In the past when I’ve had the city of Detroit mentioned in conversation, the first thing that has always come to mind is the great MC Eminem and all his musical accomplishments. I also think of the great Motown era, founded in 1959 by the legendary Barry Gordy Jr. When it comes to football, the “motor city” hasn’t had much to cheer about for many years, but since Dan Campbell’s arrival as head coach of the Lions, things have changed.
Campbell had brought a renewed energy, passion, and excitement not only to the Lions fanbase, but to the entire city of Detroit. Who can forget his opening press conference when he promised the Lions mindset would be “to bite the kneecaps off their opponents and kick you in the teeth”. One thing about Campbell is that he stands behind his aggressive coaching style and his words.
The Lions surpassed expectations in the 2023 season, not only winning the division but also winning two playoff home games in route to an NFC Championship showdown with the Niners. They came out red hot and ran for 148 yards on the ground and 3 TDs in the first half, shocking many and going into halftime with a 24-7 lead. Many people (including myself) were skeptical regarding the Niners’ chances of coming back based on the Detroit domination.
However, no contest ends based on the results of just two quarters of play. The second half was a completely different story as the Niners dominated the line of scrimmage and Brock Purdy made some timely adjustments through the air and with his legs. Purdy rushed for 48 yards while the Lions only ran the ball eight times for the entire second half. Based on their first half dominance on the ground, it seemed odd that Campbell abandoned the running game and relied more on the air attack.
We all know that the Lions haven’t ever won a Superbowl in their franchise history. The last time they won a football championship title was prior to the NFL being formed, and that came in 1957. I love the aggressive nature and coaching of Dan Campbell, however, there were several times in the third quarter where the Lions left some key opportunities for points on the field.
The Gibbs fumble was a key factor, but we can’t forget the two dropped passes from Reynolds, one of which came on 4th and 2 from the Niners 30-yard line. Goff’s pass wasn’t perfect, but it certainly was a catchable ball that bounced out of the arms of Reynolds. The Lions were down 27-24 at that time, and a 47-yard field goal (Assuming it was made) would’ve tied the game up. However, Campbell elected to go for it instead of the safe option of a field goal.
We all know the outcome of this decision wasn’t favorable for Detroit, and neither was running the Ball with David Montgomery inside the 2-yard line with a minute left in the game. Detroit not only needed to score, but they also needed to preserve their three remaining timeouts.
Montgomery was tackled for a two-yard loss, and the Lions were essentially doomed even after converting a TD on Fourth down, still trailing 31-34 but only having two timeouts remaining instead of three. Campbell’s aggressiveness has for the most part paid off for the Lions this season, but it appears to me that his gambles in this game came back to haunt him and the Lions. The onside kick attempt didn’t work out, and the Lions season came to a halt.
Detroit is a young team who is well coached and on the rise. This will indeed be a restless offseason in the Lions den, but don’t be surprised if they end up fetching a Superbowl berth in Campbell’s old stomping grounds of New Orleans next year.