Lions’ Dan Campbell sends warning to rest of NFL

Head coach Dan Campbell understands his Detroit Lions are no longer underdogs but also wants it known that his squad is already looking forward to certain games on the team’s schedule for the upcoming season.

“I think our guys know where we’re at,” Campbell recently told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. “I would say this: the motivator is we still have things that we circle, too. We have our own s— list. So we’re the team with the target on our back, but we’ve circled some people too now. We have targets, too.”

Last September, the Lions started the season as the betting favorites to claim the NFC North title for the first time since the division was formed in 2002. Detroit then finished atop the division standings with a 12-5 record before the club completed a journey to the NFC Championship Game.

The Lions took a 24-7 lead into halftime of the conference title contest but then suffered a heartbreaking 34-31 defeat against the San Francisco 49ers. Campbell later received criticism from fans and analysts regarding multiple decisions he made in that loss.

“It’s not like we just ran through everybody last year and blew everybody out,” Campbell continued. “We had losses and tough games. We have division opponents. We lost in the NFC Championship Game. So we’ve got our own targets man. And that’s the motivator.”

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the 49ers as the betting favorites at +250 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX this coming February. The Lions were second on the list at +550 odds.

During his chat with Jones, Campbell acknowledged that the Lions “cracked” when the 49ers “did not” this past January. Detroit will look to avenge that defeat when the club plays at San Francisco in Week 17 on Dec. 30.

“That’s the little next step we have to get over,” Campbell added. “We have to be able to handle it at that level, even if it’s on the road against the top-tier opponent. That’s the next level.”

Campbell previously suggested he isn’t a fan of a so-called “Super Bowl or bust” mantra. Nevertheless, some will view the 2024 Lions as a “bust” if they don’t at the very least return to the conference championship game for a second straight year.