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00:00Morning.
00:01Let's talk about that last game and the idea of road warriors.
00:05I know TJ Lang was giving you a hard time because can you be road warriors when the
00:09presence is so pronounced, all these Lions fans?
00:12As long as you've been in the league, just how special is it to see Lions fans on a weekly
00:15basis making these journeys?
00:17Yeah, it's very special.
00:21And no, I've never been a part of this.
00:24Not quite like that.
00:26In New Orleans, we had a lot of Saints fans that would travel 17, 18, 19.
00:32We're having some pretty good years, but this is totally different.
00:36This is rare.
00:38So it's pretty good.
00:41You could tell when we walked out for the game, pre-game and then right before kickoff,
00:47it was just, you could tell our fans were there.
00:51And they were taking over that stadium, which was awesome.
00:56So it's a good thing and it feels good and it's still a road win though.
01:01I'm curious at the start of that game, let's even go back to the coin flip, the Colts win
01:06the coin flip, they decide that they want to take the ball first.
01:10How does that change the mentality at the beginning of the game?
01:14And when you guys win a toss, how do you decide whether you want the ball or not?
01:23Yeah, well, it was awesome because we wanted to play defense.
01:28I wanted to play defense first, so it was perfect.
01:32You know, it depends.
01:34You know, what is the look of that week, the opponent?
01:39What I think, you know, just the energy that we want to start with that week where you
01:45think maybe you got an advantage or where you think you can gain some early momentum
01:48or set the tone.
01:52And so I think you just kind of go throughout the week and get a feel of that, you know.
01:56But definitely wanted to play defense first, and so it worked out great.
02:00Yeah, we could see why.
02:01Defense played well again.
02:03Defense improved so much last year, this year.
02:05What do you think the biggest reason is?
02:07Even with the injuries, all the improvement's been pretty clear.
02:10Well, I mean, look, we've, first of all, A.G. and his staff do a great job, you know.
02:17And, you know, we develop a damn good game plan.
02:22I think we're ready for our opponents.
02:25I think we understand how to play to our strengths and attack their weaknesses.
02:32You know, and then our players, man, we've had a number of these guys that have been
02:36in this system for a while and have grown and are beginning to develop from, you know,
02:40Max playing at a high level.
02:42Paschal has stepped up for us.
02:44You know, Levi is the best he's been.
02:47You know, you got Alex, you got Rodrigo, you got B.B., you got Kirby, you know.
02:52And then the addition of C.D. and those guys, it's just, you know, so we're growing.
02:57We're getting better every week.
03:00And I think it's, you know, there's a maturation process with all of this.
03:05So we're playing damn good.
03:07No two weeks are the same.
03:10You know, every opponent's different, and you've got to find a way to stop the one in front of you.
03:15We always see guys, especially in their second year, take a big step forward.
03:18Jack Campbell moving into the position of Alex Anzalone.
03:22I know you gave a game ball to Rodrigo, but what did you see from Jack specifically
03:27about being the green dot full-time and how he stepped into that role?
03:32Well, and look, yesterday, I think it was yesterday.
03:35These days are running together right now.
03:39Jack got another game ball, too.
03:41So, you know, just because he didn't get it in the big room where everybody sees doesn't mean that.
03:46So he played that well, you know, which honestly we expected him to play well.
03:53He didn't bat an eye.
03:54He went in there.
03:55He was physical.
03:56Got the calls in.
03:58He was good in coverage.
04:01Look, he and Rodrigo, man, they played lights out on Sunday.
04:06Short week, the injuries.
04:08Everybody wants to know the status of some of these guys and want to get that from you,
04:12but also just the big picture, juggling these guys on a short week,
04:17knowing, hey, you don't have a bye week the rest of the way in the regular season.
04:20How do you make these determinations?
04:22Yeah, you do the best you can.
04:24If you think the guys can play and they can produce and it's not going to set them back, you know,
04:30for a number of weeks or whatever, then you do that.
04:33But if not and we don't feel like they can recover, then it makes no sense.
04:37And so goes life, man.
04:40I mean, this isn't going to be the last thing we get hit with now.
04:43I mean, we may have three or four players out for this game.
04:47And then, you know what, we may lose four more.
04:49So that's life.
04:51But we'll adjust.
04:53Next man up, we'll be ready.
04:56And we'll do whatever it takes to get a win.
04:59Best you can.
05:00Updates on Decker, Montgomery, Carlton Davis, and Kalief Raymond?
05:05Yeah, I would say they're all questionable.
05:09The punt return.
05:11Obviously, Leaf went down.
05:13Amon Rosset-Brown went in.
05:16How worried are you that he might pick up an injury in that situation?
05:20And do you expect him to be returning punts again this week?
05:24Well, you know why St. was in there?
05:27Because Leaf got hurt.
05:29So, you know, now that we're in another week, you know,
05:34we're going to have probably a different returner.
05:37And if we need St. at critical, we'll use him.
05:40But, you know, that was really why he was in there.
05:43Because he's sure-handed.
05:45And we know he'll get the job done.
05:48And he's just so damn reliable.
05:50If he wasn't that reliable, maybe we wouldn't put him back there.
05:53Talking to Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
05:55Thanksgiving week bears on tap.
05:57Caleb Williams' rookie season.
05:59Ups and downs, it's expected.
06:00But what have you seen from him when you prepare for this?
06:03I've seen two huge ups in the last two weeks.
06:06This guy's trending to playing very, very good football the last two weeks.
06:11I mean, he's playing the quarterback position at a high level.
06:14You watch him progress.
06:17You watch him process.
06:19And it's happening fast.
06:20He's got mobility.
06:21He knows when to escape the pocket.
06:23He's dangerous when he gets out from it.
06:25He's one of those sneaky scramblers.
06:28And he's got big-time arm.
06:29He's pretty accurate.
06:31And I don't feel like it's been, like, I feel like the information that he's given
06:37to the offense and getting into the right play, all those things,
06:40he's been pretty damn good with, you know.
06:42So I see a developing player that's getting pretty damn good in a hurry.
06:47You mentioned when I asked you about the coin flip,
06:50setting a tone at the beginning of the game.
06:52What type of tone on Thanksgiving Day, and I don't necessarily know that
06:56history plays a part of it, it's been seven in a row,
06:58but what type of tone do you want to come out and set
07:02against the Chicago Bears at 1230?
07:05Well, I think we'll choose, instead of offense and defense,
07:08we'll choose special teams this week.
07:10Okay.
07:13Fair enough.
07:15How big a deal is it playing on Thanksgiving?
07:17Like, you know, John mentioned the seven straight losses.
07:20Does that play a factor at all in the preparation of this game?
07:23I'm sorry.
07:24Say that again.
07:25I'm sorry about that.
07:26No, you're good.
07:27I said seven straight losses on Thanksgiving.
07:29Does that at all play into the preparation, the messaging for your team
07:31for this game?
07:32Oh, yeah, I got it.
07:33No, look, not really.
07:35I mean, believe me, we want to win Thanksgiving.
07:40You know, we do.
07:41But, really, the messaging is let's win another divisional game.
07:46That's kind of the bigger focus of it.
07:48And then, you know, in turn, that will get us our Thanksgiving win.
07:52But I think that's the big one, man.
07:56These division games almost count.
07:57You know, they count for one and a half or almost two.
07:59So, that's the thing here.
08:01You know, you don't win this game, and, you know, and it stings.
08:04It stings pretty good.
08:06All the wins up to this point, they don't mean as much.
08:10It's great.
08:11Not in a row.
08:12You just lost to Chicago on Thanksgiving.
08:14That's division loss.
08:15That stings.
08:16So, we got our work cut out for us.
08:18This is an excellent team.
08:19It really is.
08:20They're so close to finding a way to win.
08:22I mean, I'm telling you, they're one play, and it's been that way for five
08:26weeks now.
08:27So, but we're looking forward to the challenge.
08:31That's what we do, man.
08:32We love it.
08:33If Decker's unable to go, do you plan, because it's a little bit further in
08:37advance than the last time Decker went down, do you plan on putting Penney
08:41over at left tackle?
08:44Look, a short week, we've thought about both.
08:49The walkthrough yesterday, we left Sewell at right.
08:52But, I mean, since we're not getting full speed reps anyway, it's very easy
08:58for us to just go ahead and throw him over and let him roll.
09:02So, we're not 100% on that yet, but I can tell you we left him at right
09:06yesterday.
09:07All right, Dan.
09:08Biggest game is obviously you guys facing the Bears, but I got to ask you about
09:12Texas A&M renewing their rivalry with the Longhorns.
09:15It's been a long time coming.
09:17What do you feel about that rivalry finally getting back on the schedule?
09:20Man, it's about time.
09:21I mean, it's ridiculous.
09:23That is one of the longest rivalries in the history of this game, and it's a
09:28special one.
09:29It's one I got to play in.
09:30I was fortunate, too, for my time down there, and when you're from that state
09:36and you're from the southwest, I mean, it means something.
09:40So, it's bragging rights, and it's long overdue, and I'm glad that everybody,
09:46you know, we got everything put aside.
09:48I know it took everybody getting in the same conference, but it's about time.
09:52I'm looking forward to it.
09:55You going to watch it?
09:56You going to have some time?
09:58Yeah.
09:59As long as I can keep my eyes open, I sure will.
10:02One of those sleep-deprived weeks.
10:04A little tryptophan.
10:08All right, Dan, we appreciate your time, and happy Thanksgiving.
10:11All right, you guys, too.
10:12Have a good one.
10:13It's 97-1.