After the Detroit Lions lost the NFC championship, NFL media members became enraged about Dan Campbell’s actions.
In their second-half collapse against the San Francisco 49ers to lose 34-31 in the NFC championship game on Sunday night, the Detroit Lions were given a stinging reminder of the biblical proverb.
The 49ers took advantage of the opportunity to complete a 17-point comeback when the Lions, as they have all season, attempted to be aggressive and go for it on two dubious fourth downs. The 49ers were able to score 27 points in a row in the second half.
According to ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder, the numbers supported Campbell’s choices on both crucial fourth-down plays.
He demonstrated that, while the Lions’ win probability increased by 0.3%, ESPN’s analytical model nearly agreed with Campbell, meaning that, given the data, either choice might be made.
Campbell said after the game that he would tolerate the criticism and that he intended to be aggressive in an attempt to regain momentum.
Going for it was the better option in both situations, according to Ben Baldwin’s well-liked fourth-down model. By trying to convert in the fourth quarter, the Lions’ chances of winning increased by 2%.
In addition to their execution errors in the second half, which included three intercepted passes and a fumble that resulted in a 49ers touchdown to tie the game, the Lions’ shortcomings also played a role in their downfall. The fourth down was essential.
Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey were unstoppable as the 49ers offense relentlessly marched down the field, leaving the defense, which had been excellent in the first half, with no response.
However, the post-game conversation in the NFL was more about the head coach’s decisions than any particular play call, as is always the case.
Along with a run play at the goal line that cost the team a crucial timeout with one minute remaining, analysts and reporters discussed Campbell’s two fourth-down decisions and whether they thought it was the right call.
Pundits were divided on the subject; some fervently defended Campbell, while others angrily criticized the choices:
Weekly postgame grades evaluating the performance of each position group and the coaching staff were given by veteran Lions beat writer Dave Birkett of the Free Press, who was also named Michigan sports writer of the year. Birkett gave Campbell and the coaching staff a nearly failing grade of D-plus for running the ball with 1:05 remaining and needing to use a timeout down 10.
Dan Campbell’s tenacity on fourth downs is something I enjoy, commented Birkett. The Lions’ mindset and identity are ingrained in it.
Nonetheless, the Lions’ aggressiveness on fourth down on Sunday backfired as the team missed crucial points that would have sealed a three-point loss, missing two fourth down conversions from inside field goal range.
The 49ers team, suffering from a poor first half, was given new life by the missed conversion, but overall, I thought it was a good call to go for it on fourth-and-2 in the third quarter.
Given the situation and the game’s momentum, I would have tried the game-winning field goal on fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter.
The end result undoubtedly damaged the Lions’ prospects of making it to the Super Bowl, but Campbell’s decisions are not inexcusable given the data supporting his strategy.
It is commendable that Campbell and his team were able to create a strong first-half strategy and have players prepared to carry it out.
However, in the end, they were unable to halt their team’s collapse late in the game, and the timeout they took after carrying the ball on a third-and-one with 1:05 remaining hurt their chances of making a comeback.”
Unaffected by the stats, NBC’s Chris Simms and Mike Florio criticized Campbell during their postgame talk for his “awful” fourth down calls.
According to them, the Lions were guaranteed to lose the game and were not given an opportunity to win it because of the fourth-down calls.
“The 49ers are trying to recapture momentum and you are helping them do it. You have power over the football game,” Simms said.
There’s also, of course, the possibility to tie the football match in the NFC title game, but you just say, ‘No, we’re going to win it right here.’
The Lions and Dan Campbell essentially lost the game at the end, even if they weren’t able to win it at that point.”
List responds from Santa Clara to the Detroit Lions’ heartbreaking loss to the 49ers in the Super Bowl, which ended their dream of winning the championship. Additionally, it is accessible from any podcast player.
Discussing Campbell’s choice and the Lions’ defeat, ESPN’s morning shows on Monday had a lot to say.
The decisions to be aggressive and keep the offense on the field were justified by former NFL safety Ryan Clark, former Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky, and former NFL head coach Rex Ryan on “Get Up,” although all argued that the main cause of the dismal outcome was poor execution.
The Lions “choked” in the third quarter, and it was a “disastrous collapse,” Orlovsky said, adding, “100% appropriate decisions by Dan Campbell, and I think anybody who disagrees doesn’t understand the Lions this year.”
They were playing with the right people and in the right way, in addition to being true to who they are. It’s thanks to Dan Campbell that they’ve won four or five games this season.”
While the offense committed unusual errors, he also commended the San Francisco defense for playing well and placing the offense in difficult situations.
Third and down, San Francisco made the plays, but that’s just reality.
Josh Reynolds drops a pass on the fourth down, and on the following play, Aaron Armstead presses Jared Goff out of the pocket. Since that’s who they have been for the entire year, the choice was correct.
San Francisco deserves credit for creating them, as they were controlling the game and Detroit lost.
On the second fourth down try, Ryan gave San Francisco credit for hiding their coverage, which confused Goff and ultimately caused him to throw incomplete as pressure up the middle got the better of him.
Ryan remarked, “That play on the final down was the only one when Detroit was unaware of San Francisco’s defense.” “They had man-to-man coverage up until that point.
While they were displaying man coverage, they were actually playing zone. They had the back outside, and he gestured back into the backfield.
They were imaginative at last; imagine that.
It was removed by that
Due to their familiarity with the defense, they are aware that they can attack on fourth down.
Campbell has always been an aggressive coach, converting 62 fourth downs since taking over as head coach in 2021, and Clark, Ryan, and Orlovsky all agreed that this was the reason for the decisions. “It’s his identity,” the hosts added, adding that if he had balked at a crucial point, players would have questioned him.
Clark stated, “This squad didn’t make plays; they were ready to win this game.” “Eh… Throughout the second half, the Detroit Lions had numerous opportunities to score but failed to do so.
The Detroit Lions did not perform well in that regard. Sometimes, it’s about the players carrying out the roles you assign them.”
“Never fear; everyone will point to the ‘Neanderthal’ coach again,” Ryan continued. D.S. It’s because of that awful person that they are present.
The last-minute run by David Montgomery on the goal line was one choice that had the ESPN pundits scratching their heads. When he was stuffed short with just over a minute remaining, the Lions were forced to try to overcome a 10-point disadvantage by using one of their three timeouts.
During the last minute, “Get Up” host Mike Greenberg stated, “Dan Campbell made one of the worst coaching mistakes I’ve ever seen a person make, and I’ve been watching the sport for 50 years.
“The one-yard line is where you will start each of your three timeouts. It would be unacceptable to run the ball there.
In the fourth quarter, Campbell elected to go for it rather than try a 47-yard field goal to tie the score. Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe disagreed with this choice on “First Take.
“Following Detroit’s dominance of the 49ers’ defense in the first half—148 yards and three touchdowns—Smith and Sharpe were both shocked by the fact that the Lions only carried the ball eight times in the second half.
Smith remarked, “They were shakin’, pushing around, pummeling the San Francisco 49ers.” Detroit also possessed global momentum.
You run the football eight times in the second half—what possible justification could you offer? For what reason? Considering that you became anxious because Jahmyr Gibbs stumbled,?
“I hold Josh Reynolds accountable for dropping the ball when they attempted a fourth down the first time. That pass needs to be caught. That pass needs to be caught.
In the second attempt, however, the play appeared disjointed, and there was a lack of coordination among players as they attempted a fourth-down play in an attempt to halt the bleeding and stop the momentum. I apologize; it’s not the players’ fault alone.
Sharpe hurled an expletive at Orlovsky, saying, “There are times when you have to adjust your perspective.
Following the Lions’ arrival at this stage, thanks to his aggressive philosophy, Rob Maaddi of AP stated in his game analysis that Campbell had no other option on fourth downs.
There was no way Maaddi would falter; the Lions went down doing what made them successful in reaching the pinnacle.
“Campbell, the former NFL tight end who weighs 265 pounds and stands 6 feet 5 inches, can take the heat. Though they hadn’t won an away playoff game since winning their final NFL championship in 1957, he was aware that the Lions were heavy favorites.
They had only won one postseason game in the preceding 65 seasons before to defeating the Rams and Buccaneers earlier this month.
He was never going to alter his coaching method this close.
The former head coach strongly disagreed with Campbell’s choice, while the two analytics strategists agreed with the Lions coach.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando spoke with the anonymous former head coach and the anonymous in-game strategists.
Even though the Lions’ complete strategy to fourth downs didn’t work on Sunday, one of the in-game strategists expressed appreciation for the team’s approach, despite the former head coach calling the moves senseless.
“They have plays that work, they are incredibly disciplined on their yards to go, and Detroit has a system for what they are doing,” the strategist said to The Athletic.
Think about their matchup with Dallas. With the failed-to-report call, they scored on the trick play.
On the second play, they fouled after they had a player open. I predict that guy will score again on the third play. \
You have to make these two-point tries since they serve as a stand-in on fourth down.
During their nationwide NFL podcast recap, Robert Mays of The Athletic stated that while he agreed with the judgments made, the true issues besetting the Lions this offseason will be the other execution errors.
“You are facing an offensive unit that you were unable to halt during the second half,” Mays clarified.
You shouldn’t depend on your kicker to make a field goal from beyond 45 yards when the game is close since they were out of the lineup for a significant portion of the campaign.
Thus, I really don’t mind the fourth-and-2 or fourth-and-3.
The other self-inflicted injuries that occurred throughout the latter part of the game are more of the focus of this.
