There was no honeymoon period for Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions.
Tasked with turning around one of the NFL‘s most dysfunctional franchises as a first-time head coach was no easy task.
The Lions went 32 years without a playoff win[/caption]
And five games into his first season, it looked like it was beyond him.
The Lions suffered a heartbreaking 19-17 loss to the division rival Minnesota Vikings – a second defeat to a game-ending field goal from 50-plus yards in three weeks.
Campbell did not hold back in his post-game interview, but instead of blaming his players or the officials, he showed the passion and emotion he is now renowned for.
“You want it for yourself as an organization and for all of us,” the 48-year-old said while fighting back tears.
“But you want it for the players. They’re out there busting their ass. It’s tough.
“When you see your players give all that they have and you lose that way it’s tough. You don’t want that for them.”
The Lions lost 10 of their first 11 games that season – a 16-16 tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers the only respite.
Three wins in the final weeks may have saved Campbell’s job – and saw him star in front of the Hard Knocks cameras the following offseason.
From hyping up his players to getting down to do push-ups with them, Campbell’s man-management style was the perfect fit for a franchise that was down on its luck.
A 1-6 start ended any realistic hopes of a postseason run in 2022, while the San Francisco 49ers were too strong in the NFC Championship Game last time around.
Campbell is re-writing the history books[/caption]
But the mentality instilled by Campbell is now taking effect and the 10-1 Lions are off to their best start since 1934 and enjoying back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time ever.
Post-Barry Sanders, Detroit went over a century of games without a running back topping 100 yards.
The new regime has overseen a run of rushing for a touchdown in an NFL-record 25 consecutive games – a dominant physical style befitting their hometown.
Having snapped a 32-year stretch without a playoff win last season, one of the NFL’s oldest franchises must break a losing run in a game it created.
Detroit’s clash with the Chicago Bears was the original Thanksgiving contest 90 years ago.
But the Lions have a dreadful record on the holiday, they have lost seven straight – including three under Campbell.
Center Frank Ragnow has family over every year and is desperate to have something good to talk about this time.
“Usually, in the past years it’s been like don’t really want to talk to my family, all upset about everything,” Ragnow said ahead of a divisional showdown with the Bears.
“So I’d really like to enjoy Thanksgiving. And put on a show for the crowd cause it’s a unique environment and we don’t take it for granted. It’s a special, special game and it’d be really nice to get a W.”
“I think we’re all pretty aware (of the losing streak),” Ragnow added. “It’s such a special, unique thing to Detroit and we need to capitalize on that, we need to make it as special as it is and I think we’ve all got that in the back of our mind.”
The Bears have lost five straight but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is showing sings of life.
And Campbell knows there is a lot at stake with another NFC North rival in the Green Bay Packers up in another Thursday Night Football clash next week.
The Lions coach has lost by two, three, and seven points at Thanksgiving.
“Nobody likes losing,” Campbell said. “I don’t want to lose. I don’t want to lose a game, and I don’t think any of us do.
“But it’s more about division opponent, at home, the next one in front of us – more so than we don’t want to lose a Thanksgiving game.
“I mean, we don’t want to lose period, so I think that’s really more what this is. This is a big game, division opponent, and these carry a lot of weight.”
The short week does not leave much time to prepare and Campbell compared the schedule to Hell Week with the Navy SEALs.
“It’s nowhere even close to the same (but) it reminds me of Hell Week with the Seals when you hear them talk about that and it’s like whatever they get, an hour or whatever and the bell rings and you’re gone, you’re onto the next thing,” he said.
“So it’s like these just every once in a while (you take) these power naps.
“You just hit it and you’re up, so that’s kind of where we’re at, man, just enough to refresh the brain and hit it again.”
Ragnow echoed his coach and said players had to zone in on football and nothing else.
“I think coach Campbell put it best, you just kind of have to let your family members know and everything that you’ll be available after the game,” he said.
“As hard cut as that is, that’s the reality. We only have so much time to prepare and recover and that’s what we’re all trying to do is just kind of focus on one day at a time and once everything’s over then we’ll enjoy the turkey and everything.”
If the Lions can break their Thanksgiving streak, the fans will know who they can be thankful for.
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