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The Detroit Lions have been among the most aggressive teams in the NFL during the Dan Campbell era, and the head coach pushed that moniker to the extreme with his play calling against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7.
Across multiple instances of radical decision-making, the most glaring example was Campbell’s choice to keep the offense on the field for a fourth-and-one play from the team’s own 24-yard line with less than five minutes on the clock in a game tied 17-17.
Detroit failed to convert on that play, as running back Jahmyr Gibbs took a handoff from quarterback Jared Goff and lost two yards, stuffed on a tackle by Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon. And while that failure of both strategy and execution could have easily cost the Lions the contest, they ended up eking out a three-point victory.
Gibbs spoke with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated by phone in the minutes following Detroit’s win, during which he expressed the utmost support and confidence in Campbell’s decision not to punt in that spot and the offense’s ability to convert in those types of high-leverage situations — even though it didn’t do so in the most critical of moments on Sunday.
“I mean, we expect to get every one of those,” Gibbs said. “So we weren’t really worried about anything.”
Jahmyr Gibbs Says Offense Has ‘Full Confidence’ in Lions’ Last-Ranked NFL Defense
Aidan Hutchinson
GettyDetroit Lions pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
The RB went on to mention his faith in the defense as part of the relevant arithmetic adding up to his perspective on the play, as well as the philosophy behind it.
“They told us they have our back, and we have full confidence in that,” Gibbs added of the defense.
While confidence is good, blind beliefs that fly in the face of statistical evidence don’t typically lend themselves to positive results in the darwinian jungle that is the NFL.
As such, one feels obligated to note that the Lions’ defense entered its Week 7 contest against the Packers as the last-rated unit in the league, affording north of 400 yards per game to opposing offenses. And the defense remained 32nd in that category on Monday, even after dropping its average to 391 yards surrendered per contest.
To Gibbs’ and the Lions’ credit, the defense ranks only 26th in the league in points allowed at 27.5 points per game, one point worse than the Dallas Cowboys in 25th.
Dan Campbell Correct to Rely on Elite Offense, but Lions’ Aggression Should Have Some Limits
Dan Campbell Detroit Lions
GettyDetroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
Of course, it still makes sense for Campbell to bet on his team’s elite offense given how polar opposite its numbers are from those on the defensive side of the football.
Detroit boasts the No. 2 offense in the league (397.3 yards per game) behind only the Los Angeles Rams. The group also ranks No. 2 in points scored (30.7 points per outing) behind just the Buffalo Bills.
Gibbs is the best player on the Lions’ excellent offense so, again, it is plenty logical to put the football in his hands and rely on that unit as much as possible in order to win games, of which Detroit is doing a reasonable job at 4-2.
That said, the team needs to apply some constraints to Campbell’s compulsive behavior, or it will cost the Lions wins — just as it has in the past. And unfettered support from every member of the team, including Gibbs, feels less like confidence at this point and more like enabling behavior.
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Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group's family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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