Dan Campbell knows the Seahawks will have plenty to play for Sunday at Ford Field, coming off a humbling loss in their season opener. So he reminded his team Tuesday, "We got something we’re playing for, too." In a word, payback.
You remember Week 4 of last season: Seahawks 48-Lions 45, in what would ultimately give Seattle the tiebreaker over Detroit for the final playoff spot in the NFC. And you probably remember Week 17 of the season before that: Seahawks 51-Lions 29.
"We remember," Jared Goff said Tuesday. "They’ve beaten us two years in a row and yeah, we want to get our shot back."
Last season was especially ugly for the defense. The Lions failed to force a punt on their own turf. Geno Smith was nearly perfect and Seattle's rushing attack was unstoppable. As Campbell said Wednesday on 97.1 The Ticket, "The only thing they didn’t do well on offense was miss a field goal."
"Believe us, we remember that," he said. "We remember a lot of things about that game. They also had a pick-six to the house. There’s things that we have motivation for here, and we know what we’re playing for."
All told, the Lions have allowed 99 points and over 1,000 yards in their last two games against the Seahawks, who also shattered Detroit's playoff dreams on the final day of last season. Both teams considers themselves contenders in the NFC this season. The Lions, coming off a statement win in the opener, can take another step Sunday toward proving it -- while getting one back on the Seahawks.
"I know not every player on this team has been here, but I have and my coaches have and there is a significant amount of guys who have been here, and these guys have gotten us for two years. They’ve really rubbed our noses in it. They’re also the ones that knocked us out of the playoffs last year, so I think we’re playing for a lot. It’s time for us to do something here," Campbell said. "Enough is enough."
It won't be easy, no matter how poorly the Seahawks played last week. In fact, that's exactly why it will be a challenge. Pete Carroll's teams aren't used to getting push around, at home, the way they were by the Rams in a 30-13 loss. Even with a banged-up offensive line that lost both starting tackles last week, the Seahawks will be out for redemption themselves.
"We expect a physical battle, and we’ll be physical, but we expect them to freaking load it up and just run it downhill," said Campbell. "Give us every gap scheme you can imagine, they’ll run some of the zone, some of the RPO, but they’re going to run it, man. Knowing Coach Carroll, he’s going to get back to his basics, his roots, and see if we can handle it."
The Lions handled the run well last week, holding Chiefs running backs to 3.2 yards per carry. They allowed 5.3 to running backs last season, including 7.2 against the Seahawks. Reverse that, and the Lions can reverse the score.
"I just got a hunch after last week’s game they’re going to do everything they can to shorten this game and really hammer it at us," said Campbell. "If we can’t stop the run, we’re going to be in trouble. And you can say that every week, but I know that against this team."