Kay Adams had a message this week for anyone second-guessing Dan Campbell’s decision to go 0-for-5 on fourth down against the defending Super Bowl champs.
She wants them to shut up. Respectfully, of course.
The Up & Adams host defended the Lions’ aggressive philosophy after Detroit’s 16-9 loss to the Eagles onSunday Night Football, pushing back against growing skepticism from her colleagues in sports media about whether Campbell’s approach is actually achieving anything or if he’s just being aggressive for the sake of being aggressive.
“There’s been a lot of takes about the 0-on-5, maybe they shouldn’t have kept going for them, all of that,” Adams said. “I would say, respectfully, to the people who are saying ‘They shouldn’t go for it, it wasn’t working out, take the points, whatever,’ shut up, as respectfully as I can say it. Shut up.”
Kay has a message to those critiquing the Lions 4th down decisions:
“Respectfully… shut up.”
@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/JTarwyibjc
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 18, 2025
Detroit went for it five times on fourth down Sunday night and failed to convert any of them.
That said, even if Detroit kicks field goals on both attempts in range, they lose 16-15. The failed fourth downs didn’t cost the Lions the game. Jared Goff going 14-of-37 for 255 yards did. An offense that couldn’t establish any rhythm against Philadelphia’s front seven did. A unit that failed to capitalize on a defensive performance that held the Eagles to 16 points did.
“Yes, those didn’t work out, and it was a bad Sunday for the Lions’ offense, but these decisions pay off way more often than they don’t for this team,” Adams said. “If they even hit one, y’all, one of those five, it might’ve been enough for them to win. And if they kicked those two field goals when they were in scoring range, guess what? They lose anyway.”
Campbell’s fourth-down aggression has been foundational to everything the Lions have built over the past two seasons. It’s why players buy in. It’s why Detroit became a legitimate contender. Sunday night was ugly, but it doesn’t erase two years of that approach working far more often than it hasn’t.
“This aggressive nature is their DNA. It’s part of their identity. It’s the fabric of these Lions. It’s what they do,” she continued. “Why would you back down from that? Then, you’d be one of these teams – maybe in your own conference, maybe in your own division – that don’t know who they are; that are confused by their identity when they look in the mirror. Not this team, not this Lions team.”
There’s also a reasonable counterargument about the difference between being aggressive and being reckless. The analytics generally support aggressive fourth-down decisions, but they also account for score, time remaining, and field position. Sunday presented situations where kicking field goals might have been the right call, even for a team as aggressive as Detroit.
The Lions aren’t going to start kicking field goals, no matter how much those who own Jake Bates in fantasy want them to. Campbell built this team on fourth-down aggression, and one bad game against Philadelphia won’t change that. But what is changing is the belief in sports media that Campbell should have free rein to go for it every time, regardless of game situation.