Panthers loss “best thing,” you do best work when your face gets kicked in

Three consecutive wins put the Lions in a good position in the NFC chase for playoff berths going into Week 16. However, their hopes of making it to the postseason were crushed in Carolina.

The Panthers got a win that boosted their bid for a division title while leaving the Lions in need of wins and help from others if they’re going to play an 18th game this season. These circumstances are enough to make any loss difficult, but Carolina’s 320-yard and 570-yard total run in the 37-24 win made it even more so.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell believes there’s a silver lining to getting steamrolled the way his team did last weekend, however.

“Look, I’m just going to say this again, it stings,” Campbell said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “It’s awful. But man, it’s the best thing that could happen to us because I think no matter who you are, in whatever you do, some of your best work is when you get your face kicked in. . . . I do know this, man: When your back is against the wall, and you get tripped on and everything is at it’s worst, you can either stay down or you get up. And you return motivated, upset, with calculated energy, and aggression. There is a purpose. So I think this is the best thing for us.”

A 3-12 Bears team waits for the Lions this weekend and that should probably help them live up to Campbell’s belief that the team can rebound with a win, but last Saturday’s result means that they’ll need an extended rally in order to get where they want to go this season.

Dan Campbell: Panthers loss “best thing,” you do best work when your face gets kicked in Original version: Pro Football Talk