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Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds isn’t getting too down over the critical miscues in the NFC Championship game.
Reynolds failed to haul in two third-quarter passes that would have given the Lions first downs, killing drives as the San Francisco 49ers were seizing the momentum en route to a 34-31 victory. The veteran receiver spoke out this week, putting his mistakes into perspective.
“(Expletive) happens, man,” Reynolds said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Josh Reynolds: ‘You’ve Just Got to Learn From It’
Reynolds said he didn’t want to let the drops destroy his confidence, telling reporters that he still believes in his abilities and is ready to work hard to bounce back next season
“I know what kind of player I am,” Reynolds said. “Didn’t want to drop them. (Expletive) happens. I just — do I want those back? Of course, but I can’t and I just got to work this offseason and be prepared for the moment when it comes.”
There was plenty of blame to go around after Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. Lions head coach Dan Campbell was criticized for his decision to go for it on two fourth down plays in San Francisco territory rather than take field goal attempts. A third-quarter drive ended with the first drop from Reynolds, and another late in the fourth fell short with another incomplete pass.
Campbell defended his decisions, saying he wanted his team to control the ball late in the game rather than trying for a tie and giving the ball back to the 49ers when they had already been churning out long scoring drives.
Though Reynolds came under fire for his dropped passes in the NFC Championship game, quarterback Jared Goff defended him after the game and noted that other players made mistakes in the game.
The timing of Reynolds’ drops may have added to the criticism, as the failed drives after his drops led to scores from the 49ers. The Lions took a 17-point lead into halftime but saw the 49ers storm back after halftime, scoring 27 unanswered points.
Reynolds said this week that he can take the game as a learning opportunity and keep working toward next season.
“It’s something you learn throughout the years playing this game cause if you’re sitting here sulking on the bad, it’s hard to have good come out of it,” Reynolds said. “Ultimately, you’ve just got to learn from it, take it as a learning lesson, take it on the chin and move on.”
Uncertain Future for Veteran Pass-Catcher
Reynolds heads into an uncertain offseason, with his contract coming to an end after spending the last two seasons in Detroit. As Vito Chirco of SI.com’s All Lions noted, Reynolds could have an advantage in coming back due his familiarity with Goff.
“During the regular season, Reynolds proved to be one of Jared Goff’s most reliable targets (40 catches, 608 yards and five touchdowns),” Chirco noted. “He and Goff established a strong rapport during their time together with the Rams (2017-2020), which certainly carried over for the two of them during the past three seasons in Detroit.”
