In Sunday night’s NFC Championship game, Detroit Lions’ coach Dan Campbell made two crucial decisions to go for it on fourth down instead of attempting field goals, and both times, it backfired.
The first instance occurred when the Lions were leading 24-10 with 7:03 left in the third quarter. They faced fourth and two from the 49ers’ 28-yard line, a situation where a successful 45-yard field goal would have extended their lead to 27-10. Unfortunately, the pass intended for Reynolds fell incomplete.
Later in the game, with the Lions trailing by three points, they had another fourth-down opportunity. It was fourth and three from the San Francisco 30-yard line, with 7:38 remaining on the clock. Instead of attempting a game-tying 47-yard field goal, the Lions chose to go for it once more. However, this time, the throw had no chance of success.
The 49ers capitalized on the Lions’ failed fourth-down attempt, driving down the field to score a touchdown, taking a 10-point lead, and essentially sealing the game.
After the game, Coach Dan Campbell defended his decisions, expressing his confidence in the team’s ability to convert on those fourth downs. He explained, “I just felt really good about us converting, and getting our momentum and not letting them play long ball. You know, they were bleeding the clock out, that’s what they do. And I wanted to get the upper hand back.”
Campbell acknowledged the scrutiny he would face for these decisions but stood by them, emphasizing that it just didn’t work out.
While Campbell’s aggressive approach has been a hallmark of the Lions’ resurgence, it’s also important to strike the right balance between aggressiveness, analytics, and smart football strategy. Perhaps this experience will lead Campbell to make more measured decisions in the future, considering all factors.
Ultimately, being aggressive got the Lions as far as they did in the playoffs, but it also played a role in keeping them from advancing further, potentially to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.