With an advantage during the entire 2023 NFL season, the Detroit Lions consistently went for the kill all year long.
Dan Campbell and the Lions proved their strategy effective as they advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991 and won 12 games.
According to ESPN, the Lions converted on fourth down 34% of the time during the regular season, which is the highest percentage of any team this century.
In Santa Clara, California, it functioned until Sunday afternoon when it failed.
DAN CAMPBELL OF THE LIONS IS UNDER FIRE FOR HIS 4TH-DOWN DECISIONS IN THE 49ERS LOSS
The Lions failed to earn the franchise’s first Super Bowl berth in history, blowing a 17-point halftime lead against the San Francisco 49ers.
The “what if” game will go on throughout the offseason even though supporters will remember the 2023 campaign as a huge success.
Let’s examine three of Campbell’s most significant choices that eventually led to Detroit’s demise.
4th-and-2 at San Francisco’s 28-yard line, 7:03 remaining 3rd quarter
The first questionable call by Campbell occurred in 49ers territory midway through the third quarter.
Before halftime, Campbell chose to kick a field goal on fourth-and-goal from the San Francisco four-yard line. The decision gave Detroit a three-possession lead (17 points) heading into halftime.
The 49ers received the opening kickoff of the second half and went nine plays and 50 yards, resulting in a field goal to cut the lead to 14. Detroit’s defense did its job by holding San Francisco to three points.
