After Sunday’s heartbreaking NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed no regrets about his team’s two failed fourth-down conversion tries.
Both plays were within field goal range, but Campbell’s squad failed to convert, ending drives that had kept the 49ers defense on its heels.
Fans of the chronically downtrodden franchise eventually witnessed a 17-point halftime lead slip away, along with their chances of competing in the Super Bowl.
“I just felt really good about us converting,” Campbell said in a post-game media conference, defending his aggressive game strategy.
“I don’t regret those decisions,” he explained. “And it’s hard. It’s difficult because we didn’t follow through, and it couldn’t work out. But I don’t. “I do not.”
Campbell, whose tenacious Lions converted more fourth-down attempts than any other team in the league this season, also admitted he anticipated his decisions would be questioned and was prepared to accept that.
“I understand the scrutiny I’ll face; it’s part of the job, man,” Campbell told reporters. “But, it just didn’t work out.”
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On fourth and goal with only a few seconds on the clock in the second quarter, Campbell made the wise decision to take the points.
Detroit scored a field goal to finish the half with a 24-7 lead.
Campbell did not make the same decision after two important drives in the second half.
With his team leading 24-10 in the third quarter, Campbell chose not to send the kicking unit onto the field, potentially putting a dagger in San Francisco’s back.
Lions QB Jared Goff threw a pass to wide receiver Josh Reynolds that was dropped.
The drive ended, and San Francisco scored a touchdown on its next possession.
From that point forward, Detroit lost all momentum.
Detroit was trailing 27-24 on the road in the fourth quarter when Campbell’s squad faced a fourth-down opportunity to try a game-tying field goal.
Campbell attempted the conversion again, but it failed as pressure caused Goff to fire a ball that could not be caught.
San Francisco added 7 more points before Detroit found any rhythm on offense.
With just under a minute remaining, the Lions scored another touchdown, but time ran out.
A missed onside kick pushed San Francisco to the Super Bowl, where they will meet the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas, while Campbell suffered a barrage of criticism:
Lions fans, players, and coaches will most certainly spend years wondering what could have been after the club lost 34-31 in a game that Detroit should and should have won.
