Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell faced heavy criticism from numerous media members following his choice to go for fourth-down conversions in the NFC Championship. However, his players stood firmly behind him. In a piece written for the “Players’ Tribune,” Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone expressed full support for Campbell’s decisions, stating that they wouldn’t alter anything if given the chance to do it all over again.
Anzalone emphasized that the entire team, offense and defense included, backed Campbell’s fourth-down call. He highlighted that those who have closely followed the team’s journey over the past three years understand their football philosophy and the mindset that brought them to where they are now.
To provide context, the Lions held a 14-point lead and faced a fourth-and-short situation in the middle of the third quarter. Rather than opting for a field goal, Campbell chose to keep his offense on the field. Unfortunately, they failed to convert, leading to a touchdown for the 49ers on the subsequent possession.
Later, while trailing by three points, Campbell faced a similar scenario in the middle of the fourth quarter. He made the same decision, which yielded the same outcome.
Anzalone pointed out that the team’s aggressive mentality and ability to apply pressure to their opponents played a significant role in their journey to the NFC Championship.
“On fourth down, in that situation, we always go for the kill. This mindset propelled us from 0-10-1 to the NFC Championship game in just a few seasons. Frankly, if anything, I was more surprised when we decided to kick a field goal in the first half,” Anzalone wrote.
Towards the end of the second quarter, the Lions had possession of the ball inside the 49ers’ 5-yard line with only one play remaining before halftime. Instead of attempting a touchdown and potentially scoring zero points, Campbell chose to kick a field goal.
According to Anzalone, the team had expected them to go for a touchdown in that situation, as they had done throughout the season.
I won’t dispute anything Anzalone said because I agree with him. I didn’t dislike the decisions to go for those fourth downs as much as I disliked the choice to run on third-and-goal at the end of the game.
Anzalone is correct in stating that the decisions were not based on analytics but rather on the team’s identity. The Detroit Lions have established a distinct identity, and they intend to continue embodying it, regardless of the outcome.
Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Campbell will change his approach heading into the next season. And you know what? Good for him.