DETROIT – If there’s one thing Detroit Lions fans have learned about Dan Campbell over the past two seasons, it’s that he isn’t afraid to take big risks on gameday.
From fake punts to onside kicks to going for fourth down, Campbell likes to trust his players and put pressure on opposing teams.
That clearly didn’t change during the offseason.
It’s time for the season’s first edition of... 🎲 Campbell’s Gambles! 🎲
Campbell rolled the dice early and often in the season opener, and even though some of those gambles didn’t pay off, the Lions probably wouldn’t have won if it wasn’t for the biggest risk of them all.
Fake punt
The most memorable and daring of Campbell’s Week 1 risks was the fake punt he called in the first quarter.
The Lions had just failed to pick up a first down on their second-straight possession to start the season, and Jack Fox came out to punt from his own 17-yard line.
But Campbell wasn’t giving the ball back to Mahomes without a fight. The ball was snapped to Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who rumbled forward to pick up three yards on fourth and 2.
It worked out. That fake punt ignited the offense’s 75-yard touchdown drive. If Campbell had punted there, the Lions might not have won the game.
It’s hard to argue with a decision that turned out so well, but that’s not the type of move Campbell should get used to. I think if Patrick Mahomes wasn’t standing on the other sideline, Campbell wouldn’t have made that call.
So I get it, he felt he couldn’t afford to wait. But hopefully that doesn’t become a regular thing.
Accepting holding penalty instead of 4th down
Some fans on Twitter took issue with a decision Campbell made right before halftime, as the Chiefs were driving to try to take the lead.
On third down and 7, Mahomes hit Noah Gray for a six-yard gain to the Lions’ 48-yard line. That would have set up a fourth down and 1.
Instead, Campbell accepted a 10-yard holding penalty back at the line of scrimmage, which forced the Chiefs back to their own 36-yard line for a third down and 17.
Mahomes did what he does, and hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 34-yard gain. Two plays later, the Chiefs scored to take a lead into the break.
Look, it didn’t work out, but Campbell clearly made the right decision here. Mahomes is going to convert a fourth down and 1 more often than not, and most teams are not going to pick up a third and 17.
We asked Lions fans what they thought, and 70% of them agreed with Campbell. It was the opposite of the fake punt -- he made the right call, it just didn’t turn out the way he’d hoped.
Punting from Chiefs’ 40-yard line
Campbell got surprisingly conservative midway through the third quarter, as the Lions were driving into Chiefs territory in a tie game.
Josh Reynolds dropped a screen pass on third down and 3 at Kansas City’s 40-yard line, and Campbell elected to punt rather than go for it on fourth down.
Fox pinned the Chiefs back at their own 10-yard line, but Mahomes put together a drive that ended with a go-ahead field goal.
Lions fans are pretty split on this decision, but I think Campbell should have been aggressive for the same reason he called a fake punt: You have to score points to beat Mahomes.
Maybe he saw some of the team’s struggles in short-yardage situations and decided not to risk it, but Campbell isn’t the kind of coach who loses faith in his team that quickly.
The decision to punt was even more surprising when you consider what Campbell did a few drives later.
Going for fourth down at midfield
Nobody’s going to talk about it because the Lions’ defense got another huge stop, but Campbell’s decision to go for fourth down and 2 from around midfield at the end of the game was extremely bold.
The Lions were up one point with 2:30 left in the game, and they needed to get to Kansas City’s 43-yard line. Goff targeted Reynolds and threw incomplete, which meant Mahomes only needed about 10 yards to get into Harrison Butker field goal range (he made a 62-yarder in that same stadium last season.
Kansas City’s first play was a 17-yard pass to Detroit’s 38-yard line, which almost certainly would have been enough to win the game, but fortunately, it was called back for holding, and the Lions ended up getting a fourth down stop of their own.
The Lions defense played great all night, and Fox is one of the best punters in the league. It probably would have been best to punt in that situation and make the Chiefs go 50+ yards from deep in their own territory.
Campbell’s mantra fits Detroit
Whether fans agree with every individual decision or not, Campbell’s willingness to take risks fits this team. He might cost the Lions a game along the way, but I’d argue his decisions just led to a win.
If the Lions are fighting for a division title and a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, the stakes are going to get much higher. It’s not the same as calling an onside kick when your record is 5-7. Hopefully, Campbell sticks with what got him here.