One thing is clear after NFL opening night — Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions put the rest of the league on notice with their impressive performance against the defending Super champion Kansas City Chiefs. The night saw countless mistakes, frustrations, and shortcomings for the once high-powered Chiefs’ offense, with Campbell and his team not blinking en route to starting the season 1-0.
And if you asked the Lions head coach how he felt about the opportunity, there was never a doubt in his mind that it would go down just the way it did.
Built for this. pic.twitter.com/UHg5OZTgsO
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 8, 2023
“I told you guys, we’re built for this sh*t,” was the message from the head coach fresh off an impressive 21-20 victory to start the season on the right foot. Campbell went into the locker room post-game and let his team know that there was never a doubt that this group of men was capable of doing what they just did.
This year’s Lions team has several believers heading into the season, with many NFL pundits and fans believing they are a force to be reckoned with for the first time in a long time. A win like last night’s over a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes does nothing to change that position in people’s eyes.
“We can overcome anything, as long as you guys just f***ing hang with it,” Campbell continued.
If it wasn’t clear before, it is now — Campbell is building a special culture in Detroit. And we may be witnessing the beginning of something much bigger for this Lions team in 2023.
Dan Campbell Put Players in Position To Thrive
Whether it was picking his spots for Jahmyr Gibbs or trusting rookie defensive back Brian Branch in the nickel spot over other veteran options, it seemed like whatever Campbell’s plan of attack was heading into Week 1 was the right call for the club.
Branch would go on to be the beneficiary of one of Chiefs’ wide receiver Kadarious Toney’s many drops on the night. He snatched the tipped ball up and took it to the house for a pick-six, which changed the entire complexion of the game.
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Many believed Gibbs should have been used more compared to veteran newcomer David Montgomery. Yet, when Gibbs was given the chance, it looked as if Campbell and his staff were picking their spots, as he looked fresh and came up big in those moments.
Things will not go perfectly for Detroit this season, every team has their transgression throughout the season. But for one night, none of that matters. The 2023 Detroit Lions are the real deal, and if you didn’t know before, now you do.
