NFL teams
Eric Woodyard, ESPN 2y

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell says team's illnesses this week don't excuse loss to Denver Broncos

NFL, Detroit Lions

DENVER, Colo. -- As Dan Campbell stood in front of media members, the first-year Detroit Lions coach refused to make excuses for a 38-10 loss on Sunday to the Denver Broncos.

Even without Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson (hand) and star running back D'Andre Swift (shoulder), in addition to placing six players on the reserve/COVID-19 list this past week and having 12 others and six coaches battling influenza, he made it clear that they "weren't good enough."

"I just told the team the same thing, it's gonna be hard for me to say that's the issue," Campbell said. "What we had to do was not ideal but we were prepared to come in this game with the guys that we had and we had a game plan ready to go and we know what we needed to do and we didn't do it."

Safety Tracy Walker and running back Jamaal Williams were among the six placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, players were also battling influenza, including quarterback Jared Goff, who was among nine that missed Wednesday's practice -- which the Lions had to change to a walkthrough without pads for safety precautions.

On Thursday, 21 players were held out of practice with the team being limited to 7-on-7 action with no offensive or defensive lineman in attendance.

"It doesn't matter. No one feels bad for us. No one feels sorry for us, including ourselves," said Goff, who completed 24-of-39 attempts for 215 passing yards. "We went out here intending to win and came up short, don't care who was on the field."

Ahead of the Denver game, the Lions elevated six players from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements, including running back Craig "Netflix" Reynolds, who rushed for team-high 83 yards off 11 carries.

Detroit (1-11-1) is now officially eliminated from playoff contention with the best chance to land the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Despite having so many guys being hit with illness, Campbell still feels the team is following the proper protocols to keep guys safe as they try to finish the season on a high note during these tough times.

"We split the building. Some of them came into lift on Tuesday and we didn't even have the whole team there," Campbell said of the practice schedule this week. "I felt like we had already gone above and beyond and that was for the flu, much less COVID. So, yeah, I feel like we're doing all we can do with what it is.

"What else is it to do? Certainly the good thing is that we all tested negative on the flight, the same group that played today we were all negative and hopefully it stays that way and we'll be safe," he added. "Tomorrow we will bring in the guys that are injured that need to be in there and everybody else I would imagine we'll probably keep them home. Certainly, we'll hear from the league, see what they say and they might not let anybody in the building, which I get it."

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