MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — When Dan Campbell was hired as the Lions’ head coach in 2021, he famously declared that Detroit would be a team that would “bite a kneecap off” its opponents.
Dolphins first-year coach Jeff Hafley has a similar mindset and wants his young Dolphins team to be built on the same toughness and grit that Campbell has instituted in Detroit.
“I probably never would talk about biting people, but I think it’s pretty cool that he did,” Hafley quipped on Wednesday. “I think it’s the same. I mean, that’s how I want to play football … that’s how we are playing football.”
Detroit was 3-13-1 in Campbell’s first full season as an NFL coach, six years after he was 5-7 as Miami’s interim coach. The teams will meet Sunday afternoon in Miami Gardens.
“Just reminds me a little of what we were when we came in,” Campbell said of the rebuilding Dolphins, who are 1-6 with the youngest roster in the NFL — eight Dolphins rookies have combined for 45 total starts — but have been praised by opponents for how tough they play.
“They’re young, they’re hungry, they’re active,” Campbell added.
Dolphins players have said they want their identity to be rooted in physicality and effort — but they want to be known for much more.
“We want to win,” rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez said. “I think that’s kind of a given — we’re trying to win. We’re not just trying to go out there and play hard and hope for the best. We’re trying to go out there and have a plan to actively go and win the game. That being said, I think how we can do that, part of the recipe to win is you’ve got to play hard. And that’s something that we’ve bought into.”
The Lions (5-2) have a balancing act at Miami, focusing on winning a fourth straight game to keep up in the competitive NFC North while a scary injury to All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell looms over the franchise.
Campbell, who suffered a neck injury early in the fourth quarter of a 19-15 win over the Vikings, released a statement Wednesday saying he has full movement in his lower body and is “continuing to make progress with movement in my upper body.” Those were his first comments since he was carted off the field last Sunday.
“There’s no easy way to do this,” Dan Campbell said Wednesday. “You also have to acknowledge it and let’s talk about it and make sure we know, but I also know they’re not postponing this game. The only way to honor Jack, we know the only way to really honor Jack and what he really wants is to make sure that we’re locked in and ready to go.”
Need to know
Detroit (5-2) at Miami (1-6)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
Latest odds: Lions by 7.
Against the spread: Lions 3-4; Dolphins 3-3-1.
Last week: Lions beat the Vikings 19-15; Dolphins lost to the Patriots 24-19.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Lions 31-27 on Oct. 30, 2022, in Detroit.
Series record: Dolphins lead 8-5.
Matchup to watch
Lions No. 1-ranked offense vs Dolphins defense. The Lions enter Sunday’s matchup with a bevy of playmakers and a potent offense averaging 395.4 yards and 29 points per game. The Dolphins are 16th in the NFL in pass defense and 16th in rushing defense. They have faced plenty of tough offenses this season, which Hafley hopes has prepared his defense for the challenge. Another important matchup will be Miami’s pass rush, which is tied for 30th in sacks and has been inconsistent in pressuring quarterbacks, against quarterback Jared Goff. He was sacked four times in the first half last week against Minnesota, but wasn’t sacked at all in the second half, helping the Lions score two touchdowns to beat the previously unbeaten Vikings.
Stats and stuff
— The Lions have injuries piling up. Edge rusher DJ Wonnum (concussion) and cornerback DJ Reed (hip) have not practiced this week, putting their status in question. Center Cade Mays’ (ankle) status is also in question after missing practice.
— Detroit is aiming for its first four-game winning streak since last season, when it started 4-1 before crumbling to a 9-8 finish.
— Lions QB Jared Goff has thrown a touchdown pass in 30 straight games, the NFL’s longest streak since Kansas City superstar Patrick Mahomes had a 31-game streak from 2019 to 2021.
— Detroit DT Alim McNeill has a sack in four of the past five games and is the team’s first interior defensive lineman to have 4 1/2 sacks through seven games since since Ndamukong Suh in 2010.
— The Dolphins and Lions don’t play each other often. Sunday will be only the 14th meeting between the two franchises and first since 2022.
— Miami rookie guard Kadyn Proctor returned to practice this week after a concussion sidelined him against the Patriots. His return could be a boost for the Dolphins’ run game, which rushed for just 74 yards after entering the game with 100-plus yards rushing in the previous five matchups.
— Proctor, drafted 12th overall earlier this year, is one of three rookie offensive linemen to not allow a sack this season.