By Sunday 
The preseason is supposed to be messy — but not this messy.
The Detroit Lions opened their preseason Thursday night with a 34-7 thumping at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game. Sure, it was just an exhibition. Yes, it was mostly backups. But one thing was crystal clear: Dan Campbell was not amused.
After five turnovers — three interceptions and two fumbles — the Lions head coach did not mince words in his postgame remarks. And if you’re a player on the bubble, you might want to keep your helmet close and your locker clean.
“You’re wearing Lions gear, you’ve got to take care of the ball, or it’s going to be hard to keep you around,” Campbell said, blunt as ever.
Sloppy Start, Sloppier Finish
Things got off on the wrong foot immediately. The Lions fumbled the opening kickoff — and it didn’t get much better from there. Quarterbacks turned the ball over, backs coughed it up, and no one on defense managed to flip the field with a takeaway of their own.
“We turned it over five times, and then we didn’t get any takeaways,” Campbell noted. “So that’s hard… when you put your defense in that kind of position.”
Even for a coach known for his passion and fire, the message carried weight — because it wasn’t just heat-of-the-moment frustration. This is a team with Super Bowl expectations. Mistakes like this won’t cut it come September.
Message Received?
The good news? It’s early. Campbell wasn’t exactly tossing players off the bus — yet. But he’s making it clear that sloppy execution won’t earn you a jersey, even in August.
The Lions still have a few weeks and a few games left before their September 7 opener against the Packers. And for those fighting for a spot on the roster, the math is simple:
Take care of the ball. Or someone else will.