Dan Campbell ought to take inspiration from his master

There is some emotional weight to the Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos game on Saturday.

This is Dan Campbell and Sean Payton’s first meeting. In what will be a master-apprentice duel, Campbell will face his coach for the first time since working with Payton for five years as the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone, who started his career in New Orleans before signing with Detroit when Campbell took over as head coach in 2021, will also be affected.

“I obviously think highly of (Payton). We had a lot of victories. He is definitely capable of calling an offensive and inspiring a team,” Anzalone said. “Just an all-around fantastic coach. It’s funny how the season began and how successful they are right now. Of the previous seven, they have won six. He has a terrific staff and expects a lot of his men, coaches included, from what I know about them as coaches.”

Anzalone is able to compare and contrast both coaches in a way that only he can because he played for both. Despite their contrasting personalities, both coaches are known for their resilience.

The Broncos are presently enjoying a similar run to the Lions’ previous season, which included eight victories in the final ten games. What the seasoned linebacker has observed in both coaches is reflected in this.

Anzalone clarified, “I would say that Dan’s personality is a little more different.” However, observing their season from a distance, it’s uncannily similar to what we experienced the previous year. Just have a listen to how the media viewed the team; now that they’re beginning to get some momentum and are succeeding.”

The competitive spirit of both coaches will be evident from the moment the game begins on Saturday. Anzalone believes Payton will strive to outdo his former protégé, and the Broncos will enter the game with a fierce sense of competition.

“There’s a lot of it. Dan can likely elaborate further, but in my experience, playing these games is always approached differently when you know someone personally. There may be some mentoring involved, Campbell said. I’m sure Sean will attempt to come here and put 50 up on us, but it definitely adds a little edge to how you go about your week. Because of all the personal ties, that’s just who he is.”

Over the course of a protracted NFL season, several of the league’s greatest coaches have been known to employ inventive strategies to inspire their teams.

Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells, who coached Payton and Campbell, was not beyond using props or gimmicks to convey a message or raise team spirit.

Although Campbell doesn’t typically engage in this kind of behavior, Anzalone mentioned that he was exposed to it while playing for Payton in New Orleans. He related a tale on Tuesday regarding an occasion when the seasoned coach used cash to try to get his players excited for the postseason.

“I think the one that probably, most notably sticks out is we walked into the team meeting room and he had a clear, acrylic box full of $100’s,” Anzalone said. You could definitely do the arithmetic on that one. It was like, full of $100s, I don’t even know how, but supposedly it was how much money you’d make if you made a run in the playoffs. That’s arguably the most noteworthy, albeit I’m not sure where the funding came from.”