The San Francisco 49ers had an impressive comeback win over the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday evening. From being down 17 to leading by 10 in the fourth quarter, it was one of the greatest Championship Game comebacks in NFL history.
In the Lions’ loss, coach Dan Campbell stuck to his roots and went for it on fourth down on two occasions. After his team fell 34-31, were those the right decisions? Many NFL fans believe not.
Dan Campbell Fourth-Down Decisions
Leading 24-10 in the third quarter, Campbell rolled the dice, going for a first down instead of kicking a field goal on fourth down at San Francisco’s 28-yard line.
A Jared Goff pass to Josh Reynolds fell incomplete as the Lions turned it over on downs. From there, the game turned into an absolute disaster for Detroit.
Brandon Aiyuk made a phenomenal catch off of a deflection. Kindle Vildor had the chance to intercept, but instead, the ball bounced off Vildor’s hands and then his facemask into the hands of a diving Aiyuk at the 4-yard line — a 51-yard completion.
Amazing concentration by #49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk on this catch 🤯
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) January 29, 2024
Three plays later, Purdy found Aiyuk in the end zone to cut Detroit’s lead to 24-17.
San Francisco went on to force a fumble on Detroit’s next possession and converted the turnover into a Christian McCaffrey touchdown run. And just like that, what was once a 17-point Lions lead had been erased, as the game was now knotted at 24-24.
The Niners then forced a Lions punt and were able to score a field goal on the ensuing possession, taking a 27-24 lead. Here’s where Campbell’s most controversial decision of the game came.
Instead of a 48-yard field goal, the Lions went for it on 4th-and-3. Goff didn’t have anyone open, scrambled to his right, and threw an incomplete pass with 7:32 remaining. That was six points the Lions had passed on to go for it on fourth down, and neither decision worked out.
Many NFL fans criticized Campbell’s decision to go for it rather than take the points, especially when they could have kicked a field goal down three points.
“The 49ers won by 3 points. Imagine if Dan Campbell kicked the field goals…” one user posted on X.
“Gotta respect Dan Campbell for single handedly eliminating his own team from the playoffs,” another user wrote.
“There’s aggressive and then there’s stupid. Dan Campbell has cost Detroit 6 extremely valuable points in this 2nd half.” another said.
While much of the reaction to Campbell’s decisions was negative, some fans took his side and argued that the loss wasn’t all on him.
“I think the Lions drops and fumble were a way bigger issue than Dan Campbell’s decision to go for it on 4th down. While that may have contributed to the overall result, that other stuff is way way worse,” one user wrote.
MORE: Can Jared Goff Lead the Lions to a Super Bowl?
“People will point to Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness as the reason the lions lost this game but it was the 4th down drop, the fumble, and the multiple dropped interceptions that certainly contribute to this collapse,” another said.
While Campbell’s decisions were surely controversial, plenty of factors contributed to the Lions’ second-half collapse. But many will be left wondering, “What if Campbell had taken the points rather than going for it?”
“When you lose that way, it’s hard. Feels like you got your heart ripped out. I am proud of those guys,” Campbell said postgame. “I felt very good about us converting and keeping momentum and not letting them play long ball. They were bleeding the clock … I don’t regret those decisions.”
After the game, 49ers DE Nick Bosa was asked by a reporter about Campbell’s fourth-down decision-making, replying, “I feel like going for it on fourth down a lot will come back to bite you.”
The 49ers will now advance to the Super Bowl and face the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 earlier in the day.
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