Dan Campbell Bluntly Defends Controversial Week 1 Coaching Decision

The Detroit Lions were forced to try and forge another comeback all day against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, and that meant the team was forced to gamble plenty.

Perhaps the biggest roll of the dice that was made on the day was the team electing to go for an onside kick early in the third quarter down by 10 points.

Detroit had just scored to cut into some momentum the Eagles had and instead of drilling the kick deep, Campbell elected for the surprise onside kick. Why would he do that? Simply because he wanted a shot at the ball.

“Because I wanted the ball back,” Campbell told the media bluntly after the game when asked about the decision.

After that, the coach didn’t expand on his choice. The reason he wanted the ball back? Likely he felt that his team was on a roll and the play could be pulled off, perhaps leading to even more momentum for the Lions in the moment.

It didn’t happen, and Philadelphia marched to the end zone quickly after, expanding the lead to 38-21. It was the last touchdown the Eagles would collect, though, as the Lions launched a furious comeback only to lose 38-35.

Would a different decision have changed the game’s outcome? Probably not, as the Eagles could have scored anyway given their lack of struggle moving the ball against the Lions most of the day. It’s easy to see why folks might wonder about the impact the play had on momentum, though.

Either way, Campbell made clear that he wanted the ball, which is the reason the choice was made.

Many Fans Unhappy With Lions’ Onside Kick

Even though Campbell offered his response afterward, in the moment, the decision clearly didn’t strike the right chord with many Lions fans on the internet.

As Pat Batcheller tweeted, it wasn’t a move he liked because he was not in favor of giving the Eagles a short field.

“I did not like the onside kick call. I understand Dan Campbell’s reasoning, but you can’t give Hurts a short field like that,” Batcheller tweeted.

Others were even more blunt, calling the decision too cute and the difference in the football game like Matthew Soprano.

“Defense was horrible, offense was good. The difference of the game was Dan Campbell getting too cute with an onside kick that lead to an Eagles score of course,” Sporano tweeted.

As Justin Valentine pointed out on Twitter, the risky calls don’t get brownie points for having been made this season, as only wins matter.

“That onside kick benefits the Eagles more than the Lions. Dan Campbell isn’t going to get credit for “risky calls” trying to win this season. He needs to just win,” he tweeted.

One way or another, it was a decision everyone was talking about after the game, and most had a strong opinion.

Campbell Has Earned Gambler Reputation With Lions

No matter whether the right choice was made or not, it’s clear that Campbell is going to trust his gut and refuse to be scared when he is leading his team.

In 2021, the Lions became a team that notoriously went on fourth down, electing not to punt and keep the offense on the field. In a few games, it blew up in the team’s face. In others, it helped play a leading role in the Lions staying in the game. Campbell also has seen onside kicks and fake punts pay off before, like when it did against the Los Angeles Rams last season.

This year, it’s clear Campbell is going to continue on gambling, especially if he it feels it benefits the team. After all, Detroit was a perfect 1-1 on fourth down conversions during the game.

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