After the contentious Cowboys loss, Lions coach Dan Campbell says he has “managed wrath.”

The Lions coach stated as much on Monday, saying he’s ready to move past the contentious and perplexing outcome of Detroit’s defeat to Dallas in Week 17.

“I’m doing OK. I woke up yesterday, and I’m all set, dude. I’m prepared to leave because I have restrained my wrath,” Campbell declared. “I’m fully prepared to leave.

“Both the squad and I refuse to turn around. We are not going to wallow in our own misery because we are on a mission. We were supposed to make plays, but we didn’t. We needed to make that one more play, but we didn’t in a close game against a strong opponent in a playoff-like setting. We’ll use this as gasoline, then. I have pure octane right now. I’m ready because I woke up. Thus, we’re proceeding.”

This season, Detroit finds itself in a strange position. For the first time in thirty years, the Lions have won their division. Prior to referee Brad Allen’s call, which disallowed a successful two-point attempt that would have given Detroit a strong opportunity to overcome the Cowboys on Saturday in Arlington, the Lions were fighting for the top seed in the NFC.

Campbell disputes that idea and pushes back against even entertaining the idea that Allen’s decision, which was either an error, the product of regrettable miscommunication, or a combination of both, was biased against the upstart Lions, who have insisted they followed player reporting protocol correctly and didn’t see the results of their process.

“Never give in to that. Man, get out of that world,” Campbell said. That will just make you feel worse. The NFL, if it helps you feel better, is against every team, okay? Since I was in New Orleans, I can relate to it, you see. And yet, what’s the truth? We turned to go. We had opportunities to win that game even before all of that, but that one put a stop to everything. That was it, dude.

“We got up, grabbed our stuff, and headed off. We had a taste of that one, but we still had the opportunity. The playoffs are still in the early stages of the competition. In my opinion, this is a blessing. I would advise fans not to do that. You shouldn’t even accept that. We’ve only just begun.”

In a few weeks, Detroit will host a playoff game at Ford Field for the first time ever. The Lions will play one more home game of the season against a division foe before they get to that stage.

The focus right now is on defeating Minnesota to finish the season sweep, not on a decision made by an official or any apparent prejudice. He is aware that his guys have the same mindset.

To be honest, I’m really happy about it. Because I’m generally over it until you guys ask me the questions,” Campbell remarked. “I’m not even interested in handling it. I’m through. I’m doing OK. All I want to do is get out and prepare for Minnesota. I’m sure our players will be prepared to go.