DETROIT – One of the stories of the Detroit Lions’ win over the Chiefs was Dan Campbell’s willingness to take risks, and how that helped his team pull off an upset.
His first-quarter fake punt was the headliner, but Campbell also gambled on fourth down in the final minutes and ultimately gave Patrick Mahomes a short field to potentially win the game.
Overall, Campbell’s aggressive nature is a positive for the Lions, not only in how it directly helps them in games, but also because the players like having a coach who bets on them to execute.
But do the fans like it, too? The morning after the Lions’ win, we asked about each of Campbell’s risky coaching decisions. Here’s what fans said:
- Do you support a fake punt deep in your own territory?
- 64%: Yes, I trust Campbell knows what he’s doing!
- 13%: That’s a little too risky for my taste.
- 23%: I’ll be happy if it works and scream at everyone I know if it doesn’t.
- What would you have done on 4th and 3 from the KC 40? (Campbell punted)
- 37%: I would have gone for it.
- 38%: I think punting was the right decision.
- 11%: I thought they should have gone for it at the time, but then they won so I changed my mind.
- 14%: I don’t want to disagree with Dan Campbell. He might bite my kneecap.
- Accept the holding penalty or keep it 4th down? (Campbell accepted the penalty)
- 28%: Decline the penalty -- give the Chiefs 4th and 1 from the Detroit 48-yard line.
- 72%: Accept the penalty -- Give the Chiefs 3rd and 17 from their own 36-yard line.
- Go for 4th down or punt with a 1-point lead? (Campbell went for 4th down)
- 23%: He should have punted in that spot.
- 77%: I like being aggressive and going for the win!
As you can see from these results, a vast majority of the fan base supported three of Campbell’s four debatable decisions. It’s very telling that the only close vote centered around the one time Campbell chose to be conservative.
The fans spoke loud and clear: They like when Campbell is aggressive, and they supported even his wildest gambles in the win over Kansas City.
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I think it’s great that the fan base is on board, but I just have one request: Remember this when one of his risks inevitably doesn’t work out quite as well.
Campbell’s mindset has always been the same since he took over as Lions’ head coach. Remember the game against Matthew Stafford and the Rams his first season, when Campbell called for an onside kick after a touchdown on the opening drive?
But even Campbell knows going into every season that not every gamble is going to pay off. Sometimes the dealer has 21. Converting 70% of his risky decisions might be a success -- but that still means he’ll be wrong 30% of the time.
The conversation about Campbell would sound a lot different today if Mahomes had driven down the field for a game-winning field goal after the Lions failed on fourth down. Campbell is well aware of that, and he took the risk anyway, and fans love him for it.
On a case-by-case basis, there will be times when we all agree or disagree with what Campbell does. I, for one, would not advise a fake punt inside your own 20-yard line or giving Mahomes the ball near midfield when three points would win the game.
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But the mentality as a whole is one that I support, and for that reason, I have to live with those times when Campbell’s aggressiveness leads to a choice I might not agree with in a given moment.
Most Lions fans understand that concept, and they and won’t try to run Campbell out of town if something doesn’t go his way. In the heat of the moment, when a decision goes wrong, take a second to remember the fake punt against Kansas City and the onside kick against the Rams.
It’s not always going to work, and it’s rarely going to be comfortable. But Campbell is a gambler, and especially after the first game, that’s not about to change.