben Johnson received much of the credit, Campbell also heaped accolades on Aaron Glenn’s defense for keeping the Chiefs out of the end zone during the second half.
He went on, “It’s something we talk about, ending games.” “Everyone is aware of our offensive prowess, but I felt they made a significant defensive contribution. We improved on third downs, which was a crucial takeaway that we achieved.”
Travis Kelce, Mahomes’ right-hand man, was absent from the game as the tight end observed from the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during practice earlier in the week.
A slew of mishandled catches by Mahomes’ receiving group—Toney being the most prominent—and a bungled routine grab by Jerick McKinnon compounded his absence, undoing his quarterback’s excellent work of keeping his feet in a collapsing pocket.
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