Lions coach Dan Campbell does not remorse expensive 4th-down calls

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — An emotional Dan Campbell strolled out of Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night along with his arm wrapped round veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater after his group fell to the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 within the NFC Championship Sport.

Regardless of the loss, the third-year Detroit Lions coach continued to carry his head excessive and mentioned he had no regrets about two vital failed makes an attempt on fourth down within the second half.

“It is easy hindsight. I get it. I get that, however I do not remorse these selections, and it is arduous,” Campbell mentioned. “It is arduous as a result of we did not come by, and it wasn’t capable of work out, however I do not. And I perceive the scrutiny I will get — that is a part of the gig — but it surely simply did not work out.”

After a dominant first half by the Lions gave them a 17-point lead, issues turned on their head within the second half — together with a 3rd quarter during which they have been outscored 17-0, their worst level differential in 1 / 4 this season. Rookie operating again Jahmyr Gibbs had a expensive fumble with 5:15 remaining within the third quarter, and the Lions had three dropped passes within the second half.

“A couple of third downs we want that we may have transformed,” mentioned Lions vast receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had seven receptions for 87 yards. “We went for it on fourth down a couple of instances; I want we might have had these. They performed effectively on protection that second half. We have been nonetheless transferring the ball fairly a bit, a turnover and whatnot. We each had one turnover, so it was robust.”

One in all Campbell’s selections to go for it was on fourth-and-2 from the San Francisco 28-yard line with 7:03 left within the third quarter; Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s move went incomplete to veteran vast receiver Josh Reynolds. ESPN Analytics barely favored the choice to go for it (90.5% likelihood to win the sport) versus making an attempt a discipline purpose (90.3%).

The opposite choice, on fourth-and-3 on the San Francisco 30-yard line with 7:38 remaining within the fourth quarter, was additionally thought of a toss-up based on ESPN’s mannequin, which leaned very barely towards going for it (39.1% vs. 38.8%). Goff threw an incomplete move to St. Brown.

Campbell typically is not afraid to tug the set off on fourth-down conditions. The Lions went for it on fourth down 34% of the time in the course of the common season, the very best fee of any group this century, based on ESPN Stats & Data analysis. Goff mentioned he’s all-in on Campbell’s selections to go for it however famous that the Lions should convert.

“I find it irresistible. Maintain us on the market. We should always convert,” mentioned Goff, who accomplished 25 of 41 passes for 273 yards and a landing. “He believes in us. I do not know what the numbers are, however we had plenty of big-time conversions this 12 months that modified video games.

“However it might change a recreation if you happen to convert them, and we did not, and that is a part of the explanation why we misplaced.”

Previous to this postseason run, the Lions hadn’t received a playoff recreation for the reason that 1991 marketing campaign. Campbell mentioned Sunday’s defeat felt like “getting your coronary heart ripped out” however that the bar has now been raised inside the group.

“It is Tremendous Bowl or bust,” Detroit linebacker Alex Anzalone mentioned. “That was our mindset this 12 months, though the skin individuals did not essentially assume that or consider that. However inside our group, that is our customary, and that must be our customary going ahead.”

After failing to achieve the playoffs final season, the Lions tied the franchise mark for many wins in a single season at 12 with this group. Nonetheless, they’ve now misplaced 12 straight highway playoff video games, the longest such streak in NFL postseason historical past, with their final away win coming within the 1957 divisional spherical in opposition to the 49ers.

As a participant, Campbell appeared within the Tremendous Bowl in the course of the 2000 marketing campaign with the New York Giants however by no means received a title. After Sunday’s recreation, he instructed his gamers how troublesome it’s to go on deep playoff runs and the way they must capitalize on this momentum sooner or later.

The purpose, after all, is to go even additional subsequent 12 months.

“Look, I instructed these guys, this will have been our solely shot. Do I feel that? No. Do I consider that? No. Nonetheless, I understand how arduous it’s to get right here. I am well-aware. It should be twice as arduous to get again so far subsequent 12 months than it was this 12 months,” Campbell mentioned. “That is the fact. And if we do not have the identical starvation and the identical work — which is a complete nother factor — as soon as we get to the offseason, then we have got no shot of getting again right here.

“I do not care how significantly better we did or what we add or what we draft. It is irrelevant. It should be robust. However then our division’s going to be loaded again up. You are not hiding from anyone anymore. Everyone’s going to desire a piece of you, which is ok. So, it is arduous. You wish to benefit from each alternative, and we had a chance — and we simply could not shut it out, and it stings.”