Getty Dan Campbell yells on the field during a Packers game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have started yet another season 0-2, and for some, that might mean doubt is starting to creep in for the team early in a new season. Is there a “Same Old Lions” collapse situation brewing for this edition of the team?
While fans might want to project that as playing out, Dan Campbell and the coaching staff are doing a quality job of preaching against it. After a tough 35-17 defeat against the Green Bay Packers, Campbell was asked point-blank about the infamous term and how he plans to defend against it.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
As one would expect in his response to the media after the game on September 20, Campbell was exceptionally blunt when talking about the losing mindset that has often plagued the franchise in a big way through the years. Effectively, Campbell drew a line in the sand and let everyone on his roster know where he stands on the “SOL” mantra.
“I just told them I don’t want to see that (expletive),” Campbell said. “They come in, I am not that type of person. I’m not a negative person. I am all about going to work, I want guys that are resilient that are willing to go back to work, they love ball, they are willing to clean up their mistakes and those are the guys I am looking for, man. I am not a sulker. You’re not going to get me down, and those are the type of people I want around me. I want guys who are looking for solutions. We’re going to fix our mess because we put ourselves in this mess, so that’s what I am looking for, we’re going to be just fine. We’ll be upbeat.”
As Campbell explained, that doesn’t mean the defeat shouldn’t hurt, but he is more focused on finding players who want to dig in and be positive rather than sulk and be negative.
“It should sting, it stings me. And that’s OK, but that does’t mean you have to be negative or kick the dirt or everything else. I don’t want those guys around here,” he said.
Seeing whether the Lions can get over this hump now for good will be important to watch.
Dan Campbell Calls out Lions Offense During Loss
What do the Lions have to do in order to improve their chances of winning? According to Campbell, the answer revolves around finding a way to fix the team’s offense, as they are going to have to be called on to help the team win games during shootouts on the field.
“Defensively, we’re going to improve and we did improve in small areas. I put this on our offense. Offensively, we have to be able to outscore a team like this. That’s just how I see it,” Campbell told the media. “Why? Because it turned into that type of game again, that’s why. To me, the onus is on your offense. They’re going to have games where as we continue to improve, the defense is going to have to step up and win a game for us. I just feel like it was the flow of where the game goes. We are not allowed to make mistakes or have turnovers because you can’t rebound from those.”
Detroit put up 344 total yards and actually out-gained the Packers who put up 323 yards on the night, but the team made a pair of critical turnovers as well as an ill-timed turnover on downs and couldn’t get off the field consistently on defense. That hurt them in a shootout even as they forged a lead at halftime.
In the future, Campbell wants to see the team’s offense take a leading role in bailing the team out on the field.
‘Same Old Lions’ Mindset Explained
Often times, fans will refer to Lions errors as “SOL” mistakes. What this means is the Lions usually find the same way to lose and find the same way to collapse during games on the field. History repeats itself season to season in this case, and the cloud of negativity hangs over the team which can often make it impossible for anyone to turn things around for the franchise. Coaches come and go, but few of them can find solutions to this usual mantra which has hurt the team.
Campbell wants to see that end, which is a huge reason he is coming out and making this kind of statement early in the season to the players as well as the fanbase.
READ NEXT: Hunt Report: Lions Making Mistake Not Turning Derrick Barnes Loose