Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is over the moon to be heading on the road next week to take on the Green Bay Packers with a spot in the playoffs potentially up for grabs.
The Lions bounced back from a loss last week to trounce the Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday, making it seven wins from their past nine fixtures and improving their record to 8-8.
There was also some history made by the second overall selection from the 2022 NFL Draft, with Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson snagging his third interception to tie the record for the most by a defensive lineman in a season in the Super Bowl era.
Hutchinson also shared a sack with teammate Ifeatu Melifonwu, one of seven total sacks on Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Campbell pointed to a fully padded practice on Wednesday as the rallying point for his side facing a tricky quarterback matchup with their season on the line.
"We went full pads on Wednesday and said we were going to get our identity back, and we're going to recalibrate, and those guys did that," he said.
"They trusted us, and they came out and it looked like that. It looked like we were ready to go, it looked like we were more physical. I was proud of them.
"Here's the hard thing with playing a guy like [Justin] Fields, man. If you just come barrelling off the edge, and you're out of control, then he's gone.
"So you have to be able to bring a little bit of force and close the pocket in on him, but you can't commit one way or another because he'll break contain again.
"While all this is happening, our back-end is having to cover their rear off for five, six, seven seconds at a time. You give up a couple of holding calls, that's not an easy task there.
"But all-in-all, I thought we snapped back on defense. We were much more physical, we got takeaways, we got sacks, we were disruptive."
Detroit's win keeps their season alive for at least one more week, and Campbell said he feels blessed to get a chance to play a massive January game at the famous Lambeau Field.
"I think it means everything," he said. "I think it's just so special – it's as good as it can get, seriously.
"You get to go to Lambeau – historic Lambeau – where the top of this division has been Green Bay every year for years, with a chance to earn your right to potentially get in.
"Even if we do get the win, it doesn't mean we're guaranteed to get in. But I know this, we're guaranteed to get one more week, and so I just think this is as special as it gets. I don't think you'd want it any other way."
The Lions will be relying on another strong performance from quarterback Jared Goff, who Campbell said is "extremely hot" after his three-touchdown effort.
"He has a ton of confidence right now, and he's had that for a while," he said. "He's played pretty well all year.
"You can just tell he's in this mode right now where you feel like every time you dial up a pass, he's going to find somebody. He's going to find the throw, he's going to get it to the guy that's open.
"That's a great feeling, man. To feel your quarterback is in that mode, and he's been there, that's a great feeling."
Goff himself has played in playoff games and took the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl appearance, but he still acknowledged how meaningful it still is to just have a chance at making the postseason.
"It's huge," he said. "Not every team, players, young guys get an opportunity to play in games like this.
"There are a bunch of guys here who, for the first half of their careers, have not had a chance to play a game in January that means something, and we're going to get that chance next week.
"Whether it gets us in or not, that's not up to us, but we're going in there and trying to win, and see where everything falls at the end."
Buccaneers, Antoine Winfield Jr. agree to four-year, $84M deal
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to a four-year, $84.1million contract extension, Winfield’s agent announced Monday.
The contract makes Winfield the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back and the first safety to ever hold that distinction.
Winfield’s contract includes $45m in guaranteed money. He had been scheduled to make about $17m next season under the franchise tag.
Winfield’s agent David Mulugheta posted the news on social media with a screen capture of the moment he informed Winfield that the deal was done.
"Couldn't be happier to make this call and let Antoine know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL," Mulugheta wrote.
"In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members.
"Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will forever be etched in history as the first. I appreciate your trust and cannot wait to see you back on the field."
Winfield, 25, is the son of retired defensive back Antoine Winfield Sr. and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round in 2020.
The 2023 All-Pro has become one of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the league and is coming off his best season.
In 17 games last season, Winfield set career bests with six sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Winfield is the latest key contributor to be signed to an extension by the Buccaneers this offseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David all signed deals this spring to remain with Tampa Bay.
Detroit Lions QB Goff agrees to $212M extension
The Detroit Lions and quarterback Jared Goff have agreed to a four-year, $212 million extension that will make him the NFL's second-highest-paid player, multiple outlets reported Monday.
According to NFL.com, Goff's new deal will begin in 2025 and includes an option for the 2028 season. The Associated Press reports that the three-time Pro Bowler will receive $170 million in guaranteed money.
Goff's average annual value of $53 million per year during the extension is surpassed only by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for the highest in the NFL. Burrow will earn $55 million per year on a five-year, $275 million extension that begins this season.
The Lions have now locked up three core offensive players from a team that reached the 2023 NFC Championship game this offseason. Detroit previously signed top wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year, $120 million extension and All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to a four-year, $112 million deal last month.
Goff was entering the final season of a four-year, $134 million contract he signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. The Lions acquired the 29-year-old from the Rams in March 2021 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent long-time Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles.
The trade has worked out very well for both teams. While the Rams won a Super Bowl in Stafford's first season, the Lions have gone 21-13 with Goff at quarterback over the past two years and reached the play-offs for the first time since 2016 after going 12-5 and winning the NFC's North Division in 2023.
Detroit then recorded post-season wins over the Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to earn the franchise's first appearance in the conference title game since 1991.
Goff's 4,575 passing yards in 2023 ranked second in the NFL and his 30 touchdown passes were the fourth-highest total in the league. Over his three seasons in Detroit, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick has compiled 12,258 passing yards with 78 touchdown passes and just 27 interceptions for a passer rating of 96.5.
Prior to his arrival with the Lions, Goff spent his first five seasons with the Rams. The best of those campaigns came in 2018, when he set career highs in passing yards (4,688) and touchdown passes (32) while leading the Rams to an appearance in Super Bowl LIII.
Buccaneers, Antoine Winfield Jr. agree to 4-year, $84M deal
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to a four-year, $84.1million contract extension, Winfield’s agent announced Monday.
The contract makes Winfield the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back and the first safety to ever hold that distinction.
Winfield’s contract includes $45million in guaranteed money.
Winfield had been scheduled to make about $17million next season under the franchise tag.
Winfield’s agent, David Mulugheta posted the news on social media with a screen capture of the moment he informed Winfield that the deal was done.
“Couldn't be happier to make this call and let @antoinewinfieldjr know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest paid defensive back in the NFL. In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members,” Mulugheta wrote in the post.
“Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will forever be etched in history as the first. I appreciate your trust and cannot wait to see you back on the field.”
Winfield, 25, is the son of retired defensive back Antoine Winfield Sr. and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round in 2020.
The 2023 All-Pro has become one of the best and most versatile defensive backs in the league and is coming off his best season.
In 17 games last season, Winfield set career bests with six sacks, three interceptions, 12 pass deflections, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Winfield is the latest key contributor to be signed to an extension by the Buccaneers this offseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David all signed deals this spring to remain with Tampa Bay.
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