Dan Campbell Gives Lions a Reality Check Ahead of Browns Game
The Detroit Lions are holding their own as one of the stronger teams in the NFL, even without their offensive and defensive coordinators from the past few years, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. The team just beat the powerful Baltimore Ravens during Monday Night Football on September 22 in a dazzling a 38-30 victory on the road.
Next up, the Lions take on the Cleveland Browns, and it’s no secret that they have one of the strongest defenses in the league. Dan Campbell is aware of the challenges again, and he’s not in denial about how tough it’ll be for the Lions to go up against this defense.
Detroit Lions’ Dan Campbell on Cleveland Browns Challenge
During an appearance on 97.1 the Ticket on Wednesday, September 24, Campbell talked about the Browns. Of course, he highlighted their strong defense.
“You see what they did to Green Bay. This defense is for real,” Campbell said. “This will probably be the best defense we’ve faced to date.”
Now, this could be seen as throwing a little dig at Green Bay, since Green Bay also has a good defense, and the Lions have faced them already this year. So, Campbell thinks the Browns will be an even bigger challenge. The Lions, of course, lost to Green Bay in their opening game of the season.
Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski on Lions Matchup
Meanwhile, the coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski, has also been talking about the upcoming game. Speaking with the press this week, he praised Campbell and the team the Lions have this year.
“They’re well coached, have a ton of respect for what Dan (Campbell) and his staff do. I know a lot of his coaches, they’re terrific,” he told the press. “Unique challenges every single week in the NFL. No different with their attack, I’m talking offense, defense or special teams. Very physical group.”
Stefanski continued, “Obviously, their offense is playing at an extremely high level. I think the quarterback’s great, they have great playmakers around him, including an explosive running back that can hurt you in the run and the pass. Terrific offensive line, Hank Fraley is the coach of that offensive line, a good friend of mine who I’ve coached with. So, I know how they’re taught, I know how they’re playing, and they really play through them.”
Kevin Stefanski also praised the team’s defense, noting, “Kelvin Sheppard’s doing a tremendous job with this group. Talent at all three levels, obviously, 97 (Aidan Hutchinson) is terrific, can get off the ball, can rush, can play the run, never stops. Big physical linebackers, very good in the back end. I think (Brian) Branch is as good as it gets in this game. 31 (Kerby Joseph) led in the league in interceptions last year, so they can take the ball away. They can play a variety of different defenses, but they do a really, very, very good job. ”
He went on to praise the special teams and every bit of the Lions’ offense and defense, so it’s obvious that he’s been studying them closely. What are your gameday predictions? Contact me with your thoughts.
Red Sox Phenom Floated As Potential Alex Bregman Successor
The Boston Red Sox have just four games left in the regular season before they will either move on to the postseaosn, or have a long offseason to prepare for 2026.
The Red Sox are significantly more likely than not to earn a playoff spot, but until they officially clinch, nothing is fully guaranteed. The second the season ends, the focus for Boston is obviously going to turn to Alex Bregman. Will he stick around with the Red Sox beyond this season? That's a question that has been floated around for months at this point.
There's been plenty of chatter out there about who could replace Bregman if he were to move on. FanSided's Stephen Parello made a list of three potential fits and one of them mentioned was Marcelo Mayer.
The Boston Red Sox phenom is a great option
"Batting .228/.272/.402 in 44 big league games before succumbing to a season-ending wrist injury, Marcelo Mayer has been much more Kristian Campbell than Roman Anthony in his big league debut," Parello said. "Still, a relatively small sample of struggles doesn't mean that the 22-year-old's outlook as a top prospect has changed. Boston has been working towards this youth movement for years, and if Bregman proves to be too expensive to retain and Craig Breslow isn't convinced that Suárez can bounce back outside of the Pacific Northwest, the Red Sox could simply pivot to Mayer in the hopes that the youngster is healthy and ready to realize his potential.
"After a topsy-turvy season, the Red Sox have established themselves as contenders at the most critical point in the 2025 season, meaning that embracing a youngster to replace one of their most important veterans could be an unpopular position to take with the fan base. Still, after Bregman and Suárez, the free-agent herd thins out, and Mayer truly might be the best option for the present and the future."
If Bregman were to move on, this would be the most obvious move to replace him. There was a time in which Mayer was the Red Sox's top prospect. He's just 22 years old and showed flashes in his 44-game stint in Boston before his season ended. He was promoted to fill in for Bregman when he was injured. This is a kid who has all of the upside in the world, but unsurprisingly has been overshadowed by the best overall prospect in the game in Roman Anthony.
Mayer would've been the top prospect for plenty of teams. If Bregman were to leave, he's a high-impact player that could help to carry the load right away. This is a good suggestion.
