Dan Campbell: Lions must remain calm against 'opportunistic' Vikings defense

The 5-0 Vikings host the 4-1 Lions on Sunday in a battle for supremacy in the NFC.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Dan Campbell is preaching the need for his offensive players to remain calm this Sunday, when the 4-1 Lions take on the 5-0 Vikings in a marquee showdown. Detroit comes into the Week 7 matchup with one of the best — if not the best — offenses in the entire league. That unit is set to go toe-to-toe with a similarly dominant Vikings defense that has registered 13 takeaways this season.

"Calm down, calm down," Campbell said Wednesday when asked what the key is to playing against the Vikings' defense. "This is what we did a pretty good job of last year. Now, their personnel is better and now they're two years into this system. So, they've got a pretty good grasp of what they're trying to do. Their disguises are much better. You even see that over these first five games. There's a little bit of everybody's not on the same page and they have capitalized off of that. And not just made plays, they've been critical plays in Minnesota's favor."

The Vikings' defense has mostly shut down high-profile offenses like the 49ers, Texans, and Packers this season in Brian Flores' second year as defensive coordinator. For his part, Flores said Tuesday that he plans to "fight fire with fire" when it comes to facing a Lions offense that leads the league in scoring and ranks third in yards per game this season.

"They don't make it easy and that's part of this defense. They're trying to stress you out. They're trying to strain you," continued Campbell. "It's worked. They've gotten on some people. They've gotten on all of these offenses. They've been able to play their game."

Detroit's offense has come alive over the past two games, averaging 44.5 points against the Seahawks and Cowboys. Campbell called the matchup against the undefeated Vikings a test for the defending NFC North champions.

"These guys are playing really good football," said Campbell. "Active, opportunistic defense. Ball hawks. ... They're playing at a high-level. Pretty good personnel. (Jonathan) Greenard and (Andrew) Van Ginkel have been excellent for them. (Blake) Cashman. And certainly, Harrison (Smith) is still back there. (Cam) Bynum is coming on and (Josh) Metellus I think a lot of. (Ivan) Pace is doing a helluva job. A lot of good guys are active back there. You know, (Brian) Flores is doing a great job with them. Active defense, it really starts with them because these takeaways are really fueling this team right now."

Campbell wasn't just focused on the Vikings' swarming defense, he also noted the need to limit star receiver Justin Jefferson, even if that task is a difficult one.

"Justin Jefferson, he carries a big hat for them," said Campbell. "They're going to find a way to get him the ball. He gets explosives. He's got run-after-catch. He can run the whole route tree. We had firsthand experience with him, just because you got a double, doesn't mean it's over. You got to find a way to body him up and that's what we're going to have to do, we're going to have to put bodies on him because he'll eat you up."

Over the past two years, Jefferson has caught 32 passes for 570 yards and two touchdowns in four games against the Lions — and that includes a 14-yard game. While Detroit overhauled its defense this offseason, Campbell recognizes the challenge that Minnesota's offense poses.

"(Kevin) O'Connell's got them humming, man," said Campbell. "This is going to be a huge challenge for our guys, but we're looking forward to it."