Under first-year coach Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions had a breakthrough win Sunday.
The Lions upset the Arizona Cardinals to get their first win over a team with a winning record, something that the Falcons are still trying to register under first-year coach Arthur Smith.
The Lions (2-11-1) are set to face the Falcons (6-8) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Campbell and the Lions, who lost their first eight games this season. He believes the 30-12 win over the Cardinals was a good sign for their future.
“When you put in the work and you trust the game plan, you trust yourself and you trust your teammates and we do things a certain way, good things can happen,” Campbell said during his Monday press conference, according to the Detroit Free Press. “There is a way to win in this league. Once again you’ve got to give yourself the best opportunity in this league to have success. If anything … one more time it validates the fact that, ‘Hey man, we can do some things.’”
Before the upset, the Lions had a win over Minnesota and tie against Pittsburgh. They have lost six one-score games. The Falcons are 6-2 in one-score games under Smith.
“We can take teams to the wire,” Campbell said. “We got a chance to win. Look, that’s one of the better teams over there, particularly in the NFC. It just validates that we can do this. Just stay true to our system and what we are preaching.”
Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, who interviewed with the Falcons twice, took over this offseason for the Lions. Holmes was the Rams director of college scouting.
Campbell and Holmes elected to move on from long-time quarterback Matthew Stafford, the former Georgia standout who requested a trade. They have elected to rebuild from the ground floor around veteran quarterback Jared Goff.
The Lions have taken some lumps along the way, including a 34-11 loss to the Bengals on Oct. 17, a 44-6 loss to the Eagles on Oct. 31 and a 38-10 shellacking by the Broncos on Dec. 12. But they partied like rock stars after beating the Vikings 29-27 on Dec. 5 and again after upsetting the Cardinals, who are 10-4 and currently the No. 4 seed for the playoffs in the NFC.
The Lions were leaning heavily on running back D’Andre Swift until the former Georgia standout sustained an injured shoulder in the Thanksgiving Day game.
Swift had amassed 984 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns, running (140 carries) and catching (56) the ball out of the backfield. With the Lions eliminated from the playoffs, Swift likely is shut down for the season.
But Campbell wants to make the Falcons prepare for a possible Swift return.
“I still think we’re taking this week-to-week, day-to-day,” Campbell said. “There again, as of (Monday) morning I know he’s better than he felt last week. He feels better than he was Saturday when we worked with him. Our plan is to work him back into practice this week and see how he feels.”
With Swift and Jamaal Williams (COVID-19) out, running back Craig Reynolds rushed 26 times for 109 yards against the Cardinals.
“Do you carry three backs, four backs, who’s up, who’s down, and so we’ll just play it by ear,” Campbell said. “It’s a good problem to have. If Craig goes into the game, Craig is getting some carries. That’s what I would say. Yeah, he’s warranted that.”
The Lions claimed wide receiver Josh Reynolds off waivers from Tennessee on Nov. 10. He played with Goff when he was with the Rams and signed with Tennessee before they traded with the Falcons for Julio Jones.
Reynolds was behind Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods with the Rams, but with the Lions he’s the No. 1 option.
“I think the addition of (Josh Reynolds) has certainly helped,” Campbell said. “He kind of brings us something that’s a little different flavor. Just his size, length, speed and ball skills. He’s a smart guy. He’s just been a real good addition for us.”
Also, rookie wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, is having a fine season. He leads the Lions with 65 catches, 601 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond, who played at Greater Atlanta Christian and Holy Cross, has 41 receptions for 463 yards and three touchdowns.
The Lions will be without linebacker Alex Anzalone, who was the defensive signal-caller and had 78 tackles on the season.
“He’s got the shoulder (injury), but we don’t believe this is some long-term issue,” Campbell said. “We just know with three games left, that will probably knock him out for the season. He’s been rock solid. He’s been as steady as a rock. He’s really our quarterback on defense. It will hurt.”
Jaylin Reeves-Maybin, who played at Tennessee, took over against the Cardinals.
“Reeves-Maybin had to play 72 plays, man, and he’s the (signal-caller) and he played all-out,” Campbell said. “It wasn’t perfect, but I’ll tell you what, the guy made a ton of plays for us, and that’s a credit to him.”
Detroit outside linebacker Charles Harris, who played with the Falcons in 2020 and signed with the Lions in free agency, has a career-high 7.5 sacks this season.
Harris, who was drafted in the first round (22nd) by the Dolphins in 2017 out of Missouri, was considered a bust in Miami was traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick.
He had a previous career-high three sacks for the Falcons. He signed a one-year deal worth $1.75 million with the Lions.
Harris went off against Arizona on Sunday. He finished with 12 total tackles (seven solo), 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss.
On the season, Harris has 58 tackles, nine tackles for losses and 15 quarterback hits to go with his sacks.
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