Coach Dan Campbell told Lions after their win over the Packers, “We’re destined for this”

The Detroit Lions might be injury-riddled in 2024, with key players like defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (broken fibula and tibula), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (out for the season after tearing ACL against the Bears on Thanksgiving), linebacker Derrick Barnes (likely out for season with knee injury), linebacker Jaylen-Reeves Maybin (neck injury) and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle and finger injuries) either spending most of the season on the IR or being ruled out for the rest of the season altogether.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell doesn’t think these key injuries — no matter how devastating or profuse — will get in the way of the team’s success in the grand scheme of things however.

“I’m so freaking proud of you men,” Campbell told the Lions after their win over the Packers in the locker room post-game. “That’s how you show up. You talk about pressure? We live in pressure. That’s where we freakin’ thrive. You did it again. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing in front, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, you always find a way to win. This has been in the making, men. This has been in the making. We were all supposed to be here together. We’re destined for this. Just stay the course.”

The Lions after their win over the Packers now sport a 12-1 record, the best in the NFC North and the entire league for that matter. The win on Monday also saw the Lions clinch their second consecutive playoff berth, the only other team in the NFL to do so thus far this season besides the 11-1 Kansas City Chiefs.

With so many defensive injuries for the Lions, Campbell knew that the offense was going to have to pick up the slack, a notion he made clear to quarterback Jared Goff heading into the important divisional game against the Packers.

“We came into this game knowing we were going to do it a little bit more than usual,” Goff said, per the official Lions website. “Dan had mentioned that early in the week. He was really going to lean on our offense to make some things happen and be aggressive on fourth down if the opportunity presented itself.”

Were you impressed with the Detroit Lions after their win over the Packers on Monday? Do you agree with head coach Dan Campbell that the Lions are destined for greatness this postseason? Let us know in the comments.