The Detroit Lions’ aggressiveness – and talent – have taken them far this season.
That same aggressiveness could be their downfall.
Dan Campbell has the utmost confidence in his team, but some of his decisions defy logic.
That happened again during the loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Lions scored a touchdown and were down just ten points with 12 minutes left in the game.
There was more than enough time left to score twice, especially with their explosive offense and plethora of playmakers.
Even so, Campbell chose to kick an onside kick.
"Seems a little early, Tony, but OK — here we go."
– Jim Nantz as Lions fail to recover an onside kick with 12 minutes left pic.twitter.com/MVquIlSURQ
— NFL on CBS ? (@NFLonCBS) December 16, 2024
As usually happens, his team failed to recover it, and the Bills ended up starting their drive deep into their territory.
It didn’t take long before they scored again, and the Lions eventually lost the game.
When asked about that, Campbell admitted that as much as he thought his team would recover the football, he wished he hadn’t done that (via Brad Galli).
Dan Campbell addressed going for the onside kick early: "I thought we'd get that ball."
He said in hindsight, the return made him think: “I wish I hadn't done it." pic.twitter.com/0rEMLiNzlM
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 16, 2024
Granted, the Lions have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but they still needed to win to steer clear of the scorching-hot Philadelphia Eagles and get the No. 1 seed.
That questionable decision could cost him that.
There have always been concerns about Campbell’s decision-making, and this doesn’t do much to help his case.
As much as he deserves a lot of credit for this team’s culture turnaround, his coaching staff and the myriad of talent he has at his disposal have also done their part.
There are no do-overs in the playoffs, and it would be a shame to see such a great season go down the drain because of something like that.
NEXT: Dan Campbell Speaks Out About His Aggressive 4th Down Decisions
