Dan Campbell Explains Questionable Late-Game Decision After Lions Loss

Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness was nowhere to be found in the final two minutes Sunday.

The Detroit Lions head coach possessed multiple timeouts as his offense faced a 31-28 deficit against the Seattle Seahawks with 1:44 remaining. Jared Goff and company started the possession at midfield — advantageous field position, to be sure — and cautiously worked time off the clock before Detroit settled for a game-tying field goal.

Detroit’s offense did not return to the field. Instead, after settling for overtime, the Seahawks scored a game-winning touchdown on their first possession of the extra session.

Campbell explained his decision-making after Detroit was handed a 37-31 defeat. The Lions entered the contest as a 4.5-point home favorite after their Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Yeah, I wanted to take it as it came,” Campbell told reporters, per the team. “Here’s what I knew: They had two timeouts and I did not want to give that ball back. That was No. 1, do not give this ball back. No. 2, can we get down there far enough to score a touchdown? I already had it in my mind if we get it to a certain pound on fourth down, we will go for it. If not, we won’t.

“So, kicked the field goal. I felt like our chances were really good in the overtime and it didn’t work out.”

Thirty-nine seconds ran off the clock between Detroit’s first play of the drive and its second play of the possession. Another 33 ticks came off the clock between the Lions’ first-and-10 from the Seattle 27-yard line and second-and-6 from the Seattle 23. The Lions opted to kick a 38-yard field goal rather than go for it on fourth-and-3 from the Seattle 20.