The Detroit Lions needed their defense to step up in a big way in Week 14, and that’s exactly what they were able to do against the red hot Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field.
While Detroit’s offense had been inconsistent, they were giving the team a chance to win games and the defense struggled to execute in crunch time. That finally didn’t happen anymore in a 44-30 victory over the Cowboys, where the Lions were able to get off the field multiple times in the red zone and force field goals.
A big reason that was the case was the play of linebacker Jack Campbell. All night long, Campbell was the best defender on the field. He flew around and collected 12 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Campbell was also robbed of a safety, as it seemed clear Dak Prescott did not escape the end zone during the sack.
Regardless, once again the league got to see what Campbell has to offer and he continues to impress. This season, he has made Lions history at linebacker, joining Chris Spielman as the kind of tackle and sack maven up front the franchise has not seen since 1989.
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) December 5, 2025
Beyond that, Campbell is also producing at a consistent level. Over a decade ago, Stephen Tulloch was a model of consistency at linebacker, and finally, the Lions have found a player who can match his effort and statistical output at the position.
.@Lions LB Jack Campbell has produced 5+ tackles in 18-straight games, passing Stephen Tulloch for the third-longest streak of games with 5+ tackles by a Lions player since at least 1999.
#OnePride #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/IelZGpxfWM
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) December 5, 2025
Add it up and Campbell has taken on the look of one of the league’s most explosive defenders and arguably the best linebacker in the game. Dallas found out why he is so dangerous. The reason? Once he gets rolling, he’s often able to impart his will on the entire game in a negative way for the opposition.
With Campbell leading the defense, the sky is the limit for the Lions down the stretch. If he continues to dictate the defensive pace, Detroit will be in great shape to make noise in the NFC playoff race.
Dan Campbell was impressed by Lions’ ability to impact game up front
Perhaps the biggest reason the Lions beat the Cowboys on defense was the havoc their front created for the Dallas line. A week after not touching Jordan Love, Detroit was in the face of Prescott much of the night, which was critical after their coach had challenged them to win their battles up front.
“We had a lot of guys who won their one-on-ones, and we were pretty disruptive there. (Al-Quadin) Muhammad. I thought Alim McNeill did some good things in there. (Aidan) Hutchinson was close a number of times, and he got flushed. We played pretty good coverage. It wasn’t perfect, but all in all, we did what we had to do and we knew we needed to score on offense. Like I said, it’s a potent (Dallas) offense. At the end of the day, we did enough in all three phases.”
Setting the tone with all of that was Campbell, who made the impact plays in the first-half to get Detroit off to a solid start and help them believe they could win a tough game. There wasn’t much confidence to be had after last week, but Campbell’s swagger pulled the defense together and inspired the group at the perfect time.
The Lions will need Campbell to continue playing solid football, and with a potential All-Pro and Pro Bowl season upcoming, there’s no reason to think he will not continue to deliver in all phases.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to make a couple of tough decisions with star wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan coming back from injury in Week 15, and news of those corresponding roster cuts was reported by FOX Sports beat reporter Greg Auman on December 10.
“Bucs have made it official, reinstating receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan from injured reserve ahead of Thursday’s game vs. the [Atlanta] Falcons,” Auman relayed.
He added that “WR Ryan Miller and DL C.J. Brewer were waived to make room on the 53.”
Buccaneers Briefly Cut WR Ryan Miller in Week 15, But Could Attempt to Re-Sign Him Later
GettyThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived veteran wide receiver Ryan Miller.
Unfortunately, Miller is the undeserving roster casualty at wide receiver. And in a follow-up post, Auman even noted that the fan favorite pass-catcher “was the odd man out today as Bucs got to full strength at receiver.”
On the bright side, the Bucs insider also stated that “while [Miller is] off the 53, [there is a] good chance he’s back on [the] practice squad Monday.”
Miller only recorded 2 receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown in 2025, but he was a consistent contributor on special teams with 204 snaps and eight tackles in that department. Per Auman, both of those special teams statistics ranked fourth for Tampa Bay.
Of course, Buccaneers fans will recall that Miller was a more impactful playmaker in 2024, with 12 catches for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns. He developed sneaky chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield throughout last year’s campaign, but it never really translated in 2025.
This season, Miller quickly lost playing time to breakout rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, among others.
If the veteran WR clears waivers, he’ll likely re-sign to the practice squad as Auman noted, and could theoretically be elevated as a core special teamer down the stretch.
C.J. Brewer News Is No Surprise as Buccaneers Activate Mike Evans & Jalen McMillan
The other 53-man roster cut was no surprise. Brewer has seesawed on and off the Bucs’ active roster for years, and he’ll probably stick around on the practice squad, too.
Originally entering the NFL as a 6-foot-2, undrafted defensive tackle, Brewer is now 28 years old. He has only appeared in 5 games this season after suiting up for 12 in 2024, and he was credited with 2.5 sacks over those combined 17 regular season appearances, with 16 total tackles (3 for a loss) and 4 QB hits.
Clearly, the veteran fell out of head coach Todd Bowles’ circle of trust this season, considering how often he’s been a healthy scratch. Brewer began the year on the practice squad, but was added to the active roster back in late September.
Of course, the big Buccaneers news is that both Evans and McMillan will return from injury, and for the same game, ironically.
When Evans suffered his collarbone injury, many believed that he would miss the remainder of the 2025 campaign. A sad thought, given that Evans is nearing the end of his illustrious NFL career.
Similarly, McMillan’s preseason neck injury was extremely scary, and some thought the second-year pro would be out several months, if not longer.
In the end, both wideouts made faster recoveries than initially anticipated, and you have to credit their work ethic and the Tampa Bay medical team for that.
