The Dan Campbell curse: What every team that has played the Detroit Lions has in common

Not only are the Dan Campbell-led Detroit Lions extremely well-coached and hard to beat, but they wear on you -- physically and mentally. Their physical, high-energy style of play can be taxing, which is a testament to the culture the organization has established under the current regime.

The Lions have become the spitting image of their head coach: Gritty, hard-nosed and gutsy. Their unwavering approach has lasting imprints on teams and causes a chain reaction, making them vulnerable beyond their scheduled matchup with Detroit. Campbell has turned his squad into an NFC powerhouse no one wants to encounter.

Opponents still feel the impact of facing the Lions the following week. Incredibly, every team that's competed with Detroit this season has lost their following game. Some refer to it as the Campbell effect, while others know it better as the Campbell curse. Regardless, it highlights the lingering consequences of going toe-to-toe with one of the NFL's premier well-oiled machines.

The Dan Campbell curse: Every team that has played the Detroit Lions this season loses their following game

As you can see, Detroit's foes aren't merely losing their ensuing contests; they're getting blown out. Anyone who has to go through the Lions is a near-lock to suffer a convincing defeat in their subsequent outing.

Call it a noteworthy tidbit or a strange coincidence. Regardless, Detroit football ostensibly takes a toll on those who share the gridiron with the Lions and that's become increasingly apparent. The Tennessee Titans are next on the list, and given how they've fared in 2024, we'd expect this trend to continue in Week 9.

Sitting at 6-1 and in first place in the highly competitive NFC North, the Lions are beating virtually anyone in their way. However, clashing with them this year has practically counted as two losses if the ongoing trend is any indication. Albeit flukey and uncommon, it's an eye-opening tendency worth mentioning.

For whatever reason(s), teams come out flat after a meeting with Campbell's Lions. Detroit has embodied its sideline chief's smash-mouth, go-for-the-jugular mindset, so it's not far-fetched to believe there's a correlation between losing and the Motor City megalodon.

Detroit ranks first in the league in points per game (33.4) and average margin of victory (+14.3). Furthermore, their defense is the eighth-lowest scoring unit (19.1). They've been dominant on both sides of the ball, accentuating why going against them can be grueling.