DETROIT – Dan Campbell is known for being a gambler and a risk taker, but in Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, he let the flow of the game dictate his aggressiveness.
That’s great news for the Detroit Lions.
After every game, we break down all of Campbell’s controversial in-game decisions in “Campbell’s Gambles,” but this week, there weren’t any to analyze.
In the first two games, Lions fans got a taste of both the prizes and the perils of a hyper-aggressive head coach.
Campbell threw caution to the wind in the opener against Kansas City and dialed up a fake punt from his own 17-yard line. The Lions converted and ultimately drove the length of the field for a touchdown. Without that fake punt, they likely wouldn’t have won the game.
Last week, though, Campbell went for a fourth down near midfield with a four-point lead, and the Lions didn’t convert. Seattle turned around and scored a go-ahead touchdown in a game that ended up going to overtime. So his gamble proved costly.
These types of decisions shouldn’t be black and white. A coach can’t just say, “I’m going to go for every fourth down as long as it’s shorter than 4 yards.” Every game is different and should be coached as such.
Campbell is still a relatively inexperienced head coach, but it appears he’s starting to embrace that concept.
On Sunday, right after halftime, the Lions got the ball with a 13-3 lead and failed to convert a 3rd and 1 from their own 34-yard line.
Everyone held their breath to see what Campbell would do, because he doesn’t like to give the ball back in short-yardage situations. But the Lions’ defense was playing exceptionally well, allowing just three points while forcing four three-and-outs in the first half.
Campbell chose to punt, and Jack Fox pinned the Falcons inside their own 20-yard line. It ended up being the right call, because Atlanta couldn’t move the ball.
The very next drive, with the Lions still up by 10, their drive stalled at Atlanta’s 42-yard line. Facing a 4th and 7, Campbell punted again, and Fox did his job, dropping the ball inside the 20.
The Falcons picked up one first down, but then punted the ball back. They couldn’t get anything going, and the last thing the Lions wanted to do was give them a short field to spark the offense.
It’s an advantage for the Lions to have a coach who’s willing to take risks at certain moments, but it’s even better when he allows the game to help dictate those decisions.
The Lions are still growing as a team, and so is their coach. On Sunday, we saw genuine progress from both.