Detroit Lions game balls and goats: Dan Campbell deserves credit for 4th down play call
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett highlights the best and worst performances from the Detroit Lions' 41-38 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium:
Game balls
Dan Campbell
I don’t know how many NFL coaches would have made the decision to pass on a 44-yard field goal to try and convert on fourth-and-2 in a tie game with 1:47 left, but it’s safe to say it’s (maybe far) less than 100%.
Campbell is known for his bold decision making, especially on fourth downs, on which he went for it five times on Sunday with four conversions. He ran the ball on fourth-and-5 and passed on that late kick in what was absolutely the right decision given the flow of the game but was a risky decision nonetheless. Players love his aggressiveness and rewarded him with a big win Sunday.
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“We want to make him right and it gets us a little bit more motivation to make things work,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “He trusts us, he’s showing us he has full faith in us to make it work in a scenario that maybe the odds are stacked against us in some way and he’s saying no they’re not. He trusts us and lets us go to work.”
OL Jonah Jackson
The Lions got huge days from running backs David Montgomery (12 carries, 116 yards, one touchdown) and Jahmyr Gibbs (14-77-2), and they’re deserving of game balls, too. But I’m giving one to Jackson for his play in his first game back from a high ankle sprain and the play of the entire offensive line
The Lions intentionally ran behind Jackson early, much in the way some teams may target a receiver early to get him in the flow of a game. Jackson had a double-team block that sprung Gibbs on an early 35-yard run, made key pulling blocks on Gibbs’ first touchdown and a fourth-and-5 conversion by Montgomery and had a big hand in the team’s 200-yard rushing day.
“It was good to have him back,” Campbell said. “He does bring an athleticism. There’s some power that certainly he brings, but the athleticism on the perimeter. His ability to pull is something that really helps us.”
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QB Jared Goff
Goff shined in his second road game at the stadium he used to call home with the Los Angeles Rams, completing 23 of 33 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns.
He was masterful at getting the offense in the right play, checking to a pass play on his TD throw to Brock Wright and audibling to a run when the Lions had the wrong personnel on the field for Montgomery’s 75-yard touchdown.
The Chargers have a special quarterback in Justin Herbert who’s considered just outside the game’s elite: Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen. Goff matched Herbert throw for throw Sunday and deserves kudos for making the Lions into one of the best teams in the NFL.
Goats
Aaron Glenn
There wasn’t one player who was responsible for the Lions’ defensive struggles Sunday, so Glenn falls on this sword for his unit’s collective failure. The Lions actually held Herbert and the Chargers offense in check for most of the first half, but they allowed touchdowns on five straight possessions to end the game and had no answer for Keenan Allen (11 catches, 175 yards).
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The Chargers were at their best in the no huddle, which Campbell said caused his defense to lose its composure.
The Lions gave up 38 points for the second time in three games and they did not record a sack for the third time this year. Coming off a bye week, that’s unacceptable.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions game balls, goats: Credit Dan Campbell for 4th down call
