The Detroit Lions continue to march forward in this NFL season, and as the end approaches, they aim to enter the playoffs in the best shape possible. While strategies can sometimes yield positive or negative results, Dan Campbell knows that his team is where it is thanks to a unique difference he has as a coach compared to his peers.
The Lions‘ head coach appeared on 97.1 The Ticket Tuesday morning and made it clear that his approach to handling 4th downs in games, along with his decision to be more aggressive in these situations, is what sets him apart from the rest.
“Oh, I don’t know. Well, here’s the obvious. What happens when we don’t get that? That’s the obvious. Well, we’re moving to the next house,” Campbell said. “That’s why. To each his own, there’s plenty of philosophies that work in this league. And you can win a lot of games doing it your way, and I just lean more this way. It doesn’t mean that we’re always gonna be this way, but that was right for that game.”
These types of decisions can pay off, but they can also lead to criticism for the head coach. So far this season, the Lions have the ninth-most fourth down attempts in the league (22). They’ve converted 15 of them, boasting the sixth-best conversion rate at 68.2 percent.
Campbell spoke about Hutchinson’s return
One of the most significant injuries this season was the serious injury to Aidan Hutchinson. The DE suffered a severe fracture in Week 6 against the Cowboys, which has kept him off the field ever since.
Dan Campbell knows that Hutchinson’s return could provide a significant morale boost for the team as they head into the final stretch of the season. However, he has not guaranteed that the pass rusher will be back on the field anytime soon.
“Honestly, I’m where I was when the injury happened, and that’s always just saying, ‘Look, this is a tough injury.’ It is, but I would just never count him out just knowing who he is,” Campbell explained. “And he’s working, he is progressing, but I can’t say — I can’t give you a timeline. And I don’t know if he’ll have the time to get there, but if anyone could, it’s him.”
The Lions’ final stretch
The team led by Jared Goff has just four games remaining, with the main goal being to claim their division. With the playoffs already secured, the focus now is on racking up as many wins as possible to secure the top spot in the conference.
- vs Buffalo Bills
- vs Chicago Bears
- vs San Francisco 49ers
- vs Minnesota Vikings