With the Detroit Lions securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a well-deserved bye week before their playoff run begins, head coach Dan Campbell is focused on balancing rest with preparation as his team gears up for the postseason.
“Keep the Engine Idling”
When asked about how he plans to handle the time off, Campbell shared his philosophy on maintaining momentum. “Enjoy it, just sit back for a minute,” Campbell said, as quoted by Justin Rogers. “It’s really one of those things where, for the players, you just want to keep the engine idling. That’s probably the best way to say it. You don’t want to turn it off. Let’s just leave it in idle.”
Campbell is aiming for a balance between rest and maintaining sharpness during the downtime. The team will practice on Thursday, focusing on “good-on-good” drills, though the intensity will be dialed back. The practices will center on end-of-half and end-of-game situations, but there will be no pads involved. “Most of it will be situations; end of half, end of game… just to stay in flow,” he explained.
The Secret Weapon: Rest and Refresh
As Campbell noted, it’s crucial to stay prepared without overdoing it. While the players will take some time to rest and recharge, Campbell's coaching staff will use the time wisely too. “I’m going to get a little bit of work over the next two days,” he said. “I’ll have stuff with me, and there will be some little things that I’m working on — things I know that I can do better, get better at, things that I want to look at, do my own checklist.”
However, the break won’t be all work. Campbell plans to take some time for himself and his family. “I want to spend time with my family and just sit back for a minute and just charge back up and be ready to go,” Campbell said, signaling his intent to come back refreshed and ready for the postseason grind.
Planning for the Opponent
The uncertainty of who the Lions will face in their first playoff game does add an element of preparation challenge, but Campbell is keeping a cool head about it. “You don’t know who you’re playing, so then you start doing — you do leg work on another opponent and then you find out it’s not that opponent. I don’t want to do that to the coaches,” he said, acknowledging that the team’s full preparation will only begin once the opponent is confirmed.
Campbell plans to give the coaching staff three days off this weekend as well, encouraging them to get their rest. By Sunday night, the Lions will know their first playoff opponent, and on Monday morning, they’ll hit the ground running with a full week of preparations ahead of them.
As Campbell prepares for his team’s postseason run, it’s clear that his approach focuses on balance — resting when necessary, keeping the team sharp, and staying ready for whatever challenges the postseason brings.
