Historically, it’s massive. But for Lions head coach Dan Campbell, while the division title and NFC’s top seed is on the line, he’s being careful to remind himself it’s still just a regular season game.
“I mean, I don’t know. Like I said, we’re all excited, I mean, this is exciting, but it’s not like it’s the playoffs,” Campbell said. “So yeah, for where we’re at it’s the next one and it is exciting, but it’s — we all know it’s still going to come down to the prep and we’ve got to put the work in. It’s going to start today, we’ll be out there in walkthrough, and then, man, you put your best foot forward and you give your guys all you can, you cut them loose and let them go make plays and see where you stack up. So, that’s the exciting part.”
Detroit and Minnesota both want to win this game for multiple reasons of varying significance. Winning a division title would give them a banner to hang and an accomplishment of which they can be proud. But this is more about playoff seeding than anything, especially for a Lions team that saw their season end in heartbreaking fashion on the road last year.
The goal, then, is simple: Beat the Vikings, force them to play their playoff opener on the road, and secure home field advantage throughout the NFC postseason.
If the playoffs are the focus, one might think the Lions will take this game lightly. Campbell didn’t take the bait.
“Yeah, well I don’t — I mean, I just think it is what it is,” he said. “I mean, it’s — I don’t know, I don’t know how to answer it really. I mean, yeah, it’s big, it’s great, but it’s like — yeah, it is what it is.”
It’s clear the Lions are primarily concerned with the playoffs, and understandably so. Their season is guaranteed to continue next week. But it’s much more appetizing to start their second season in the friendly confines of Ford Field than on the road, making Sunday night’s game significant.
It’s already significant enough to be historic.