The NFC North division champion Detroit Lions have been on a tear during the 2023-24 season. However, the Lions are upset about their Week 17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys after an official made an alleged false call. Head coach Dan Campbell found a way to move past the frustrating loss though.
Lions plan to use their frustration from Week 17 as motivation for their next matchup
Lead referee Brad Allen called a late illegal-man-downfield penalty against the Lions during Sunday's game against the Cowboys. The penalty denied Detroit's two-point conversion, which would have given them an upper hand on Dallas. Still, the Lions could have played better on both sides of the ball.
Dan Campbell explained how Detroit is using their loss as motivation against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18:
“I've got controlled fury. I'm ready to go. I am absolutely ready to go…we're on a mission. We're not gonna wallow and feel sorry for ourselves,” Campbell said, per Ari Mierov. Despite his frustration, the head coach acknowledged that Detroit failed to make enough plays on Sunday.
Article Continues BelowCampbell and the team want to avenge their performance in their next matchup.
“So we will use this as fuel. I got pure octane right now. I woke up, I'm ready. So we're moving forward,” Campbell asserted.
Furthermore, the Lions head coach called the two-point conversation fiasco a blessing in disguise, the Pride of Detroit reports. Detroit has the blessing of being able to learn from their struggles on Sunday as they enter their final matchup of the season.
The Lions are fired up for a victory in Week 18, but so are the Vikings. Minnesota fell to 7-9 after a brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings want to extend Detroit's frustration in their regular season finale. Can the Lions turn their frustration into success as the NFL Playoffs approach?