How Dan Campbell is preparing Detroit Lions for the playoffs (yes, the playoffs) already

The Detroit Lions messed up something awful on their first drive on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

“We had three MA's (missed assignments) on that,” coach Dan Campbell said. “And we're fortunate they didn't bite us on that drive but normally they will.”

Forget that the Lions scored on that drive.

And forget that the Lions beat the Panthers, 42-24, on Sunday at Ford Field.

Campbell is preparing this team for something bigger.

If you study his words, if you dig in his messages, he’s using the regular season to prepare his team for the playoffs.

Yes, we're using that word: playoffs.

“Every week, these games get more and more important as you close in on December and January,” Campbell said. “So, we got to be playing our best ball by the time we get there.”

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Not: if we get there.

He said: By the time we get there.

That single phrase tells you everything.

Campbell has injected a mindset into this team — yes, beating a bad team without several starters is a good win, but there is something bigger out there.

And clearly, the players have bought in.

“Ain't nothing proven yet,” running back David Montgomery said after another great performance, rushing for 109 yards and a touchdown. “It'd be proven once we do it all. And I firmly believe that, and I know we capable of doing it. We just have to do it. So, it's never been about proving anybody else wrong. It's always been about proving ourselves right.”

It’s no longer: “Detroit vs. Everybody.”

It’s no longer: “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.”

It’s no longer: “Same old Lio ... ” Nope. I won’t even finish it. I refuse to go there.

Because this is something else. This message is something beautiful: “Get the heck out of our way, this team is preparing for January.”

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And if you think, "Wow, that’s different. That is an entirely new way of thinking," I’d have to agree with you.

This is how a winning team thinks.

This is how a winning coach talks — and yes, it’s been a while since we said that about a Lions coach.

“I think these guys are hungry,” Campbell said. “They smell the wins. They enjoy winning like anybody would, but they also understand what it takes to win right now, and what we're doing to win these games. And so I think from that standpoint, it's just, you know, I think they want more, I think we want more and I think when you have that you're always on hunt.”

Campbell is not looking too far ahead.

He is not assuming anything.

But he’s showing the way. The leader of the hunt.

Bringing a team together

Years ago, I was given a week-long, behind-the-scenes access to the Minnesota Vikings and I got to watch how a game plan came together. Back then, Denny Green was the head coach, and I spent time with the Vikings’ assistant coaches in their offices, as they studied film and created a plan.

My biggest takeaway?

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I learned how much influence a head coach has on the big picture, setting the overall goals, crafting a plan that makes sense for both an offense and defense, putting them both in a position to succeed.

And I was thinking about that on Sunday afternoon.

Because Campbell has this team playing together.

The defense is getting pressure on the quarterback and creating turnovers, and the offense is rolling. That doesn't happen by accident.

You know who holds it all together?

Campbell.

“You talk about complementary football,” he said. “We’ve been talking about, it was time for us to get a knockout, a strip, fumble, that we got. We talked about our D-line coming up with one, (Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson) got one. Come away with three takeaways and turn those into 21 points offensively, that’s complementary football.”

Campbell is impacting this team on every level.

Creating a mindset and culture.

Getting the offense and defense to work together.

“The offense, man, took advantage of those takeaways that we got," Campbell said. "It was just great team win.”

And when you praise offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for all his creativity — deservedly so — realize it starts with Campbell allowing him to take risks.

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Praise while motivating

Years ago, the Lions would have lost without their best wide receiver and most explosive running back.

But this team is built to withstand it.

Because they have prepared for it.

“I think this was something we talked about, really was after 2021," Campbell said. "It was we have to assume we’re going to lose a significant amount of our starters every year. Like, that’s the assumption and now what do we do with the guys that we have on this roster and how do we utilize them, but yet still have enough to produce against the opponent? And so look, we’re doing a good job of that. ... We’re not getting any drop-off and when we need someone to show up, they show up for us.”

That’s a reflection of an improved roster, but it’s also coaching.

The other big thing a coach can do?

Motivate.

And Campbell has found an unique ability to praise while motivating at the same time.

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“There's always more (Jared) Goff can give,” Campbell said. “And that's a great thing, because he is playing at a high level right now. He's playing at a high level, and I love where his confidence is at.”

See that?

“As good as we played defensively there were a couple of drives we got hit on some explosives that we don’t want to give up,” Campbell said. “I think you’re in this constant — you’re striving for perfection knowing you’ll never be perfect, but I think that’s the name of the game here if you want to get where you want to go.”

Where you want to go?

A home playoff game in January would be a perfect place to start.

And that’s exactly where Campbell has them headed.

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Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How Dan Campbell is preparing Detroit Lions for the playoffs already