Dan Campbell candidly explains where the Lions' mindset is heading into 2023 season

The Detroit Lions finished the 2022 season on an upswing, and that has led to confidence about what the team can accomplish this season.

While there is plenty of positivity in the court of public opinion about what the team could do, head coach Dan Campbell understands the team still has something to prove on the field.

Specifically, the Lions last won a division title in 1993. While many expect that to change this season, it's an obvious historical fact the Lions haven't been accustomed to competing at that level.

Campbell joined Barstool Sports "Pardon My Take" podcast recently. He was asked about how he is preparing the team for the upcoming season, relative to the increased expectations.

"I understand what's out there, and look, we've got expectations for ourselves. We should be a better team. That's that's what all this is about. Every year you're in it, and you're building the way Brad (Holmes) and I have and the players that we have, you're developing, and we expect to be a better team than we were last year. We fully expect that, and we've got the same goals as most teams do. We want to win this division. We want to get in the playoffs. We want to make noise. We want to win a Super Bowl, all that. I think for us, what's interesting, we know what's out there, but yet we haven't done anything. Not like that," "

Lions head coach Dan Campbell keeping things in proper perspective

Campbell talked about the Lions still having to fully earn their status as division favorites.

"To me, the message stays the same in the regard of, no, we didn't win the division last year. Minnesota won it and Green Bay won it for year after year after year after year before that. So to me, those are the kings in this division right now and we have to go earn that. We didn't go to the playoffs last year. We've got to earn that, and so to me, we're still on the outside looking in and that's what keeps us hungry. We got to go get it," "

Last season, the Lions 5-1 in the NFC North. Their lone loss, a 28-24 road defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, came in September. And that was a game the Lions arguably gave away, leading 14-0 and 24-14 with Campbell choosing not to be aggressive on fourth down at a critical moment.

Campbell talked about bigger goals for the Lions, all the way to "we want to to win a Super Bowl." But the first box to be checked is making the playoffs/winning the division, and they're well equipped to get that done ths year.