Dan Campbell inadvertently gave the Rams playoff bulletin board material for the Vikings (and Lions)
Dan Campbell likely didn’t have ill-intent behind it, but his quip to Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell after the Lions beat Minnesota in Sunday’s season finale may come back to bite both teams in the rear end.
Campbell told O’Connell “I’ll see you in two weeks,” in what was a clear sign of his respect for how good the Vikings are and expectation that he’ll have to play them again. The only problem is it completely overlooked the Los Angeles Rams, who the Vikings have to beat first to make another meeting with the Lions a reality.
Also worth noting, the Rams are at home for that Wild Card game against the Vikings, who are currently favored by just 1.5 points at BetMGM.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1876125127244718357
The Rams could use that comment as fuel against both the Vikings and the Lions, if they are in fact able to force a rematch with the team that eliminated from the playoffs last year.
A couple of other teams that may also feel slighted by what Campbell had to say are the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders. The idea that Detroit would play Minnesota in the second round completely dismisses the possibility of Green Bay upsetting the Eagles (-4.5) in the first round or the Commanders beating the Buccaneers (-3), scenarios that could force one of those teams to play Detroit instead of Minnesota, depending on the lowest seed that advances.
Campbell probably didn’t know cameras were going to catch his words, but they did and now the Lions likely have a bigger target on them than before.