“Give Credit to Dan Campbell”: Matt Patricia Reflects on Lions’ Winning Streak After He Left Detroit

For much of the Super Bowl Era, the Detroit Lions have been an afterthought. They still carry a bit of the “loveable loser” mantra with them to this day. Fans of franchises outside the NFC North love seeing them have success.

In 2018, Detroit hired former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as their head coach. The Lions hoped he would bring the Patriots’ winning culture with him to the Motor City. Unfortunately, he did not. Patricia went 13-29-1 before being fired during his third year in Detroit.

The next offseason, the Lions hired Dan Campbell. He had even less success in his first season (3-13-1) than Patricia (6-10). But Campbell quickly righted his ship. Since then, Detroit is 32-14 (.696) and entered Thursday Night Football riding a 10-game winning streak. Patricia applauded Campbell’s ability to mold the Lions into a quality team when speaking with NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt on Thursday morning.

“Give credit to Dan Campbell and what he was able to do to just get the entire building to follow what he wanted them to do [and] believe in what they were preaching… you get a little bit of that success, you get a little bit of that belief… sometimes it just needs a little bit of a spark.”

Detroit made their first NFC Championship appearance in more than three decades last season. At 12-1 through the 2024 campaign, they’re slated to have home-field advantage for their potential Super Bowl run.

Dan Campbell brought an identity of grit to the Lions

Detroit is considered one of America’s most blue-collar towns. The city’s identity is one of tough labor, hard work and earning your keep in the old-fashioned sense. Campbell’s Lions embody this spirit and mentality. Their offense averages the most points per game in the NFL, but is predicated on its mauling offensive line and two-headed rushing attack more than aerial dominance.

Defensively, they yield the league’s second-fewest points per contest (16.9). They hit you hard, beat you up and steal your lunch money. Through Week 13, coordinator Aaron Glenn’s unit had as many takeaways (19) as total touchdowns allowed.

Detroiters used to cover their heads with paper bags when the Lions played. Now, their chests swell with pride. And if Campbell continues orchestrating wins, they all could be attending a parade come February.