Does Dan Campbell regret going for an onside kick with ample time left against the Bills?
After the onside kick of the fourth quarter backfired, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell expressed his regret over making the call.
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell (Via Imago)
The Detroit Lions’ Week 15 match ended in a crashing disappointment after they broke their 11-game winning streak in a game they could have saved. This has put head coach Dan Campbell once again in the spotlight over his ‘aggressive’ coaching approach, which is said to be concerning for the Lions in the long run.
When the Lions were trailing by 10 points against their opponents in the final 12 minutes of the game, Campbell called for an onside kick, which quickly backfired. The opposing wide receiver Mack Hollins recovered the ball and returned it for five yards on the next play, resulting in the 48-42 victory for the Bills.
In the post-game press conference, the regret on Campbell’s face was unmistakable as he admitted to calling the play too early in the fourth quarter.
I thought we’d get that ball. I wish I hadn’t done it.
Dan Campbell told reporters
The onside kick primarily failed because it lacked the element of surprise as the team attempting it had to announce it beforehand, and it was only permitted in the fourth quarter.
Dan Campbell addressed going for the onside kick early: "I thought we'd get that ball."
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 16, 2024
He said in hindsight, the return made him think: “I wish I hadn't done it." pic.twitter.com/0rEMLiNzlM
Interestingly, the NFL is also reviewing the onside kick and the Lions’ decision to attempt it stemmed from a sense of desperation as they are already dealing with a plague of injury on the defensive line. The defense had already allowed the Josh Allen-led offense to score five touchdowns, and one field goal, and missed another one in their first nine possessions.
HC Dan Campbell takes responsibility for Lions’ loss to Bills
While expressing his regret over the unnecessary onside kick, the Lions’ head coach Campbell took the entire responsibility for the loss as well. This was the second time the Lions allowed their opponents to score such a high number of 48 points in a game this 2024 season.
I didn’t have those guys ready to go. Not like that… that’s on me, man. We had a number of guys that have played a lot better than that… that tells me that’s [on] me.
Dan Campbell said post-game
If Detroit had succeeded with a victory, they might be ruling the NFC with a dominating 13-1 record, but now, they have sunk to 12-2 and are tied for the best record with the Philadelphia Eagles.
And if the rival the Minnesota Vikings succeeded with a victory in the coming game, they will also be tied for the best record at 12-2.
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Pratyusha Srivastava
(2015 Articles Published)