Dan Campbell Says Jameson Williams Apologized After Penalty

Everything Campbell said after first Thanksgiving win.

Detroit Lions winning head coach Dan Campbell. / David Reginek-Imagn Images

Here is everything Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the Lions defeated the Chicago Bears to improve to 11-1 on the season.

Opening Statement:

“Alright. Happy Thanksgiving. Hey, good win. I mean, you find a way to get the “W,” that’s ultimately what we did and we found a way. Credit to thatteam, they played hard, we knew they would. Hard-fought game and I just thought there was a number of things, you know, I thought we started off pretty hot offensively. And defensively, getting the three-and-outs, really getting them off the field, and really chewing up all the first half. But the turnover going in, the penalties that we had in the red zone, hurt us, you know. A little bit of the details of the passing game hurt us in some things. Thought we ran it pretty good, but ultimately that one right before halftime, they go for it on fourth down, we stop them, now we have the ball and we give it back to them. It didn’t cost us anything, and that hurts, so that gives you a little momentum. And they come out, they score after halftime. But what I loved is our offense went down and scored, we answered back. So, even when things aren’t working perfect, we play complementary football. We go three-and-out, man, Jack Fox, what a massive punt, puts it down there on the one-yard line, that’s a huge play—and then ultimately our defense at the end of that game holds. So, I’m proud of the way they fought. We did what we had to do. We’re going to move forward. We’re going to enjoy this first Thanksgiving win since I’ve been here, and our guys are going to enjoy it. We’re going to enjoy it. We’ve got a couple of days off before we’re back getting ready for Green Bay, our players do, and then we’re on to the next one. So proud of the guys.”

On Za’Darius Smith’s performance and his sack before the last play of the game: 

“Yeah, I mean, look, our guys up front, I thought, played their tails off. Za’Darius (Smith) did some really good things. I thought DJ Reader, I thought he was outstanding. Mac (Alim McNeill), I thought (Josh) Paschal before he had the injury, I thought (Al-Quadin) Al-Muhammad played big for us—it was good to get him back in the lineup. He’s a relentless player, gives you all he’s got. Great job with the defensive staff getting the next guy up because we did, we got hit pretty good. We lost a number of guys, and so those guys stepped up and helped us. The sack right before the last play of the game, it was huge.”

On his emotion in the final minute of the game: 

“Yeah, well, look, I think I really felt like the takeaway was coming—I really felt like we were going to get a takeaway, like it was coming. I really did. That one didn’t, but obviously we won the way we did, so no I didn’t expect that. But I’ll take it. I did feel like we were going to make a stand. I didn’t see it happening in that way, but that’s – You get in those type of games, and you get in those situations, and you’re just trying to play off of them, do the best you can because I’m also, in my head, thinking before that, ‘Do we need to use a timeout?’ Give yourself a chance to answer back if they tie it? But yet, if you don’t, and now you allow them more time to score a touchdown and win the game. You’re going through all these scenarios. I was just proud of the way the defense held. I felt good about us doing it, holding, I just didn’t know how it was going to play out.”

On escaping with a win by a close margin today: 

“Look, I told the team, that’s what I said. You know, if you’re not careful, you start grading your own wins, and it’s good because you have these standards—the way you think you should play, by your own standards, by what you have. Has nothing to do with the opponent, it’s just you know yourselves, and you know what you’re capable of. And so, if you’re not careful, you start going too far down that thing. Then you start taking wins for granted. Ultimately, that’s a good win against an opponent that has fought every week, and this was the third game in a row, division game, that those guys have brought it over there. So we did what we had to do to win. We’ll clean up the other stuff that cost us some points. I’m not worried about that. But I will take this “W” and I’m not going to lose sleep over it.”

On if he includes Jameson Williams’ taunting penalty in what needs to be cleaned up:

“Yeah, and look, I’ll be honest with you, that’s already cleaned up. It’s already cleaned up. So, we’re good. And as a matter of fact, Jamo got right in front of the team a minute ago, unsolicited, and wanted to apologize to his teammates. That’s big, that’s growth. So all good.”

MORE: Lions Survive Bears Surge, Win 23-20 Thanksgiving Game

On the late decision to make Emmanuel Moseley inactive: 

“So, (Emmanuel) Moseley had—really, pregame—had something kind of pop up, and we just didn’t feel good about him being able to go, having enough to really go full speed. And that’s really what that came down to. So, obviously, we came out of this game without him getting any worse.”

On the decision to not start Terrion Arnold: 

“Yeah, we just wanted to make sure he was good. I mean, the last we saw him was before Indianapolisand then he couldn’t make that game. So, we just wanted to, we felt good about bringing him to the game, we just kind of wanted to work our way in. We felt good about (Lions CB Kindle) Vildor and (Khalil) Dorse (Dorsey), and once we got him [Arnold] in there and saw him after the next possession, then he was good, and we let him go.”

On the importance of getting Sam LaPorta back into the production today:

 “Yeah, yeah. It was good. I mentioned that I feel like this is the healthiest he’s been in a while during the season. He’s in good shape. Sometimes, I don’t want to say you take it for granted, but you forget, you forget all that he does for us. And man, he really helps us in the run game, as well as what you see in the pass game. He’s a good player, and honestly he makes the offense better, and he and (Lions TE) Brock (Wright) run right together. It allows us to put Brock where he belongs, which makes him a better player, which, in turn, makes us a better offense, and so on.”

On his mood today after his first Thanksgiving win with the Lions: 

“Listen, much better. Much better. I will take a “W.” Look, that’s division win number three, which is huge, especially in the race we’re in right now, and then that’s win 11, and it’s another conference win. Listen, I feel good, and I’m going to take that “W,” and I’m going to enjoy this Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and all of your families and everybody out there. I’m going to enjoy this.”

On injuries to the defensive line continuing to pop up: 

“Let me ask you this, does it really matter? Like who cares? You know, and that’s the thing, that’s what I go back to. It doesn’t matter. Either it is or it isn’t, and we get a guy back, or we don’t get a guy back. Worrying about it, and moaning about it, and bitching about it – It’s like calls, right? It’s like the call. It’s like (Kindle) Vildor. I could sit there and throw a fit about it. What does it matter? It’s called, it’s done. So, I know this, whoever we have available, we’re going to get them ready to play, and we expect them to hold the line, period. You’ve got to do your job, and everybody around you is looking for you to do your job. So, we’ll give the best opportunity to have success, or put you in the best position to have success, and we’ll go. If we’ve got to do something different, we’ve got defensive injuries that make us do something different offensively and special teams, we’ll do that. If it’s offensively, we’ll play a little differently on defense or special teams, and we’ll find a way to balance levees.”

On the injury status of Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike: 

“I feel like it’ll be okay. It could be a little bit. They could be down for a little bit. Look, I’ll be honest with you, I think (Malcolm) Rodrigo (Rodriguez) is the one that could be the worst. And I don’t know how significant it’ll be just yet, but he’s the one I fear a little bit, could be down.”

His thoughts on Kindle Vildor’s pass interference penalty: 

“Yeah, I didn’t have a problem with the coverage. That’s probably the best way to say it. I thought those guys were competing for the ball, and I liked his coverage there. I loved the way – It’s why Vildor’s here. We love the way he competes. You don’t worry about him—‘It’s too big for him, or he’s not going to go out there, and he’s not going to fight the guy’—we know exactly what he is, and we love it. We love who he is and the way he plays.”