DETROIT – Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about his fourth-down aggression on Tuesday morning following the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Campbell is known as one of the most aggressive head coaches in the NFL -- a quality that’s helped the Lions win a lot of games over the past half-decade.
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But on Sunday Night Football in Philadelphia, the Lions went 0-for-5 on fourth down, contributing to a 16-9 loss. Many fans were frustrated that the Lions didn’t kick field goals or play the field position game, considering how well the defense played.
On Tuesday morning, Campbell did his weekly interview with Jon Jansen and Jim Costa on 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather.”
“Have you considered modifying the aggressiveness of which you decide to go for it on fourth down and play for a little bit more field position or go for the points and field goals when the opportunity presents itself?” Jansen asked.
Here’s what Campbell said:
You know, I look at everything and I come out of those games and I think about everything. I look at everything. I try not to play the hindsight game, but I know this: No matter what we do, how we go here, just like we’ve done going on Year 5 now, we’re going to play to the strength of our team, however that goes.
You learn, you evolve as you go, as the season goes, you figure out who you are and truly what your strengths are, and you adapt and you adjust. Every game, you have to adjust. And the opponent is different every week.
So you do that, but the other night was also pretty unique, too, because of the weather -- there was some wind -- and we were in no man’s land a little bit on some of those, and no matter what your team is, it’s hard for me to punt on the 35-yard line, 36-yard line. But yet, that wind is stiff, and I don’t think that’s all that fair either to (kicker Jake) Bates. So, man, it’s fourth-and-2, we’re going, fourth-and-3. I like our skill players. I like our quarterback. I like the play. We can hold up in (pass protection), and it didn’t work out.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell
The loss dropped the Lions to 6-4 on the season, and for now, they’re on the outside of the playoff picture, at No. 8 in the NFC.
Detroit will have a chance to bounce back at home this week against the 2-9 New York Giants.