Jake Bates Minnesota VikingsDavid Berding/Getty Images

Playing Detroit is exhausting. Just ask the seven teams who’ve lost games immediately after playing the Lions since late last season. Dating to Week 15 in 2023, Lions opponents are 1-7 in regular-season games immediately after playing them, including 0-4 this season. The Vikings, who lost a hard-fought 31-29 battle to the Lions last week, are the latest contestant.

To make matters worse, Minnesota (5-1) has to fly to the West Coast and play the Rams (2-4) in a short week on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

This seems like a good time to revisit one of the best introductory press conferences of all-time, Dan Campbell’s first day as head coach at Lions headquarters, Jan. 21, 2021.

“We’re going to kick you in the teeth and when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you. And when you knock us down, we’re going to get up,” Campbell said. “And on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off. And we’re going to stand up and then it’s going to take two more shots to knock us down, alright? And on the way up, we’re going to take your other kneecap, and then it’s going to take three shots to get us down. And, then we’re going to take another hunk out of you. Before long, we’re going to be the last ones standing.”

Since December, only one team has been left standing after playing Campbell and the Lions. Here’s a look at the last eight regular-season opponents to play the week immediately following a game against Detroit:

  • Chicago, Week 15, 2023, L, at Cle. (20-17)
  • Denver, Week 16, 2023, L, vs. NE (26-23)
  • Minnesota, Week 17, 2023, L, vs. GB (33-10)
  • Dallas, Week 18, 2023, W, at Was. (38-10)
  • L.A. Rams, Week 2, 2024, L, at Ari. (41-10)
  • Tampa Bay, Week 3, 2024, L, vs. Den. (26-7)
  • Arizona, Week 4, 2024, L, vs. Was. (42-14)
  • Seattle, Week 5, 2024, L, vs. NYG (29-20)

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By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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