Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions came away with a hard-fought 34-31 win against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday in Week 14. With this win, the team is now 12-1 on the season and riding an 11-game winning streak.
Detroit’s win was aided by the bold decisions taken by their head coach. The Lions ran the ball on fourth down with less than 45 seconds left in the game, where the team could have taken a three-point lead with a field goal.
The Lions’ offense was able to convert on the fourth down, and Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal with no time left on the clock sealed the win for Detroit.
Calvin Johnson Defended Dan Campbell From Critics
The Lions lost last season’s NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers because they were overaggressive on fourth downs and could have easily lost last night in the same manner. They had already turned the ball over at the start of the second half, which helped the Packers take a 21-17 lead.
Pat McAfee and Robert Griffin III appreciated Campbell’s gutsy call. However, several othersĀ criticized his decision-making and raised doubts about the Lions’ chances of winning the Super Bowl.
Legendary Lions wideout Calvin Johnson recently appeared on “The Up & Adams Show.” Kay Adams wanted to know his perspective on Campbell’s decision, and the Pro Football Hall of Famer had no problems with it.
āCan you win a Super Bowl like this?” asked Adams. “Because the internet is like, you’re gonna lose this way.ā
āI mean, we’ve won a lot this way, though, too, you know,” said Johnson. “I mean, obviously, there are some things that happened last yearā¦Ā but this is Dan, you know, this is how we’ve got here. So, like I say, I’m not the one in there, I’m not on the field, I’m not feeling the vibe at the exact time, and I see it from afar, you know, I’m gonna leave it up to Dan to make those decisions.”
Can DETROIT win a SB with this type of AGGRESSIVE play-calling??? š¤@calvinjohnsonjr: "We've won a lot this way… this is how we got here." @heykayadams @Lions | #OnePride pic.twitter.com/utSGjBLbwm
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) December 6, 2024
Going on fourth downs, doing trick plays, and blowing out teams is part of the Lions’ identity under Campbell. They have had immense success doing these things, and it would be foolish to change them, given that they are arguably the best team in the NFL.
Detroit has the best record in the NFL, and apart from the Philadelphia Eagles, no team in the NFC is in their stratosphere. Campbell will continue to be aggressive no matter how big the game is, and all the players have his back. This strategy could cost them a Super Bowl but, at the same time, can win them one as well.
Emmanuel Acho Was Not Happy With Campbellās Decisions
Emmanuel Acho was among the people who criticized Campbell’s decision-making in the win against the Packers. As soon as the game ended, he wrote, “Dan Campbell isnāt being aggressive, heās being asinine. The risk of turning the ball over on downs was NOT worth 4 yards. Instead of kicking a 39-yard field goal, you risk turning the ball over so you can kick a 35-yard field goal.”
He also highlighted that Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense had to get at least 40 yards in 30 seconds for a 50-yard game-tying field goal. But, had the Lions turned the ball over on downs, like they did earlier in the game, Green Bay had to only go 40 yards to win the game.
Acho’s comments make sense, but expect the unexpected when it comes to the Lions. Campbell has shown over the years that he is not a typical head coach, and he isn’t afraid of taking risks. As mentioned earlier, this mindset has built Detroit into a Super Bowl contender, and unless the team starts losing games, they will continue to do the same things.
The Lions will face the Buffalo Bills next week, and it will be a game where both teams are not afraid of risk. It will also be the matchup between Josh Allen and Jared Goff, where the winner could potentially become the front-runner to win the MVP award.