Dan Campbell is one of those head coaches who will believe in his team no matter what, but after a crushing defeat in the Divisional Round to the Washington Commanders at home as the No. 1 seed, even the most optimistic people can feel deflated. 

But not Campbell, who reiterated his belief that his Detroit Lions’ championship window remains wide open. 

"Yeah, I do," Campbell said when asked that championship-window question, via ESPN. "We talk about that core. That core group is still intact, and we’ve signed some back, some are up on contracts, and that’ll be ongoing. But, yeah, we absolutely do."

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"I think the most important thing is you want to know you’ve got your culture, you’ve got your identity, and you’ve got players that fit into that, and we’ve got that."

A perfect example was star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who signed long term with the Lions this past offseason, texted Campbell at 4 a.m. after the 45-31 loss to the Commanders on Saturday night. 

The loss was eating at him, but it showed Campbell that he has hungry players in the building, especially leaders like St. Brown. 

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"I know the right guys. They're our guys for a reason, and that's what will always give me hope and let me know we're only going to be better. 

"We're going to come back stronger, we're going to learn from this, and it's just more fuel on the fire, is what it is."

Campbell said all of this before reports surfaced that his offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, had been plucked by an NFC North rival to become their next head coach. The Chicago Bears are bringing in Johnson to help turn things around, and he obviously knows all about the organization after the past three seasons in his role in Detroit. 

But this shouldn’t come as a shock to Campbell, who should prepare for the loss of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as well. Glenn is going in for his second interview with the New York Jets on Tuesday to potentially fill their head coach vacancy as well. 

Campbell told ESPN that he must have a next-man-up mentality if he were to lose his coordinators, but winning right now doesn’t change. 

"We’re not going to allow that to happen," Campbell said regarding a potential mindset change. "Does it hurt to lose those guys? Absolutely. They’re a part of what we’ve been here. They’ve been here for four years, and they’re one of the major reasons why we’ve been able to get to where we’ve been."

Simply put, the Lions weren’t supposed to be thinking about the future, already losing their innovative offensive coordinator and preparing for the offseason. With their ability to throw up points on the scoreboard, they seemed almost destined to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.

While the Lions have to go back to the drawing board, their head coach still believes they have the squad to get to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

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The Chicago Bears have landed arguably the hottest head coach candidate for their vacancy, as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is reportedly heading to the NFC North rival. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter was first to report the hire, noting that the Las Vegas Raiders were hot on Johnson's tail as well. 

Johnson, who led a Lions offense that scored 33.2 points per game to lead the NFL this past regular season, saw an anticlimactic end to a historic season in the team's Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders at home this past weekend. 

This is a developing story. More to come…

For the first time in NFL history, a 14-win team will have to settle for a wild-card spot in the NFL playoffs.

The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, both 14-2, will face off Sunday night for both the NFC North crown and the top seed in the conference.

The loser will fall to the fifth seed in the bracket with the top wild-card spot despite a 14-win season.

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It wouldn't be the first playoff seeding oddity. There have been 7-9 teams who have won divisions, which means they automatically hosted playoff games.

But with his team in danger of losing just three games but not being at home on wild-card weekend, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown says the format needs to be revamped.

"It's crazy. I think the rule should be changed," St. Brown told reporters this week. "Obviously, if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy. But I guess I don't make the rules."

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The NFL and MLB have similar formats in which top seeds get a bye, and all division winners have home-field advantage in the first round. The NBA seeds based on standings in the conference regardless of division, while the NHL does a combination of conference and division standings but with no byes.

St. Brown says his team has nothing to worry about anyway.

"Either way, I think we'll be fine. Whether it's going on the road or having a bye week and playing at home, we're built for either or," he said.

The Lions and Vikings kick off in Detroit Sunday. The Packers, also in the NFC North, sit at 11-5 and are the sixth seed heading into the weekend.

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The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is here, and for some teams, there is not much to play for due to already having their spot set in the playoffs, or worse, being knocked out of playoff contention. 

However, for other teams not on either end of the spectrum, there is everything to play for, making this week a must-win situation while also looking at the rest of the league.

Looking at the current playoff picture, there is only one available playoff spot in both the AFC and NFC. In turn, four games in the AFC and three games in the NFC have playoff implications for nine total teams, whether it is simply making the playoffs or seeding within the bracket.

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Let’s dive into which teams and matchups to watch in Week 18, starting with a potential deep playoff run squad in the AFC:

Lamar Jackson and company already have their playoff spot locked in for 2024 with an 11-5 record, but the AFC North title is still on the line with the Pittsburgh Steelers (more on them in a bit) sitting just one game behind them at 10-6. 

So, with a win or tie for Baltimore, they would win the division and lock up the No. 3 seed, which is an automatic home game in the Wild Card Round. They would also lock those up with a Steelers loss. 

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Like the Ravens, the Steelers have already reached the playoffs as well, but they want that No. 3 seed if they can get it. 

However, unlike the Ravens, they will be going against a much tougher AFC North foe in the Bengals, who are also gunning for an improbable spot in the postseason. 

A slight advantage for the Steelers, though, is that the Ravens will be playing earlier in the day. So, they will know their situation when they take the field against Cincinnati. They would clinch the division title with a win and a Baltimore loss. 

On the other sideline in this game is a Bengals team that has stayed alive with wins over the last four games to give themselves an 8-8 and a shot at that final wild card slot. 

A fifth straight win is paramount if they wish to attain that spot, but they also need things to happen in their favor in order to be granted a chance at the Vince Lombardi Trophy. 

After a win, the Bengals will need the Denver Broncos to lose and the Miami Dolphins to either lose or tie. Only then can Joe Burrow and his squad of stars sneak into the playoffs. 

The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC etched in stone with their league-best 15-1 record, so they will be resting most of their starters on Sunday in preparation for the bye week and to ensure key players like Patrick Mahomes are healthy for the Divisional Round. 

For Bo Nix and the Broncos, however, they have the same plan as they needed a couple of weeks ago: Win and in. The Broncos have lost two straight games, which has kept teams like the Bengals and Dolphins alive in the playoff hunt. 

Can this 9-7 group led by their breakout rookie quarterback and stellar defense get Denver back into the postseason for the first time since they won the Super Bowl in 2015? They will not be seeing the usual Chiefs, and they will be at home to get the job done. 

Like the Bengals, the Dolphins need some help to make the playoffs, but Cincinnati does not fall into those cards. 

Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will need to beat their AFC East rival at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and have someone watch the Broncos-Chiefs matchup because they will need a Denver loss along with their win to claim that final playoff spot. 

This is perhaps the best game that Week 18 has to offer NFL fans, because the No. 1 seed in the NFC will be determined by who wins the NFC North. 

Both the Lions and Vikings are 14-2, as the latter has ripped off a nine-game win streak and will be hosting the former on "Sunday Night Football" in a highly anticipated bout between two squads that each would love to host every single playoff game except for the Super Bowl. 

If that is not enough, the loser would be the No. 5 seed – not the No. 2-4 as those are reserved for division winners. Being the No. 5 seed means going on the road to face the winner of the NFC South (on to that in just a second).

Buckle up, football fans. Two of the best offenses squaring off in Week 18 with tons on the line. It is playoff football without the true elimination. 

Once again, the NFC South has not been pretty, but Week 18 provides some suspense as both the Bucs and Falcons will be gunning for that final playoff spot, and it will only be secured by the division title. 

Tampa Bay has the edge, though, as a win over the Carolina Panthers at home would ensure they win the division no matter what happens with the Falcons’ game against the New Orleans Saints. 

However, if the Bucs were to lose and the Falcons were to win, it would be Atlanta winning the division. 

However, they’d have the same 9-8 record, you say? Kirk Cousins might not be Atlanta’s starting quarterback anymore, but he had two of his best games of the season against Tampa Bay, which led to Falcons wins in both matchups. A clean sweep in the regular season means the Falcons own the tiebreaker over the Bucs, which would crown them NFC South champions. 

Both games will be happening at the same time, 1 p.m. ET, which will create the perfect amount of suspense for fans of both franchises. 

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The Detroit Lions technically didn’t need to win Monday night’s matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, begging the question of whether head coach Dan Campbell would pull his starters at some point in this game. 

But, as Campbell has shown us too many times in the past, he’s never going to let up no matter the situation. And after saying it will be "full throttle" on the West Coast this week, he meant it. 

The Lions took down the 49ers, 40-34, where the starters played throughout the game on both sides of the ball. 

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Detroit remembers well what happened in January at Levi’s Stadium, having blown a massive first-half lead in the NFC Championship Game. So, there was a bit of revenge in this one despite the 49ers being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. 

Jared Goff passed his way to three touchdowns, going 26-of-34 for 303 yards in another stellar performance for the Lions. He found Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but by far the best Lions touchdown was yet another lateral play that worked to perfection. 

Earlier this season, it was St. Brown dishing it back to Jahmyr Gibbs for the score against the Arizona Cardinals. Well, the same concept was used as St. Brown caught the quick slant from Goff, but the speedy Jameson Williams came behind him and took the ball to the house on a 41-yard run. 

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At that point, it was a 14-13 game, as Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense were clicking well to start this game. 

Purdy orchestrated three straight touchdown drives against Detroit to open it up, including a strike to rookie Ricky Pearsall on the opening drive of the game. Then, he needed just six plays on the next drive to find Kyle Juszczyk from nine yards out, and the third touchdown was a scramble by Purdy for nine yards to make it 21-13. 

However, the second half saw a Lions dominance that has been felt by many teams this season. It began with a quick opening drive that saw LaPorta get in the end zone from six yards out. But, once again, the 49ers answered with a touchdown of their own, as Deebo Samuel found his way into pay dirt to retake the lead, 28-21. 

This back-and-forth battle was only going to fall off the rails when one team forced the issue, and that’s exactly what Aaron Glenn’s Lions defense did after making it 28-24 with a Jake Bates field goal. 

Kerby Joseph, who now leads the NFL in interceptions this season, picked off a Purdy throw that sailed over Pearsall’s head. And when Detroit creates turnovers, points usually follow. 

That’s when St. Brown’s touchdown, a four-yard catch, came for the Lions, who went for it on fourth-and-goal to take a 31-28 lead. The ensuing drives saw a missed Jake Moody field goal from 58 yards out, followed by yet another Joseph interception, which gave him nine for the year. 

That interception led to the nail in the coffin, as Gibbs, who rushed for 117 yards on just 18 carries, broke a 30-yard touchdown run to add to the Lions’ offensive onslaught. 

Purdy was eventually injured on the final 49ers drive of the game, but backup Josh Dobbs did add to the score with a scramble touchdown run to make it a 40-34 game. But the onside kick attempt to keep the game alive was recovered by Detroit. 

Looking more at the stat sheet, St. Brown led the Lions with eight receptions for 60 yards, while LaPorta finished with 64 yards on six catches. 

Purdy would’ve had a brilliant performance if it wasn’t for the two interceptions, as he was 27-for-35 for 377 yards with three touchdowns. Pearsall had 141 receiving yards for the game-high on eight catches, while George Kittle matched his eight receptions for 112 yards. Jauan Jennings also finished with 67 yards on seven catches. 

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You may not like Dan Campbell's coaching style, but he has his Detroit Lions completely bought in.

Campbell is certainly a risk-taker, which bit him in last year's NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Lions went for it on a couple of late fourth downs, but did not convert. San Fran took full advantage to head back to the Super Bowl.

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Even this year, Campbell is doing the same old. It's seldom talked about when it works, but when it doesn't, it's a never-ending conversation.

But despite what you might think about Campbell's coaching, Lions lineman Josh Paschal says the team has zero issue with it.

"Honestly, we all love it. We love playing for him. When people think that somebody's not doing something great, I just feel like if you change it up, then you’re going out of your identity," Paschal said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "What I love about him so much is he sticks to his identity, he knows who he is as a coach, as a man, and it’s not gonna change."

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One thing that's for certain about Campbell, though, is he is a leader, and the Lions would run through a wall for him.

"I promise you, it would be a Monday at 8 a.m. hearing a speech, and you are ready to rumble right there," Paschal joked. "If anybody needs to get motivated, just a regular 9-5 type of person and get motivated for a workout, wake up in the morning and watch one of his speeches."

The Lions sit at 12-2 atop the NFC North, so it's hard to do much complaining about Campbell, who has turned the organization around completely. 

This may just be the best Lions team of all time, as their offense is one of the best in the league. But they do face a challenge with their second outdoor game of the season in a frigid Chicago on Sunday.

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