By Mummy Grace 
The Detroit Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell’s parting words to Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell after their Week 18 clash—”I’ll see you in two weeks”—had unintended ripple effects in the NFL playoffs. While the comment was likely made with the expectation of a Lions-Vikings rematch in the divisional round, it served as motivation for a third-party team: the Los Angeles Rams.
After dismantling the Vikings 27-9 in the Wild Card Round, the Rams revealed that Campbell’s remark had not gone unnoticed. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, a printed screenshot of the exchange between Campbell and O’Connell was displayed in the Rams’ locker room as a source of inspiration.
Rams safety Quentin Lake addressed the perceived slight, stating on NFL Network:
“The thing I want to say is I hope they don’t overlook us. They just played the Lions and there was a little message that Dan Campbell gave, but I don’t want people to overlook us.”
The Rams had a unique history with the Vikings this season, having defeated them 30-20 during the regular season in October. Although they lost to the Lions 26-20 in Week 1, they had performed better in yardage, possession, and first-down conversions.
The Rams’ victory over Minnesota was about more than just proving a point. With Los Angeles still reeling from the devastation caused by wildfires, the team found added purpose in their playoff run. Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht reflected on the emotional weight of the game:
“We’re going in there, and our job is to handle business. And we’re going in there for everybody in Los Angeles, everybody affected by the fires, everybody displaced, everybody evacuated. That’s what this week is for, for us. That’s what we play for.”
The Rams’ journey from a 1-4 start to the divisional round is a testament to their resilience. Now, they set their sights on a showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Lions, fresh off their bye week, will face the Washington Commanders on Saturday night. Should both teams emerge victorious, the NFC Championship could feature the Lions and the very Rams team that used Campbell’s words as fuel for their playoff fire.