Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell will never tell you he’s perfect. We saw that live during their upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs inside Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night.
Prior to the game ending in a franchise-altering 21-20 win over the defending Super Bowl champions, Campbell made some odd decisions. He attempted a fake punt on fourth-and-two from the Lions’ 17-yard line with less than 10 minutes left in the first quarter, culminating in a Detroit touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
With the game tied at 14 and less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter, Detroit had a fourth-and-three from the Chiefs’ 40-yard line. Most expected Campbell to go for it. Rather, he punted. Kansas City got a field goal on the ensuing possession to take a 17-14 lead.
Then, with the Lions up 21-20 after a David Montgomery touchdown run, Campbell opted to go for it on fourth-and-two from the Chiefs 46-yard line. The conversion failed, giving Kansas City a prime opportunity to win.
Anyone who watched the game knows how it turned out. Multiple drops from Chiefs receivers and a couple offensive line penalties set up a fourth-and-25. The Lions’ defense held, leading to their biggest win in eons.
It was never going to be perfect for Campbell and his Lions. The longtime assistant knew that when he turned in his gig as the New Orleans Saints’ tight ends coach in 2020 to take over as the head coach for a long-downtrodden Lions organization.
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But the aura of confidence and change of culture came into play big time as the Lions took to national television to open the season with a win over a Chiefs team many believe will end up being a dynasty. The culture change was obvious before kickoff with a ton of Lions fans making their way to Missouri. It was just as evident when Campbell took to the podium to talk to the media after the thrilling win.
“I didn’t learn anything, I got verification on what I already knew,” Dan Campbell to reporters when he asked about what he learned about his team.
“I got verification.” Campbell knew this iteration of the Lions could be special. That was obvious when Detroit won eight of its final 10 games to conclude last season. It was obvious when the Lions ended Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers career with a road win in Week 18.
“It’s not always going to be the way we all want it to be and look perfect. But I know this, we’re going to fight. We’re going to scratch and we’re going to claw,” Campbell during his Lions introductory press conference back in January of 2011.
Back to the game at hand from Thursday night. Campbell wanted to go for it late in the fourth quarter with his team up by a single point. The reasoning was obvious. Don’t give reigning Super Bowl and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes another opportunity with the ball. It didn’t go the way he wanted. With some help from the Chiefs, Detroit’s defense fought for the win. It scratched and clawed against a power elite within the NFL.
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Campbell’s words from years before became reality on a football field during a primetime game to open an NFL season.
It won’t be perfect for these Lions moving forward. They could end up struggling at points in the season. They can’t yet be seen as top-end Super Bowl contenders. We might be too early in that process.
But for one night, Campbell’s Lions showed us what they were made of. Just don’t expect him to act surprised by it.