Did Dan Campbell’s ‘2 weeks’ Comment Hint at a Rams Loss?
Lions head coach Dan Campbell is already looking ahead to the game against the Vikings.
Either Campbell expects the Minnesota Vikings to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round, or perhaps he mistakenly believes Kevin O’Connell is still the offensive coordinator for the Rams under Sean McVay. Alternatively, Campbell might have been teasing O’Connell when he said, “I’ll see you in two weeks” following Detroit’s season-finale win.
Over the past 48 hours, speculation has swirled around Campbell’s remark to O’Connell, suggesting it could be a vote of confidence for his division rival, implying Minnesota is too strong to lose in the first round. It’s also possible Campbell was unaware the Rams were O’Connell’s next opponents.
Could there be a simpler explanation for Campbell’s six-word message?
After all, the Lions secured the top seed and a bye week with their victory over the Vikings in the season finale. Saying, “I’ll see you in two weeks” might simply mean, “We have a bye week, and you don’t.”
There seems to be no clear reason for Campbell to hold any grudge against the Rams unless he’s particularly close to Jared Goff. Since becoming the Lions’ head coach in 2021, Campbell’s team has a 2-1 record against the Rams, including last year’s wild card game and their latest encounter this season.
Moreover, Campbell has won five consecutive games against O’Connell as NFC North rivals, including a 31-9 victory on Sunday night. His comment could just as easily mean, “I hope to see you in two weeks.”
Perhaps Campbell’s words weren’t a jab at the Rams but rather an expression of hope to face the Vikings again instead of the Rams.
Regardless, the Rams won’t be playing the Lions next week—they’re up against the Vikings. If the Rams want to use this comment as motivation against O’Connell, it might work, but it’s doubtful Campbell had the Rams on his mind when he made the statement.
Perhaps he will in two weeks.
