What They're Saying: 'No Need to Freak Out' After Anzalone Injury

Postgame quotes from Lions players after defeating Jaguars.
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46).
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) and linebacker Jack Campbell (46). / Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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Here is a collection of postgame quotes from Detroit Lions coaches and players following their 52-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Dan Campbell

On if the offense has found its groove again after struggles against Houston:

“Yeah, I would say that. Look, everybody on offense is going to get a game ball for that. I mean, that, that was – you get over 600 yards of offense, and you’re whatever that was – five-of-five in the redzone, third down was outstanding, I don’t know how many explosives we had, but we had a ton, and then the first downs, 30-something first downs. I mean, that’s just, that’s a collective effort, that takes a lot of guys to be able to do that. But, we have, we’ve got power up front, with our O-line, and we’ve got some serious juice in the backfield, in the perimeter, and we’ve got the right balance of electricity, and just whatever you want to call it. Sledgehammer, I don’t know.”

Jared Goff

On having several options for plays on offense:

“Sure, yeah, I think the best – exactly what you’re saying, if I get to the third or fourth in the progression, it’s a good player. That’s not the case everywhere, and I don’t take that for granted. It is something that we have the luxury to do with the skilled players we have and the O-line being able to protect long enough for me to get to the third and fourth progression. It’s often a good player that can do something with the ball.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown

On Jameson Williams' touchdown catch:

"I knew the play. He's the primary and I'm running off and I see him catch it. As soon as I seen the safety take the wrong angle and he was out of position, I knew it was a touchdown. I just meet him in the end zone, let him do his celebration, wait like five minutes until he's done and then we'll celebrate together."

Carlton Davis

On how special the Lions' performance was on both sides of the ball:

"We've just got a great team, man. The combination of the defense and offense both playing at a high level is something that I've never really been a part of. It's great to be a part of and it's great to see a team come together and you just see that magic happen on Sundays. So hopefully we just go back to the drawing board, stay humble and continue to improve on what we need to keep this performance up."

Kerby Joseph

On the team's identity:

"Every time we come out there, we're gonna come out there physical, we're gonna clome out there and play tough and be smart and be dependable. We've got to depend on each other. We're the 50 boys, that's a brotherhood. So we've got to be able to be dependable for each other and be trustworthy."

Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31).
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31). / Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Alim McNeill

The key to shutting Jaguars down after Jacksonville scored on first possession:

“Sometimes offenses come out with scripted plays vs. certain looks we might give them, so sometimes things like that happen in the initial series. But, we were just able to see what was going on, see what we needed to defend, where they were trying to attack us. And we were able to get on it fast and shut it down. But, sometimes that happens, the offense comes out with scripted plays, for sure. They might’ve had something that they (had) seen from us from another week or whatever, so who knows.”  

David Montgomery

On the dynamic between he and Jahmyr Gibbs:

"I hope it puts pressure on the defense. Jahmyr's special, and I try to follow suit. I think I'm pretty special too. So just being able to have two guys that can hit and strike at any moment, I think it's big and it's hard to prepare for."

On the team's eight-game winning streak and 9-1 start to the season:

"It's not enough. It's not enough. We've got to keep going. As long as we're going, we're growing. So us as a team, as a collective team, we've got to continue to hold each other accountable, whether it's in practice film, whatever it has to be so that we can take that next step."

Amik Robertson

On what makes the defense so relentless:

“We are a reflection of our coaching staff. And Dan Campbell and (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) A.G. tell us all the time, ‘Finish your food.’ They harp on making sure that guys don’t score the ball on us, because we feel like we are the best defense in the NFL. But it’s also the eye in the sky, and that don’t lie. So we try to put it on tape each and every week. They were just in the way.” 

Shane Zylstra

On significance of win after rough offensive performance against Texans:

“Huge. I think it’s definitely a morale boost. We know who we are as an offense, and we knew we needed to come out and play better than we did last week. And, I think we got that done.”  

On how he would describe the Lions’ offense:

“Explosive. I mean, there’s so many guys that can make plays. It’s hard to just pinpoint one or two guys. There’s players all over the field, so it’s fun.”

Jack Campbell

On how much his job changed when Alex Anzalone went down: 

“It’s just like the next man in. And like, there’s no need to freak out. Just take a deep breath, and the next man’s going to come in and do the job. And the standards don’t change. And I feel like the whole room does a really good job of playing off each other.”  

On what Anzalone means to the team: 

“Alex is huge. He’s just a veteran, he’s been in the organization for a long time. He knows what it’s all about, and he’s been with A.G. (Aaron Glenn) and Dan (Campbell) for a long time as well. He’s just a big piece in this. We’ll see whatever happens with that. But, I’m thinking about him and his family.”


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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!