Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke to the media Tuesday after Monday's thrilling 42-29 win over Seattle at Ford Field.
Campbell really likes how the Lions have played complementary football to get to 3-1 going into the bye this week. Monday, they needed their offense to step up in a big way, which they did. In wins over the Rams and Cardinals, it was the defense. That's the sign of a good football team.
Here are all the key questions from Campbell's Tuesday media session:
Did quarterback Jared Goff ever get his game ball?
Yes, he did.
Campbell didn't realize Goff went 18-for-18 passing when he gave game balls to wide receiver Jameson Williams and safety Kerby Joseph immediately following the win Monday. Campbell said Tuesday they always have one or two more game balls ready for after they watch the tape and have the team meeting. Goff got his well-deserved game ball on Tuesday.
Who stood out to Campbell from Monday's game after watching the tape?
Offense: Goff, center Graham Glasgow, running back David Montgomery, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Williams.
Defense: Joseph and cornerback Carlton Davis III.
Special teams: Cornerback Khalil Dorsey, linebacker Ben Niemann and cornerback Kindle Vildor.
Is Campbell happy with where the team is at headed into the bye?
Of course he'd love to be 4-0, but he is happy with where they are at headed into an early bye week.
"I am pleased with where we're at right now," he said. "Relative to where we're at, I feel like we're beginning to find our stride. I don't believe what we saw (Monday) is our defense. I believe we are finding our rhythm offensively and that makes me feel good.
"And I know that we're going to continue to get better and better. We have so many areas to improve in and that we will and that we have."
Campbell really feels good about the growth they've seen through the first four weeks with a lot more to come.
What is the plan for the bye week from a coaching perspective?
Usually the bye week gives coaches an opportunity to self-scout the schemes and the players, but because this is such an early bye for the Lions in Week 5, Campbell is taking a little different approach.
"You'll gain a few things looking at yourself through four weeks but we've kind of been in that mode," Campbell said. "So, there's not a lot we're going to learn here. I think more importantly it's – I told the coaches I really want us to look at ourselves more than the players."
Campbell thinks this early in the season, it's more about evaluating themselves as position coaches, coordinators and head coach, and assess where they are at - what they are doing well and not doing well and how do they help the players and continue to put them in good positions to make plays. That's the emphasis this week when the coaches come back from a couple days off.
Who is Campbell really excited about watching when they get back from the bye week?
Campbell mentioned two young players Tuesday he thinks are really coming on. He talked about second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs and second-year tight end Sam LaPorta.
Gibbs ran 14 times for 78 yards (5.6 avg.) with two touchdowns against the Seahawks. He has over 350 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns in four games. LaPorta caught four passes for 53 yards Monday.
"I felt like (Gibbs) and LaPorta both yesterday they looked like, 'OK, here we go now.' They have their legs back under them and I feel like they look as healthy as they've looked since the beginning of training camp," Campbell said.
Campbell thinks Gibbs is close to breaking a bunch of runs.
