Detroit Lions’ beat LA Rams: Dan Campbell says Goff is dialed in

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell gave the game ball to Jared Goff but said the difference in the win over the Rams on Sunday was the defense.

Thought Puka, he’s a heck of a receiver. And that defense man, they were flying around Aaron Donald. He’s a he’s an issue no matter. Uh how many resources you, uh, you know that you try to put his way so. But ultimately, man, we did what we

Had to do to win that game. And played it the right way. And in the critical moment, seal the game. We put it in golf’s hands. He gets it to Saint and we’re able to kneel on it. So it’s outstanding job. We talked about it earlier today. Yeah. Just

Thought he played uh top notch football. You know he probably had two errors and everything else was I thought he was on point. He looked loose. He looked relaxed. I thought he threw the ball with conviction. Uh, was strong in the pocket. Got us in in the right play and

He felt that way all week. He just was locked in all week, you know. And he’s really been that way for six weeks now. Like where you really feel like he’s, uh, he’s really honed in here. So I’m just really proud of him, you know? And what he means to

Us and his play today. And I bring it back again. He’s one of the reasons that we won this division. And he’s another reason why we just won our first playoff game here in 30 years. So um, what a stud down slate all week. The I guess the emotional toll of this matchup

Would have for him. He downplayed it as well. But the crowd was chanting his name from the start. We haven’t heard that. You think you like that? I I’m sure you did. I mean, just would you like that nice gesture? Um just to play with, I guess the, the level headedness

That he normally does emotionally charged environment. How impressive is that? Yeah, I mean, I expect that out of him. I mean, look, he’s he’s played plenty of football and he’s been in all different types of environments. And I think if anything, it probably felt a little special when you hear it

Every once in a while. I wouldn’t think that that would make him tighter or, you know, if anything probably gave him a little boost. Um, but but, um, he just listen, man. He’s he’s steady, he’s reliable. He makes plays when you need him. And the guys love him. They respect him.

And he’s a leader. Did you see you put the ball in his hands before. Hold on. Go ahead. Joe. He had started. Sorry Dave. I know I’m looking at you. And then I look back. I know it just happened that way at the end, but did you want, obviously at

Some point to have the ball in his hands at the end? You were going to throw? Well, no, that wasn’t like I didn’t go in saying, all right. At the very end of this game, even if we’re going to should run it, we’re going to just put it in his

Hand. But it was there that was the moment where we need to seal this game and we felt like the right thing to do was put it in his hands and get it to our best player. And, uh, and we did that, man, those guys executed

It, and he just ran him off his man. We were hugging and laughing and enjoying it. And talked about that last play. And I said, how many times have we done that over a two year period here? And a ton. And he’s made the same play and he did it

Again. And so a lot of trust in him, a lot of trust in our line, the backs and certainly those receivers. Saint Brown in that case to make the play a lot of a lot of playoff games. What about this environment. And man Rams had to burn two timeouts I guess

From that that was that. That is arguably the best environment I’ve ever been in. That was absolutely electric. And I think what’s crazy is I was coming down for pregame warm up and you could just feel it. It was humming. The building was humming. And I swear you could

Feel the electricity down the tunnel from where I was coming down. And it only just grew from there. So um, man, our fans showed up in a big way. Um, that was clearly. And I thought, man, for two years now, it’s been that building’s been rocking. It was different today. That was a

Whole nother level. Um, which is what the playoffs are all about. So our fans showed up in a big way. They helped us win this game next, obviously next game up. You’re not going to take too long to, you know, bask in the glory. You don’t know that as

You do. So how long will you take? I mean, just emotionally they talk to you a little bit about the emotional side of it, a little bit. But man, the first time in 30 plus years, you understand you’re part of the whole 16 team. We talk to you

About it before to actually do it and accomplish it. What was your emotion like as the final seconds? Uh, I don’t, you know, I don’t I guess in that moment I don’t think of it like that. And I don’t even know if I’m really going to understand all of it

Until I have time to just sit back. Seasons truly over and look back on it, because I guess I’m just kind of man. I believe me, I’m so thrilled. I’m excited . We got our first playoff win and I’m happy for those coaches and those players who we’re all

A part of it, you know, to be able to do something that’s greater than yourself, it takes everybody around you doing their job, doing it on a high level, and you got to be able to trust them. It’s special. It’s different than anything, man, and it’s why you do what we do.

It’s not the money. It’s uh, you know, it’s about the competition and it’s about the camaraderie and to be the best of the best collectively. So, um, I know this. We were fighting for the two seed and we to get another home game and we got another home game. So it’s awesome. And

We had to earn that. And we earned that with a win today. What about your defense. Can you stops. Yeah nine and six yard line and a one point game. You guys refused to do the red zone. They were open three. That was the difference. That was the

Difference. And we wanted to be disruptive. Today we were going to be aggressive. Uh you know it wasn’t perfect. But at the end of the day, we knew we had to limit points, keep them out of the out of the end zone. We did that. You know, we talked about

At halftime, we needed a stop. You know, we need to get our special teams involved. I mean, we really weren’t even involved. You know, they hadn’t punted yet. And, uh, sure enough, our defense comes out, we get the stop first possession out of halftime. And, uh, and now, you

Know, our special teams helps us out. You know, there again, Jack Fox was big on the offensive side when we had to punt. But, um, and then those guys kept them out. They kept them out, you know, and limited them to three points. And there again, it wasn’t perfect, but we did

What we had to do against that opponent, you know, and it was another example of, of, you know man we came out hot on offense. And then you know, second half we were kind of back and forth with the defense man. They pulled their weight. And so we played we played complementary

Football. We needed all three phases to win this game. And that’s what the playoffs are about. Uh you do whatever you have to do, uh, to beat the opponent that you’re, you’re up against, you know, certainly got a lot of respect for Coach McVeigh and what they’ve done

Over there. It’s a heck of a season they’ve had. And that’s that’s a tough team, man. We knew it was going to come down to the wire. But you know we did. We did enough to win that game. Um, just a little bit there. Specifically the defense, the breakups or the tight

Coverage of CJ. In the end zone, followed by cam on that that third down. Yeah, those are big. You know the secondary was struggling much of the day to come up with those big one on one plays. How big was that for you. It was huge you know. And

It goes back to look no. As long as we’re back there fighting and scratching and clawing and competing, that’s all that matters. That really is. And yeah, we got hit on a couple of things. But I think that’s, that’s what you get encouraged with man. They don’t go in the

Tank. They don’t crawl in a shell. They go back and just keep fighting. And you know, cam cam came up with a big play for us. That was that was huge. You know got him back out of field goal range. Forced the punt. And uh Dorsey you don’t have to

Worry about his confidence. He’s always going to come back and fight. So um there again ultimately we did what we needed to do. And look, I was proud of AG for not you know, we made a couple of adjustments that I thought were crucial. We, you know, we ran a little more match

Coverage, but but but we kept dialing up pressure too, you know, and we’re not going to be something that we’re not we’re going to do what we feel like is best to let our guys cut it loose. And, you know, and go make plays. You said two more questions. You said Goff has

Really been locked in like within the last six weeks. Look he’s been locked in all year. The only reason I bring that up is just, you know, we I just feel like it’s been at another level over the last probably six weeks. And believe me, we won a

Lot of a lot of games before that six weeks. I mean, it was why we’re where we’re at. We banked a lot of wins, but anyway, keep going. Just what did you see in him to notice that he took that to another level? No, I think it’s just the

Way he goes about his business, you know, and, um, you just you feel like when you see him and walkthroughs and he’s in the huddle and his his command of the plays that we’re getting ready to run and his detail to what he wants to receivers the O line or where the protection’s

Going or what he’s going to do with it. Uh, interact with Ben Johnson. You know, it’s just these little things that, um, I feel like are big, you know, and it’s kind of an indicator of where he’s at. And uh, I really feel like he’s just getting better and better and better,

Honestly. I mean, I think he’s playing his best football at the right time this year, and he’s taken great care of it. I thought he was played fast and efficient today. He got rid of it early, um, with with critical throws down the field or back to

The backs and a check down or, you know, check down out into the flat and let those guys make plays and, uh, and that’s you know, you do that, you’re seeing the field and you’re seeing it fast. He’s really been that way for a while now. That’s one

Dave. Would it um, Sam go through and get on the field this week? I think the first play tonight, he was one of the blockers out there. So just his effort and whatever he had, he did a ton. And it’s a credit to fish and those guys son Dean you

Know trainers and all those guys in the um to get him back. And it was honestly it was you know, it was kind of 24 hour care there. Um, and, you know, I don’t know all the voodoo magic they did to him. I can’t explain all of it, but it was it was

Critical. Well, and just getting the swelling out and, uh, getting it to where it felt better and to where he trusted it, you know, and really, by I felt like Wednesday. You just want to make sure that he feels comfortable. Um, and he was. You could tell by Wednesday he was.

All right, I can do this. And it just got better and better every day. So, uh, credit to all those guys. And certainly, Sam, I mean, he’s tough, you know, he’s tough. And he wasn’t going to let it hold him down. And, uh, you know, we put in some things

To, to really spread the ball around, you know, to our o