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Eric Woodyard, ESPN
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Even during the greatest start in franchise history at 13-2, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell remains haunted by January’s NFC Championship Game in San Francisco.
For Campbell, it still stings, as the Lions blew a 17-point halftime lead. As Detroit prepares for a rematch against the 49ers on Monday night, Campbell likened it to his Super Bowl experience as a player with the New York Giants during the 2000 season. It’s something he’ll never forget.
“Just like my second year in the league, we go to the Super Bowl and get smashed by Baltimore. I won’t ever forget that either. So those stick with you,” Campbell said Saturday. “We just didn’t do enough. You learn from every experience. Unfortunately, that’s the best way to learn is from the losses. It really is.”
With a victory Monday along with a Minnesota Vikings loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Detroit has a rare opportunity to clinch the NFC North title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Lions are one of five teams since seeding began in 1975 that have never been a No. 1 seed, along with the Cardinals, Texans, Buccaneers and Jets.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff said he is aware of what’s at stake with a win but is locked in on the task of beating San Francisco.
“We know the scenario, but we certainly don’t want to overlook anything or try to hope something happens,” Goff said Thursday. “Whatever happens, happens, so we’ll see.”
During the 34-31 loss to San Francisco in January, Campbell faced scrutiny for two critical failed attempts on fourth down in the second half instead of kicking field goals. Players such as All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell defended his coach amid the criticism, telling ESPN in February that he’s “got [Campbell’s] back until the end.”
“If he tells me to jump off a cliff with him, I’m right next to him,” Sewell said of Campbell. “I’m so serious. So whatever he says, whatever he calls, we’ve just got to execute. So that’s on us really. That’s my guy.”
Campbell said he has no issue with compartmentalizing last year’s loss with facing this year’s 49ers squad, which is 6-9.
“You don’t want to go through that feeling again, and that means you have to prepare a certain way, you have to play a certain way, everything that you talk about, per that opponent, for that week, and it’s as simple as that,” Campbell said. “This is the next opponent in front of us and just keep your cool, keep your composure, stay disciplined, do the little things that it takes to win a game, and it really is that simple.”
The Lions haven’t lost a road game all season, but they have lost 14 consecutive road games, including the playoffs, against the 49ers, with the last win coming in 1975 at Candlestick Park. That is tied for the sixth-longest road losing streak against a single opponent in NFL history including playoffs, according to ESPN Research.
Like Campbell, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown wants to rewrite that narrative. He remembers that feeling walking off the field at Levi’s Stadium. He described it as being “like a horror movie” and one of the worst losses of his life.
A victory in San Francisco wouldn’t bring closure to the pain of the NFC Championship Game, but those who were around for the loss, such as St. Brown, haven’t forgotten.
“Going in there, we obviously all want to win,” St. Brown said. “I don’t know if it’s going to get brought up or not, but I feel like each player that was here last year knows the feeling that we had last year, and we want to go in there and hopefully come out with a dub.”
Source: www.espn.com