Dan Campbell: I Got 'Verification' on What I Already Knew

Lions expected to defeat Chiefs in the season opener.

The Detroit Lions are now a football team that expects to win NFL football games. 

In years past, mistakes could not be overcome. Now, Detroit's young roster, who have been battle tested over the course of the past 24 months, have the ability to move on to the next play. 

Speaking to reporters after a close 21-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Dan Campbell expressed he did not learn anything new about his squad. 

Detroit's third-year head coach got validation the hard work put in and the players brought to the roster were going to benefit the organization. 

“I didn’t learn anything. I got verification on what I already knew. This is a resilient team," said Campbell. "It already was a resilient team and we added pieces to that resilient team. We are built to handle some stuff and we did that today against a very good opponent.”

While the victory against the defending Super Bowl champ is only worth one in the win column, the team can clean up their myriad of mistakes still knowing they defeated a quality opponent without playing their best football. 

“I think we expected to win this game," Campbell said. "We came in here and we knew what we needed to do, and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We did that. What it really means is that it is one. That is one. We have to clean up our issues that hurt us on some stuff today and be ready for Seattle in 10 days. That is what it is.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown, who understood the struggles the team had the past two years, is sensing the growing confidence of his teammates. 

“My rookie year, it feels like those games are losses for us, every time, just chalk it up. Now I feel like we are winning every game," St. Brown said. "I go into every game thinking we better win and if we don’t, there is something wrong. This is the mentality I feel like we all have, and it helps going into the games. That confidence, that swagger we have, hopefully you guys can see it too from the outside in. I love this team.”