Ardent go for it on fourth down devotees, behold thy king, Dan Campbell.
The aggressive Detroit Lions coach took it to another level Thursday night in a 34-31 win over the Green Bay Packers, repeatedly going for it on fourth down in high-leverage situations. The most controversial decision came in a tie game with 43 seconds remaining and the Lions in field-goal range. Campbell eschewed a potential 38-yard field goal opportunity, going for it on fourth-and-1. With most of the onlookers stunned at the choice in a tie game, Detroit converted on a David Montgomery run, setting up an eventual Jake Bates winner to clinch a playoff berth.
“I just felt like we needed to end it on offense,” Campbell said of his decision, via the team’s official website. “I did not want to give that ball back and I believed we could get that. I believed we could convert, and I trust that O-line, I trust David, and they came through for us. It’s a hell of a call by (offensive coordinator) Ben (Johnson). I knew how I wanted to play this game, the team knew it, and everything in me told me, ‘Let’s finish this,’ and so we did.”
They did with a decision so aggressive that even the analytics said to kick the field goal.
Analytics, however, don’t take into account a decimated Detroit defense that has lost essentially its entire front seven. Detroit has 13 defenders on IR, and D.J. Reader, Joshua Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike were ruled out before the game. Then, star DT Alim McNeill (head) exited Thursday night and Brian Branch limped off on the previous defensive series.
The Lions defense forced just one punt in the second half, giving up three TDs and a FG.
It was a gutsy call by Campbell but on brand for the Lions coach.