Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is no stranger to bold decisions, but his latest gamble against the Green Bay Packers took things to another level and could have turned the game around. With the game tied 17-17 and less than five minutes left, the head coach decided to keep his offense on the field on a 4th-and-1 from his own 24-yard line instead of punting.
The play, however, backfired eventually, but luck was on Dan Campbell’s side last night, as he got the job done in a closely contested battle in the final seconds. Despite the divisional win, it did little to convince the likes of Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, sending a blunt warning to the Lions and their championship hopes this season.
Gronk and Edelman Question Lions’ Decision-Making After Packers Thriller
Following the NFC North game yesterday, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman raised concerns about the Detroit Lions’ approach to the game, especially in the fourth quarter, implying it might hurt them in the long run.
“I know that Detroit won, and you can’t take away from how good Amon-Ra St. Brown played, and Jamo played, and Gibbs played, but it’s going to bite them in the butt when you go for it on fourth-and-two on your 25. That’s JV. That terrible call (Dan Campbell’s 4th-Down Decision),” said Julian Edelman on The Gronk & Jules Show.
“If Green Bay missed a field goal. Pure luck right there. And you don’t want to win games on just pure luck,” said Gronkowski, agreeing with his co-host.
“They’ve done that a lot, man. And I’ve talked about it with MCDC,” Edelman continued. “I love him to death. I love that he’s an aggressive guy. I love the player-coach that he is. But you can’t, now; it’s reckless. It’s reckless. It’s not aggressive, man. And it just—it’s going to hurt you.”
The Packers rookie kicker Trey Smack missed two field goals last night, which proved to be costly at the end, as the Lions were victorious by just 3 points. While he missed the first FG from 26 yards in the first half, his second one was blocked by the Lions defensive end D.J. Wonnum in the closing moments of the game.
However, the margin of error will be reduced against top-tier teams who are favorites to win the Super Bowl this season.
Lions Get Super Bowl Reality Check Ahead Of Vikings Game
Gronk and Edelman didn’t hold back, highlighting the possible concern down the line against better teams. While Dan Campbell’s positive mentality is praiseworthy, last night’s approach may not be enough to make deep playoff runs or potentially reach the Super Bowl.
“I can tell you this right now: all Super Bowl winners are solid football teams. They’re great football teams. They play together. They’re not reckless. They cover up their mistakes,” Gronk stated in the same podcast. “When you’re reckless, it might win some games in the regular season. That’s fine. But it’s not going to win playoff games. It’s not going to win Super Bowls.”
After the Packets win, the Lions’ next assignment is anything but easy. They are scheduled to take on the NFC North leader, the Minnesota Vikings, who remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL this season. Dan Campbell’s tactical decisions will be tested against a quality opponent like the Vikings.
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