10-1 Lions Apparently Signing Jamal Adams For Some Reason

[Rat]

I know everyone fawns over the size if Dan’s cajones, but I think at times he can be wrecklessly cavalier and aggressive with his playcalling. Yeah, it worked tonight against the Packers and he HAS had success to be sure.

But that NFCCG last year on the road in hostile territory with the lead, you take the points. Fourth and inches? Sure. But fourth and whatever they were multiple times? Take the points. I understand it’s their identity and all, but it’s an important football game, not a macho contest. They were immature decisions that cost them the game way more any freak bounces.

Others disagree with valid reasons and I respect that, but damn, their stubbornness to live a die by the sword regardless of situation kept them from winning a franchise defining game they mostly dominated.

Thank you. I've expressed these same concerns in a number of places and always get met with comments about how Campbell is above criticism because "the Lions were bad for a long time before he took over".

It cost them a winnable game against the Cowboys late in the year too. They scored a late TD that would have tied the game with the XP. They decided to go for two, which on its own is ok, but they got a five-yard penalty on their first attempt and then went for two again from further away and Goff threw a poor pass into traffic short of the goal line.

We'll see in the playoffs if Campbell has learned that there's nuance to this stuff. I suspect he'll just double down though. Being willing to take more risks is commendable and there are plenty of teams that would be wise to learn from it, but continuing to make the most aggressive choice again and again regardless of circumstances because "that's what we do" is embarrassingly reckless and will end up burning them. It's no coincidence that the two times he got burnt last year were against the 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC. One cost them a higher seed in the playoffs, the other cost them their first Super Bowl appearance.

If I'm wrong on this, I'll happily eat my crow, as I've done many times before, but I'm still not convinced that Campbell is an elite coach. I think there's a good chance he's being propped up by a great GM and offensive coordinator. And if he's not already, he should be sending a thank you card and a cut of his salary every year to the idiot GMs that gifted the Lions Penei Sewell with the seventh pick of the 2021 draft.

Eventually, the macho chest-thumping and quotes from motivational posters are going to stop being enough. Whether he's able to adapt when that happens is going to determine how good of a coach he really is.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Not sure why in the hell he would go for it on 4th. No reason for it. Kick the damn FG. You would think he would learn from handing the NFC Championship game away because he wouldn't just take the damn points. Sure, it worked but come on man. Kick the FG. There's a huge difference between "that's just what we do" and being flat out reckless. They had no business losing that NFC Championship. He passed on two VERY makeable FG's. All because "that's that we do"

I think he's a hell of a coach, and they're a fun team to watch. But at some point, you're just being way too aggressive, imo.
It looks like coach Mike can be pretty aggressive, but if he did it to Dan Campbell level? I think many of us would be losing our sh**

 

[Palmegranite]

Here's the notice:

NFL teams, when you play the Detroit Lions, they are prepared to, and will go for it on every single 4th down and whatever yardage. Nervous yet?

Oh, also, they are very successful at 4 and anything? Like 4 for 5 last night including the last one to ice the game. Feeling some pressure yet?

Good luck going forward. You are about as likely to stop the Lions as you are at stopping the Eagle's butt push.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Good points. But it doesn't change the fact that his over aggressive style cost them a SB birth last year. End of story.

 

[Palmegranite]

Good points. But it doesn't change the fact that his over aggressive style cost them a SB birth last year. End of story.

Likewise good points.
But you don't know that perhaps the reason the Lions made it as far as they did in the playoffs, beating some good teams in the Rams and the Bucs, was because of their F-yeah, we're going for it attitude.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

I think yesterday on the last one he was coaching the situation too. With all the injuries on D and the Packers moving the ball so well, he might have liked his odds of getting the first down and leaving no time vs counting on his D even in 30 second or so to stop the Packers from getting into FG range, or worse case scenario, missing the FG and the Pack potentially driving for the win.

Right now, the way our D is playing I would kick the 3 and trust them to make the stop.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I guess so. I can see your point, but GB would have had around 35 seconds and no timeouts, depending on if the return the kick etc. Just not worth the risk. Shoot, they were lucky to even get it, Goff fell down, and his knee was down before he handed it off. Good thing this wasn't a college game

Also, try that stuff outdoors in January and find out..........

 

[HawkRiderFan]

True they were lucky with Goff getting tripped. And when that happens to Geno it's a turnover on downs

With some of these offences these days and kickers bombing long distance shots, I would not have ruled out the Pack getting into range vs that depleted D.

 

[Sperrydogg]

I know everyone fawns over the size if Dan’s cajones, but I think at times he can be wrecklessly cavalier and aggressive with his playcalling. Yeah, it worked tonight against the Packers and he HAS had success to be sure.

But that NFCCG last year on the road in hostile territory with the lead, you take the points. Fourth and inches? Sure. But fourth and whatever they were multiple times? Take the points. I understand it’s their identity and all, but it’s an important football game, not a macho contest. They were immature decisions that cost them the game way more any freak bounces.

Others disagree with valid reasons and I respect that, but damn, their stubbornness to live a die by the sword regardless of situation kept them from winning a franchise defining game they mostly dominated.

I agree and I hate seeing McD do it

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Will keep saying it that I think they lay an egg in the play offs/peaking too early. Some team will shut down their offense for a game and their defense isn't good enough to overcome it. They give up so many bad penalties like DPI and holds and to be honest seemed a bit fortunate with penalty luck last night.

 

[keasley45]

I know everyone fawns over the size if Dan’s cajones, but I think at times he can be wrecklessly cavalier and aggressive with his playcalling. Yeah, it worked tonight against the Packers and he HAS had success to be sure.

But that NFCCG last year on the road in hostile territory with the lead, you take the points. Fourth and inches? Sure. But fourth and whatever they were multiple times? Take the points. I understand it’s their identity and all, but it’s an important football game, not a macho contest. They were immature decisions that cost them the game way more any freak bounces.

Others disagree with valid reasons and I respect that, but damn, their stubbornness to live a die by the sword regardless of situation kept them from winning a franchise defining game they mostly dominated.

Agree 100%. They say a team takes on the personality of its coach and the Lions certainly have. That fact is exactly what will be their undoing at some point. When you live on the razors edge and expect auccess their to carry you, when it doesnt work, things can collapse quickly.

Whether its groung accustomed to rolling teams because the risky playcalls always work, beating opponents because your zero blitz always gets home when it needs to, or getting the 4th and inches with the game on the line again and again. When those things stop falling your way in the course of a game, the affect can be amplified. Where not converting on a 4th and short for a team that hasnt relied on such moments to survive, can be disappointing, for the team that has done it so often and succeeded, it can feel like maybe their luck is running out.