The Detroit Lions are the hottest team in the NFL, no matter if their code words and protections have been leaked for the entire world to see.
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs made the foolish mistake when he accidentally posted a video of fellow running back, Jermar Jefferson, on Instagram, that included a whiteboard in the background consisting of some of Detroit’s protection calls.
Of course that is a pretty significant and careless error on Gibbs’ part.
However, head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t seem to give a damn.
“I don’t really give a crap,” Campbell said Monday in his weekly radio interview on Detroit’s WXYT-FM (97.1).
“If we’re going to lose because of code words then we’re not good enough anyway.
“So I think we’ll just post the whole fricking playbook out there and every code we’ve got. And it doesn’t matter.
“It’s not going to hurt us, it won’t affect us and it’s all good.”
Sitting at 11-1, currently the one seed in the NFC, Campbell and the Lions have much bigger things to worry about than whatever is accidentally posted on social media.
“Listen, it’s all out there and you can find any and everything that you need on the tape and how to attack people, how they’re going to attack you and no, listen, I’m not losing sleep over that.
“Now, do I want us posting stuff up from out locker room or our players or whatever? No, I don’t because you don’t know what’s going to happen with something like that.
“But no, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal.”
Campbell even noted that he had already joked about it with Gibbs.
“I messed with him, so it’s good,” Campbell said. “I’m not even worried about it.”
What Campbell and the Lions are focusing on, is the massive heavyweight tilt on Thursday night against fellow NFC North rival, the 9-3 Green Bay Packers.
A Detroit victory will go a long way in claiming the NFC’s top seed.
The Lions haven’t lost since Week 2 against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers escaped Ford Field with a 20-16 win.
Since then, it’s been a tidal wave of Honolulu blue across the NFL.
Quarterback Jared Goff is playing at an MVP-level, Gibbs and fellow running back, David Montgomery, have formed the NFL’s best 1-2 punch, nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles.
Pair that with an extremely stout defense, and there’s no surprise why Detroit is currently the favorite to raise the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.
It is the first time in franchise history that Detroit is favored to win the Super Bowl.
These aren’t your dad’s Lions.
These are Campbell’s.
In 2021, Campbell’s first year at the helm, the Lions finished 3-13-1.
That feels like decades ago.
Campbell has built a foundation of grit and toughness.
A foundation that a lot of people made fun of him for during his introductory press conference about biting knee-caps.
Not so funny now.
It’s because of the foundation and culture Campbell has built that they are so easily able to shrug off Gibbs’ mistake and keep it moving.
It’s going to take a lot more than just a couple of code words and protections sets being leaked to slow down the Lions.
As Campbell alluded to, you might just need their entire playbook.
