Dan Campbell passed up a 3 possession lead to gamble for a 3 possession lead. He declared a race to 30, then passed up 2 FG's with 24 points on the board.
Worse. I don’t buy that this painful loss won’t curse the Lions next year. Like Russ’s one-yard inter to lose the Superbowl. The Seahawks were never the same. All because a coach decided to get weird instead of letting his team play bread & butter football.
What doesn’t make sense is when Campbell talked about getting the upper hand back. What are you even talking about?!!! You already HAD the upper hand! Your team was ALREADY ahead by 17!! It was a bone head call. Period. Even if it has worked out, it was the wrong call.
Campbell is a great coach, just wasn't ready to gauge the situation with the stakes at the highest, a made FG may well have been the dagger essentially putting away the game 😢 hope he learns from this.. anyone who thinks he didn't make a mistake shouldn't commentate on playoff football
you could tell by the time of the news conference Campbell realizes that he has made a controversial mistake and he is basically out of his mind, too much to process and mentally tired, even up until Monday morning
I am going off course here but curious given your post: what was your honest thought of the 'Philly Special' vs NE in the SB? I assume you must of been losing your mind. Not that you weren't in the majority 😂 Just wondering.
Campbell’s strategy might be sound during the regular season when playing a .500 team. However, he needs to examine more carefully the risk of losing momentum when playing strong winning teams in the playoffs.
Especially being the road team and the underdog team and especially being that is the NFC championship. You don't play the championship games like an ordinary game. You have to play chess not checkers. In the Lions play calling in the second half was terrible too because they got away from the run and started passing for no reason and it reminds me of when Russell Wilson threw that interception on the goal line versus the Patriots when all they had to do was run the ball straight forward a few times and guaranteed victory, it seems like these coaches want to get cute with these passing plays in the end up flopping
@@jamesbroomfield7799 The Seahawks decision was not nearly as stupid as this. First off, the Seahawks actually struggled all year trying to run in from the 1. Against the Pats, they were out at the 1 and a half. The Pats expecting a run quite likely stop it. Switching to a pass is not a bad idea. Butler made an amazing play that no one would expect anyone to make never mind a rookie. If Butler had broken it up it would be great, intercepting it was unbelievable. Really, people should take about his amazing play instead of just blaming the call. A stupid injustice.
Lions are a very good team for obvious reasons, however they're not there yet. DC needs to understand the value of owning a possession in time and space, particularly when you have the lead and are trying to regain the momentum following a huge fumble. Going for it on 4th down vs taking the points, not once but twice, is downright idiotic.
I don’t people are thinking what the probability of going up by 17 at that time in the game does to your probability of winning. It makes going for it so much more of a risky gamble.
If he had 3 points it would go back to a 3 score game . Simply put he didn’t have to go on 4th down . Lions coaching failed them a trip to the superbowl
@@ukee31it's OK. Sure we could've won but the 49ers are a better deeper team. That's why they lost the second half. Even if he kicks a fg and goes to OT the lions would've lost. The Lions are ahead of schedule with a great GM amd have the draft in detroit. Detroit is winning the superbowl next year.
@@Michael-qg1ghthat’s an interesting way to cope. Lions did what they do; don’t bank on having another string of luck to get back. Bengals fans were counting their chickens before they hatched… expecting to make it back is not easy and DC will make sure of that.
As a Jets fan, I was so excited to see another TORTURED franchise finally get their shot. I watched this game fall apart with heartbreak for the Lions and their fans. They had it, had it. One of the hardest losses I've ever watched.
Coulda drafted Brock Purdy. But whined about having 2nd round draft pick instead being a bigger loser and getting 1st. I have zero respect for Jets fans. Y’all deserve Rodgers.
@@G7777K He has made 37 out of 48 FGs over 40 yards in his career. That is a 77% success rate, which is low for the NFL. However, 77% is plenty high enough to justify the kick.
As a Lions fan, I was prepared for San Francisco to be the better team and just be better throughout the game. I was not prepared for the Lions to be the better team and thrash San Francisco the way that they did. I was not prepared for our coach to misread things and get super aggressive for no reason. I wasnt prepared for our playmakers to stop making plays and to watch, the Lions revert to the Lions of old and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. My heart is broken. I am pissed at Dan Campbell and I am pissed at my team. We had it. But our coach was too much like a player and not enough like a coach
@@ultravenia Defense was what it had been throughout the playoffs. As for Badgely, he hit a FG in that game, and hit the winner against the Rams. So he hasn't been bad. This is Campbell's style, plain and simple. And yes, if the plays are made we are having a different conversation. Such is the nature of such decisions. Which is why it stings so much.
This is EXACTLY how I feel. I’m so f-ing mad at Dan Campbell…. I understand the arguments defending him but I cannot get on board with them. I’m tired of being punched in the f-ing face.
Even if lions kicked 2 field goals, and let's give them benefit of doubt and make both. Niners still would have won. Det d was down bad by the 4th. Niners March right down and win. McCaffrey was trashing them. Deebo, kitte. Campbell was right . He knew the d couldn't stop them anymore at that point. They had to get a td.
People are excusing Campbell’s decision to go for it and not kick fields goals with “that’s who he is, they’ve been doing it all season” No, anyone with sense knew he should’ve kicked the field goals in real time.
Folks said he should have kicked it, but we knew he was going for it because he did it all season. People would not have criticized him had his players made catches.
No intelligent person is saying that. 50 yard Fgs are not gimmes especially with our sub par kicker. 4 and 2 the Lions are near 90%. Should have ran it. The play call was fine the execution was bad. This is common practice in the NFL now especially when you have a dynamic offense. People like you act like you just add 6 points and see you win. Thats a logical fallacy.
@@greatwhite3676 FGs are hard but 4th and 2's are 90%. I guess you can agree with the call. But there's really no doubt that the game completely changed from that point on. Campbell broke his team. I'm not sure how any Lion walking off that field couldn't feel like the head coach pulled the rug out from underneath them. SF had a miss and still had to put Moody back on the field, from the same distance Badgely would have kicked. Take the points on the road.
Campbell needs to acknowledge the difference between building a lead and maintaining a lead! All 4th down situations are NOT created equal...MANAGE the damn game!
@@negativghostrdr He went for the kill when he didn't need to. He was up 17. And instead of realizing he needed to shift to chess, and not throwing haymakers, he continued to box.
I feel like he regretted settling for the field goal at the end of the half, and that clouded his judgment and he overcompensated by going for it on 4th twice in the second half.
what's funny though is if he goes for a TD there and gets it, he wins by 1. I noticed that with the rams game. He went for a TD instead of a FG and it is what got him the win. Taking the FG at the end of the half might actually be the bigger mistake save for the running on 3rd down
Matt LaFleur made the same fateful mistake 8 days earlier, in the packers 24-21 three point loss, again in the final 2 minutes. That decision came early in the 2nd quarter, but I knew that call would come back to bite them. As Rich stated, you ALWAYS take the points. Leave it to Jerry Jones to run up the score. The win is the thing! The city of Detroit awakes in mourning.
Dan Campbell said that he was worried about the 49ers chewing up so much clock … but that’s exactly what you want if you have a three score lead! If it takes them 5+ minutes to drive the field, and, then, you’re able to match they’re field goal … that’s a winning strategy.
They had 148 yards on the ground at halftime. We finished with 182. They yet again completely abandoned the run game & more importantly they stopped running Montgomery. I have no sympathy for Dan crying at the podium. He made the same mistakes that cost them every game this year except where the Ravens total trashed us. Once or twice I get it but that's 5 losses that should've been wins.
The first one is understandable. You’re mid-way through the 3rd quarter, in the lead, and keeping your foot on the gas. But when there’s only 7 minutes and change left in the game, and you’re *losing* by 3 points…you need to trust your kicker and kick the damn field goal.
I don't think first one was understandable. A very makeable 45 yd fg puts them up 3 scores and that's all that matters. Missing it give the 49ers a lot of hope. That decision is just plain stupid.
3 score lead on th 49ers in the middle of the third, not only puts, all the pressure on the 49ers. They cant run the ball with Cmac they lose time on the clock down 3 scores. They have to really put the game in Purdy hands. With that roster on offense that is best case scenario. You also flip the field n defense can reset from the 25 off the kickoff up 17 with a quarter n 1/2 left in the NFC Championship. No the first one was the exact same situation at the end of the first half. Dan coaches emotionally not with emotion.
I agree and ill copy paste my opinion cause I agree the first one isnt that big of a deal but it contradicts the decision earlier to kick instead of going for the TD I have no issues with going for it on 4th down, where I don’t like the play calling is, when you were 4th and goal (on the 2 yard line) you kicked for 3 points, for me that set the tone, get the points it’s more important. Great, take 3 and if you lose because you took “guaranteed” points so be it. When you kick there, but it’s 4th and 3 on the 30 you go for it, you lose me. I understand there’s more field to stretch more options etc. but let’s pretend you get the first down, you still need to go score vs on the 2…. You’re right there, so that’s why I didn’t like the call. I also think momentum had swung so much to the 49ers when they went for the 2nd 4th down conversion it would have rewarded the team with points and to expand their lead back to 10. I think that could have helped motivated the team and core group, it would have injected energy into your defence to take some pressure off of them. It would have injected some energy into your offence. I think the second non conversion is more of an issue than the first Im also not saying this in hindsight - I was flabbergasted at the calls in real time
Momentum is the greatest currency in playoff football. One single decision can alter momentum, thus altering the game. 24-10, and not deciding to take the points, resulted in a 24 point swing. Take the points, Dan.
K.C kicked 5 field goals out 5 Field goal opportunities against Miami and got 15 points. Resul: K.C will be playing the S.B . Detroit kicked 1 field goal out of 3 F.G opportinities and got only 3 points . Result: Detroit will be home watching the S.B
As a Head Coach you are tasked with putting your team in the best position to win. That first 4th down call was a bone headed call you kick the fg if it's good you go up 17 and you kill any momentum the niners just got from going down and getting 3 on you like what else you got we just matched what you did. Instead momentum swings and 8 mins later you are staring at another 4th down decision down by 3 with a chance to tie the game and you go for it and cost your team again. It's the NFC championship game points are a premium you take that first fg and this game we don't know how it ends but chances are you'd be in a better position to win in the 4th than how it turned out to be.
As a player, you catch the ball when it hits you in the hands. You people act like those FG's were gimmes, but our kicker is not reliable and is 50/50 from that point.
Going for it when up 2 scores is weird enough, but when you could change it from 2-3 scores with a field goal....you just always take it. This was objectively the wrong decision tbh regardless of outcome
@@andrewmoluf4299 I love that you people keep assuming we have some Pro-bowl kicker. The fact is that he's about 50/50 from those distances during the regular season over his career. If he misses, idiot Monday Morning HC's like yourself would be saying Dan Campbell changed his style from what got him this far on the biggest stage.
@@usnairframer It's in field goal range, this is why you have a kicker. To make a 2 score game into a 3 score game. I don't care if Campbell "sticks to his guns", it's just a dumb call by him
It’s so easy…it’s not about the exact points it’s about possessions. Anytime you have a chance to go up an additional possession you always do it. Always. Because it forces the other team to have to score more than once.
Agreed. SF made so many things happen any single instance Detroit didn't execute in the second half. The dropped pass by Reynolds on 4th down, the deflection off Vindor's helmet, the fumble by Gibbs, Purdy making things happen even if it's not pleasing to the eye all the time. This game was more about SFs resiliency against a team they knew would hold nothing back. This isn't the same Detroit teams of old. They are legit. Just didn't finish it off.
Not even trying to hate or take away credit, but you don’t lose hope when the game is handed to you in failed conversions. That fumble was definitely crazy though. Stripping a player in a situation like that takes poise.
SF is going to lose by 10+ to KC.. that defense is atrocious, especially in the middle.. and KC's defense is light years ahead of what they faced in the lions.
@@stndpenguin Perhaps. You seem to possess a clairvoyance that I lack. Or, it may be possible that you are wrong...or not. As for me, I have no idea who will win the game. I do know what the score will be at kickoff, but that's about it. I feel fortunate in that I don't possess your gift of viewing future events. That's a lot of pressure. Good luck with that.
I always love listening to Rich Eisen because he usually puts everything into perspective. The stakes are much higher in the postseason. Every game is a one and done situation. Coaching playoff football is different than regular season football. You have to use common sense by kicking the field goal and taking the points.
As a Lions fan very true statement but I love the aggressive play calling by Gamble Campbell I love my coach we it was the drop passes for me and the ball bounce off the helmet to IU hands.
Great analysis Rich. Campbell going for the first 4th down completely changed the momentum of the game. The Lions had the game completely in control until then. Campbell's decisions doomed the Lions.
Everybody keeps bringing up the 51 yard reception saying it shoulve been an interception, watch the replay ref threw a flag immediately for pass interference
This is not the regular season. If you lose, there is no next week. In a playoff game, points & field position are paramount. As a Chicagoan and a Cubs fan, my heart bleeds for Lions fans. The Lions of 2023 came to play in the first half but the "bad news Lions" or as Dan said, "same old Lions" played the second half. The Cubs were SUPPOSED to win the World Series in 2003 as the stars were aligned to break the 3 longest baseball world series droughts in 3 consecutive seasons-Cubs, Red Sox & White Sox. The Lions and Chiefs were destined to play the very first AND LAST game of the 2023-2024 season but it didn't happen. As a lifelong Bears fan, we got our Super Bowl win, albeit many moons ago in 1985-86. I am a Lions fan now until they win it all as i always have bled blue because i guess it's just in my DNA.
Campbell’s ego is massive. He’s a hell of a motivator and leader, but he’s a Madden player. Zero situational IQ. Even if Reynolds catches it, the gambles are baffling on the pro level.
You people have no clue what you’re talking about. Lions have a better statistical chance of succeeding 4th and 2 this year than they do 45yd field goals. Statistically, it would’ve been a bigger gamble to kick the field goal.
Niner fan here. I was happy to see them go for it. I knew it was a gift. The opportunity for our D to make a play and get some momentum was a GIFT. I was dreading going back down by 17 at that point. Thank you Mr Gamble🙏🏽
I was watching the game with my father and when it got to that 4th and 2 and Campbell went for it, his words exactly when they didn't convert, "That's gonna come back and hurt them..." and when San Francisco started to come back all I could do was laugh because he NAILED it. Mo mentum just said "welp lemme see how it is in San Francisco " and it was like that attempt woke them the hell up
Dude our kicker sucks. Noone would be saying this if we had tried to kick the 48 and 47 yarders and missed. How about Jamo dropping a touchdown on the last drive of the half? Or Gibbs slipping on that same drive with one cut to the endzone? We lost, have faith we'l be back again, we knew there was huge holes in our team going into the playoffs and they showed. If we could throw the ball deep or if we had a decent pass rush we'd have won that game.
At that point in the game its less about points and more about possessions. If you make it so that your opponent has to possess the ball three times halfway through the third youre putting them in a very tough spot. Not tying the game with 5 minutes left is absolutely bonkers.
I'm with Rich. Take the points. We had this game won. Take the points and keep running the ball. I'm sick to my stomach over this. The Lions should be playing in the Super Bowl. I love MCDC but he's gotta learn from this
situational football. sometimes you gotta take the damn points when things tighten up in the playoffs. 2nd option is why not hand the ball to david montgomery? they were tearing it up on the ground. when coach gamble said "i wanted to get the upper hand back" it reminds me of a gambler chasing their losses. bet WITH your head, not OVER it! i love my team and my coach...but i am angry at the blown opportunities.
Dan Campbell's biggest bonehead blunder was allowing Ben Johnson to run the ball on 3rd & goal with a minute left, and 3 timeouts. Basically conceded the game to San Francisco. You're down 10! Kick the FG on 3rd down, and even if you don't recover the onsides kick. You have a chance to stop them on defense & get the ball back. Just an inexcusable decision by the Lions coaching staff! Smh.
You said it best, Rich. The FG to tie the game would have put all the pressure on SF offense to score again. That's what analytics doesn't factor, pressure. It was a game for the ages and could have been an all-time great ending to an already very entertaining game had Detroit kicked that FG to tie.
I'm sorry but this was not being aggressive. This was being reckless. You can take those gambles in the regular season, but not with Super Bowl on the line
Sure, risk management is important. But if I gave you two options, one with an 86% chance of succeeding, and the other less than 70%, which one do you choose? The 86%. Guess what, that’s the decision Dan Campbell faced. Kick a field goal with a guy who is only 70% accurate from that range or go for it on a fourth down conversion distance where you are 86% successful.
It wasn't aimless... Lions kicker is 39% from 50 yards. It was a 48 yarder. Lions converted 53% of 4th down attempts for the year. It would have been a 1st had Reynolds not dropped the pass, a pass he normally catches everytime. Dan picked the more reliable option.
Why is going for it on 4th down described as aggressive? In these situations I think it was desperate, playing scared: "we might not be back here again so we better go for the TD." To the contrary, in my book piling points on is the aggressive, confident move: "yeah, we're just gonna put points on the board and see how you respond under pressure."
The 49ers came back and beat the Lions. "That's all to it." Stop blaming the Lions' coach for going for it on fourth down. He had the dagger in the heart of the 49ers, all he tried to do was turn it, but it backfired. The Niners offensive line step-up, and their defensive line as well. Players drop passes. Running backs get stopped at the line.
Sure we will see,the schedule next year that was best chance ever but Dan Flintstone got 2 go 4 it everytime amazing how everybody else don't thanks Dan now I'll never see a,superbowl in my lifetime
@@paulettelee6977not every good team comes out plays as well the following year. With the playoffs super wildcard we will see a bunch of team next year in the playoffs that missed out. Nfl is tough
I know I'm sitting here in Switzerland, but I'm from Brooklyn..... Everyone is taking about the dropped INT catch, but did we not see a flag thrown that would've made it pass interference, putting the ball where it was caught? No one is talking about this... I don't understand... 🤷🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
Both calls should have been about possessions. Kick the field goal in the 3rd quarter and maintain a 3 possession game. Kick the field goal in the 4th and keep a 1 possession game regardless of what the 49ers do. Really can’t overthink this if your Campbell
Dan Campbell LOST THIS GAME FOR THE LIONS! He made so many poor coaching decisions that he is THE REASON why the Lions lost the game, PERIOD! His EGO prevented him from making good coaching decisions! Running for a first down on fourth down and not kicking a field goal we’re decisions that will haunt the Lion’s Fans for years! Dan, YOU BLEW IT, BIG TIME!
As a life long Lions fan I'm just crushed with the result. This loss is on Campbell - inexplicable decision making, TWICE, to not try for FG's. On the first attempt it wasn't just about 3 points - momentum of the game was in the balance!
No one is as stupid as Dan appeared to be in the 2nd Half - He did what he was told to do. The NFL is licensed for entertainment only, and the US Supreme Court said the NFL offers no guarantees, other than the seat on your ticket and the date of the game. Legitimate outcomes are neither promised nor implied.
@@brettwheeler7753: If things continue on as they have, it will take another 300 years for the Lions to lose 10 more NFC title games. I don't think I'll live to see it.
Wouldn’t have been nice is Dan Gamble did the complete opposite of what he has done over the course of the season. The turning point was the first stop on fourth down. Crowd got back in it, team morale of SF went up. Then the Lions were like uh oh …. This is the NFC championship! Take the points.
It is two weeks in a row that Campbell mismanaged the end of the game - Tampa did not make them pay for it though. I agree, the biggest thing was that timeout at the end (and yes they should have kicked the FG to tie, i was okay with going for it on the earlier one).
How can you not regret those decisions, Head Coach Campbell? YOU WERE IN THE LEAD, AND YOU COULD HAVE EXTENDED THAT LEAD, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T GO ON THOSE 4TH DOWNS!!!
As a Lions fan, you're right, Rich: The Lions settled for a field goal at the end of the first half instead of going for the touchdown. They should have gone for the touchdown then too. The Lions had the momentum. They had a beaten and battered and demoralized defense on the field in front of them. Go for the touchdown and make them feel crushed, with no hope at all. But a field goal? That's a stop in the minds of defenders. They held the line. That's a moral boost. I'm not gonna fault Dan Campbell for his decision making last night. At the end of the day, the Lions players just did not execute. You laid it out. Reynolds dropped the pass on 4th down. The Lions had the opportunities to take back the momentum on the field and they couldn't capitalize. We could have won the game with the decisions Campbell made, if the Lions executed better. And it wasn't just the 4th down calls. The backup TE stepping out at the two at the end of the game ultimately cost us a good 20 seconds and a Time Out, which we could have used to possibly stop the 49ers. We had the chance to pin them deep at the one, but we stepped on the goal line. Jared Goff had multiple balls where he was just overthrowing guys, and he collapsed under pressure a few times more and threw some ugly balls. There were a lot of ways in which the night could have gone better for the Lions. But Dan Campbell being aggressive on those plays wasn't why we lost.
If the Lions continue to miss the Super Bowl for a while longer, this game will be analyzed and argued about for years. After 66 years they finally had the Super Bowl in their hands, 17 point lead, but they let it slip away
Big mistake to not take the FG, only to get stopped on 4 and 2. This is the playoffs, points matter more (win or go home.) The score could have been 34-34 at the end of regulation and it would go to OT, take your coin toss and get the ball and try to score. Have your defense stop the 49ers. Dan gambled one time too much, and his team lost a chance to go to the SB.
I've got no issue with Campbell going for it mid 3rd. BUT... I had a major issue with Campbell NOT choosing to tie the game. That was a really really really bad choice.
Your assessment, which is correct, left one 'major' factor out, the Fans. It took a non- factor, a defeated lifeless fan base, and put them back in it. Giving the team hope and energy. That 12th man. This was Dan's fault. That FG would have kept them 17 points up and the Fans still out of it.
I wanted the lions to win in the worst way, and loved how they came out on fire and went up 2 TDs right away. But when instantly everyone was celebrating and trash talking online like they’d already won when still the first quarter I just had a deep down feeling that the niners with the whole game still ahead of them and plenty of time to adjust would do just that and the lions wouldn’t be able to hold on to it.
When watching a stream of the game after I woke up from my PM nap, the streamer made it seem like they didn't trust their kicker as to why they were going for it on 4th down. Michael Badgley for his career is 38.5% from 50+ but the FG attempts would've been 47-49 yards out & he is 77.1% in his career from 40+. W/ that in mind it would seem more obvious than ever to TAKE THE PTS.
It wasn't just the fourth down fails. It was the momentum shift. I admire Campbell and what he has done with Detroit, but these experiences had better impact his future decisions.
I have no issues with going for it on 4th down, where I don’t like the play calling is, when you were 4th and goal (on the 2 yard line) you kicked for 3 points, for me that set the tone, get the points it’s more important. Great, take 3 and if you lose because you took “guaranteed” points so be it. When you kick there, but it’s 4th and 3 on the 30 you go for it, you lose me. I understand there’s more field to stretch more options etc. but let’s pretend you get the first down, you still need to go score vs on the 2…. You’re right there, so that’s why I didn’t like the call. I also think momentum had swung so much to the 49ers when they went for the 2nd 4th down conversion it would have rewarded the team with points and to expand their lead back to 10. I think that could have helped motivated the team and core group, it would have injected energy into your defence to take some pressure off of them. It would have injected some energy into your offence. I think the second non conversion is more of an issue than the first Im also not saying this in hindsight - I was flabbergasted at the calls in real time
Before the decision was made, I pulled the blanket over my head and said, “I don’t want to watch this…” because I felt like the Lions had lost the momentum, were just getting out back, but not enough to take the risk when there was 3pts to take and get the momentum back. There was a 90% chance of converting and 90% of 3pts… You go for the 3pts.
Dan Gamble has a very good football team but his coaching is what lost it for the team! When he went for it on fourth down the first time to be greedy and get more points than just the three ,I thought right then and there, that is a momentum changer that they won't recover from and they didn't. And then with 7 minutes left and he didn't kick the field goal to tie the game he went for it again I thought right then and there he's compromised and someone's paying him a lot of money to do that.
An argument can be made for both going for it on 4th down or kick the field goal. I think the bigger issue was the 2 dropped passes by Reynolds, the complete whiff from Jamo that would have been a TD, and that missed interception by Vildor. Any of those work and this game is different, if not a Lions W.
@@DoubleDDeacon Not only that, but after getting that 50% 4th down conversion, they would still need to make 3 or 4 more plays to go right to turn that into a TD or have 3 or 4 potential turnover plays to keep it to another FG try.
In a nutshell...too many huge moments that were too big for a team/coaching staff that had never been in situations that big before. It was a deer in the headlights situation from that first failed 4th down onward.
I understand Campbell's process and I really do appreciate his willingness to stick to it, but there has to be some weight given to the situation. It's not week 7 and you can move on to next week. It's the NFC championship; you win or your season is over. It's hard to say it's definitely the wrong decision, but in a playoff game you have to get points and a lead when you can in a win or go home game.
In the context of the enormity of the game's outcome (NFC Championship), that was the most unbelievable game I have ever witnessed, by any team, in 60+ years of watching ball....
You win the game by scoring the most points. Take the FGs and that last TD wins it. Not every punch is a haymaker. There are jabs that hurt the opponent too.
When you're playing in these championship games you have to look at how many possessions your opponent needs to come back. Once you have a lead you don't look at it as points you look at it as in possessions and if Dan would have kicked that field goal to go up by 17 it would have made it a three-position game meaning the 49ers would need to get the ball back three more times just to have a chance. So whenever the Lions get the ball back all they needed to basically do is run the ball and settle for field goals and basically they just walk right into the Super Bowl. But then getting cute on 4th down and then getting cute with the passing plays ruin the whole second half. They're running with great success and I don't know why they stopped running the ball. It's almost like they can't help themselves like they just have to get cute with these fancy passing plays.
Being a Chargers fan for 50 years and suffering through that train wreck called Staley I can tell you this with confidence. A few more idiot "Go for it on forth" calls that lose you in the Playoffs or worse dont allow you to get there and you will be begging to run Campbell out of town as we did Staley. 2 words for the Lions fans. "SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL".
The lions could have put it away multiple times. There were alot of crucial dropped passes that could have turned the game into a beatdown. Heartbreak for sure, but that field goal wasnt the only thing
@@usnairframer a 50/50 kicker that hasn't missed all post season and just hit a 50 plus yarder in the playoffs, that kicker didn't give you any reason for the coach not to trust him.. Meanwhile San Francisco kicker missed a field Goal in the 1st quarter but they sent him back out there and he made 2 field goals after that, and low and be hold the lions lose by 3, go figure
Dan Gamble loss the game with his poor decision making stop making excuses for him drop passes fumbles are apart of the game Trevor Lawrence threw 4 interceptions and still won. The loss is on Dan Gamble period worse loss in lions history to busy keeping receipts
players have GOT to execute in that situation. too many crucial drops added up with missed opportunities and the game slipped away from them as it would have for anyone else.
I thought that I was a layman and a caveman, for questioning why he didn't just take the points. I put myself in Campbell's shoes and I just couldn't forgive myself for not taking the f@cking points. That was the entire game! There IS a margin for error and that margin was the Gibbs fumble. That could have been forgiven with the field goal that they didn't take. Dan Campbell absolutely blew this game. The 49ers won by 3 and that 3, again, was that field goal that Dan Campbell didn't want and didn't take.
Yeah what matters is what happened this year they had the perfect opportunity to win this game and go to the Superbowl with a chance to win but Dan Campbell threw it all away by moronic decisions twice by not trying to kick a field goal in perfect weather conditions.
The ball was overthrown in the defender was actually in position not the receiver and they were about to call offensive pass interference on the wide receiver not the defender SMH but they end up picking the flag up anyway but the initial call was going to be for offensive pass interference because the wide receiver started to push the defender early and that's possibly why he couldn't catch it and it hit his face mask and bounced off so the 49ers got a gift from the refs
Wrong if Purdy underthrows it Brandon is in perfect position, by throwing it deep the CB was in perfect position and had a right to the ball. No penalty was the right call. Now if Vildor makes that INT I think the Lions still get screwed and they keep the flag because that’s how it goes.
A monumental comeback for the 49ers but Campbell's horrific decisions on 4th down plays sealed Detroit's playoff hopes. The Lions' fans deserve better than this.
Dan Campbell can thank only himself and his stupid decisions to change the momentum of that game. They had it wrapped up . He ripped the road to the superbowl away from his players, coaches, the fans and that city all on his own. Shameful.
that ricochet ball off the facemask/chest was a killer. Let that thing be a pick (which it is in maybe 4 out of 5 times) the game takes another direction. would have been INT #2 on Purdy and all that talk about him is gone. but it went the way it went..... sometimes "game of inches" - and luck!
Big games are decided by who makes mistakes and whether or not the other team capitalizes on them. Campbell is a heck of a coach, but he is still pretty new at it. This game, his inexperience in games like this was his downfall. I expect that he will grow into it over the coming years and learn to temper that aggressiveness some. MUCH respect for him and what he has accomplished in Detroit.
He's an offensive-minded coach. He's gonna be aggressive on offense, especially with players who relish the opportunity to cash in on those risks and have proven they can execute. So I don't think he's gonna budge from his aggressive nature -- not when that's what his players have come to expect and buy into. He and the players just need to understand that an NFC championship game isn't a regular-season game. You hold your cards a little closer to the vest, knowing that when your opponent was good enough to make it to the same game, they're not gonna lie down and allow themselves to get run over. When you've got the opportunity, you take the points. Whenever that opportunity presents itself. I like the confidence he has in his players, that alone makes them play better and rise to the occasion; but when a Super Bowl is on the line, you play it a little closer to the vest.
Nope, was as close as he ever gets . Next season schedule isn't in their favor. His gambling cost them the game. His time management sucks . Team choked!!! Dan enjoy the racetrack & casino. " Gambling Dan Campbell"
I'll say this before I even start this video, Campbell was the reason we were even here, and he stood by the identity of who the team was. Everyone can arm chair QB his decisions afterwards, but I agreed with going for it both times. Honestly, if anything is to blame, it's the players. They didn't keep they're cool and allowed far too many mistakes in the 2nd half, dropped balls, fumble, and some stupid luck on that one catch.
You're right but if not for the decisions, the players wouldn't have been in position to drop those passes. If he kicks those FGs and keep running that ball, it's probably a Lions win. Regardless if we got there because of his aggressiveness, were eliminated because of it.
Just because he went for it on 4th down against the Bears in week 6 (or whenever) doesn't mean you go for it in the NFC championship game when you already have the game won if you just take the points.
I only disagreed with the first attempt from 4th-and-2, and that still would have worked if Josh Reynolds had made the easy catch. Campbell did take the FG in the 1st half in a situation he could have justifiably gone for it. You also have to keep in mind it's an outdoor game and the Lions kicker does not have a big leg. Sadly, Reynolds two bad drops were what swung the game. They ended drives in the 3rd quarter where it looked like the Lions were going to score two more TDs and bleed the clock. That got the defense tired and sloppy and put the offense in a funk. I guess it was his Prince Fielder moment.
There's a pic of the Lions with a 24-10 lead halfway through the 3rd with what looks like a Purdy interception and they botched everything from that point forward. Edit: Rich showed it lol
Before starting the show, Rich needs to re-watch the game on Brandon Aiyuk catch. It was not could of should of INT, it it is a PI where the ref did throw the flage so no matter BA caught or not, it is still 49ers balls. BTW Purdy threw that ball to that spot where BA will be there if it wasn't for the PI. Man these people need to be more professional to re watch carefully before having their show.
Dan Campbell passed up a 3 possession lead to gamble for a 3 possession lead. He declared a race to 30, then passed up 2 FG's with 24 points on the board.
Great perspective
He’s the type that would bet on the Horn Field every time playing Craps.
Field goals ain’t automatic cuz the Niner Kiker missed one in the first half
When the defense makes a stop on 4th down look how good they feel about themselves. It can energize the entire team. And it sure did.
Worse. I don’t buy that this painful loss won’t curse the Lions next year. Like Russ’s one-yard inter to lose the Superbowl. The Seahawks were never the same. All because a coach decided to get weird instead of letting his team play bread & butter football.
Completely shifted the momentum
Missing a kick also changes momentum and lions don’t have a reliable kicker. If they had, he probably goes for the 3.
What doesn’t make sense is when Campbell talked about getting the upper hand back. What are you even talking about?!!! You already HAD the upper hand! Your team was ALREADY ahead by 17!! It was a bone head call. Period. Even if it has worked out, it was the wrong call.
Campbell is a great coach, just wasn't ready to gauge the situation with the stakes at the highest, a made FG may well have been the dagger essentially putting away the game 😢 hope he learns from this.. anyone who thinks he didn't make a mistake shouldn't commentate on playoff football
And he has no regrets.
you could tell by the time of the news conference Campbell realizes that he has made a controversial mistake and he is basically out of his mind, too much to process and mentally tired, even up until Monday morning
“They (49ers) were bleeding the clock cause that’s what they do” That’s exactly what the Lions should have done to finish out the game
I am going off course here but curious given your post: what was your honest thought of the 'Philly Special' vs NE in the SB? I assume you must of been losing your mind. Not that you weren't in the majority 😂 Just wondering.
There's nothing hindsight about it. We were all asking "what are you doing?" while it was happening.
Campbell’s strategy might be sound during the regular season when playing a .500 team. However, he needs to examine more carefully the risk of losing momentum when playing strong winning teams in the playoffs.
Especially being the road team and the underdog team and especially being that is the NFC championship. You don't play the championship games like an ordinary game. You have to play chess not checkers. In the Lions play calling in the second half was terrible too because they got away from the run and started passing for no reason and it reminds me of when Russell Wilson threw that interception on the goal line versus the Patriots when all they had to do was run the ball straight forward a few times and guaranteed victory, it seems like these coaches want to get cute with these passing plays in the end up flopping
@@jamesbroomfield7799 The Seahawks decision was not nearly as stupid as this. First off, the Seahawks actually struggled all year trying to run in from the 1. Against the Pats, they were out at the 1 and a half. The Pats expecting a run quite likely stop it. Switching to a pass is not a bad idea. Butler made an amazing play that no one would expect anyone to make never mind a rookie. If Butler had broken it up it would be great, intercepting it was unbelievable. Really, people should take about his amazing play instead of just blaming the call. A stupid injustice.
@@stickman1742it's an incredible play by Butler! All time SB moment. And a terrible play call.
Lions are a very good team for obvious reasons, however they're not there yet. DC needs to understand the value of owning a possession in time and space, particularly when you have the lead and are trying to regain the momentum following a huge fumble. Going for it on 4th down vs taking the points, not once but twice, is downright idiotic.
I don’t people are thinking what the probability of going up by 17 at that time in the game does to your probability of winning. It makes going for it so much more of a risky gamble.
You simply do not pass on a 3 score lead in the 3rd. Ever.
In his mind he was seizing an opportunity for a three touchdown lead, and he had good reason to think so.
@@nickpatrick7021no that’s completely unnecessary. You hold serve and eat the clock.
@@nickpatrick7021in both instances it’s still 3 scores. You take 3 scores period
If he had 3 points it would go back to a 3 score game . Simply put he didn’t have to go on 4th down . Lions coaching failed them a trip to the superbowl
First comment in many videos of someone actually pointing out how they blew it. Especially after the way they ran it in the first half
I feel so bad for Lions fans, THEY HAD IT
Literally slipped through their fingers, multiple times.
we are literally sick today :(
@@ukee31it's OK. Sure we could've won but the 49ers are a better deeper team. That's why they lost the second half. Even if he kicks a fg and goes to OT the lions would've lost. The Lions are ahead of schedule with a great GM amd have the draft in detroit. Detroit is winning the superbowl next year.
They never had it. They never even had their car.
@@Michael-qg1ghthat’s an interesting way to cope. Lions did what they do; don’t bank on having another string of luck to get back. Bengals fans were counting their chickens before they hatched… expecting to make it back is not easy and DC will make sure of that.
As a Jets fan, I was so excited to see another TORTURED franchise finally get their shot. I watched this game fall apart with heartbreak for the Lions and their fans. They had it, had it. One of the hardest losses I've ever watched.
A Legend was born in SF in this game. #13
Coulda drafted Brock Purdy.
But whined about having 2nd round draft pick instead being a bigger loser and getting 1st. I have zero respect for Jets fans. Y’all deserve Rodgers.
Truth
Same with me as a Bears fan.
Only 2 Superbowl's and I was hopping this other Midwest team would finally go to one.
Lot of us were yelling at our screens saying, "take the points, don't do it Dan, don't, ahhhh he's doing, dang it..."
i'm thinking vegas was screaming something quite different.
Momentum. They built a lead and the Niners were absolutely flat. The Lion's lost it because they chose not to take points exactly.
They dropped good passes
That's why they lost.
They choked at the first sign of momentum shift.
@meir4586@@brauckstar Both great observations! That's why they lions lost. It's like nobody watched the game.
Michael Badgley sucks & cant hit over 40! Why is nobody adding this context? A 48 yard FG with badgley is just as much of a risk as going for it
@@G7777K He has made 37 out of 48 FGs over 40 yards in his career. That is a 77% success rate, which is low for the NFL. However, 77% is plenty high enough to justify the kick.
As a Lions fan, I was prepared for San Francisco to be the better team and just be better throughout the game. I was not prepared for the Lions to be the better team and thrash San Francisco the way that they did. I was not prepared for our coach to misread things and get super aggressive for no reason. I wasnt prepared for our playmakers to stop making plays and to watch, the Lions revert to the Lions of old and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. My heart is broken. I am pissed at Dan Campbell and I am pissed at my team. We had it. But our coach was too much like a player and not enough like a coach
Outstanding post. My condolences to you and all my family in Michigan who are true Lions faithful. You all deserved better than that.
They definitely gave lions fans hope. Crazy game.
Your defense failed you. Your kicker sucks. IF your kicker was better, I have a feeling he would have "taken the points."
@@ultravenia Defense was what it had been throughout the playoffs. As for Badgely, he hit a FG in that game, and hit the winner against the Rams. So he hasn't been bad. This is Campbell's style, plain and simple. And yes, if the plays are made we are having a different conversation. Such is the nature of such decisions. Which is why it stings so much.
This is EXACTLY how I feel. I’m so f-ing mad at Dan Campbell…. I understand the arguments defending him but I cannot get on board with them. I’m tired of being punched in the f-ing face.
The game is decided on POINTS not on first downs. Take the points!
SF literally kicked a field goal down 17 instead of trying to force it. and every time they kicked it paid off
Yeah, easy to talk right?
Even if lions kicked 2 field goals, and let's give them benefit of doubt and make both. Niners still would have won. Det d was down bad by the 4th. Niners March right down and win. McCaffrey was trashing them. Deebo, kitte. Campbell was right . He knew the d couldn't stop them anymore at that point. They had to get a td.
Just as important as the points, Campbell changed the momentum. Big time.
The sportsbooks must love you
People are excusing Campbell’s decision to go for it and not kick fields goals with “that’s who he is, they’ve been doing it all season” No, anyone with sense knew he should’ve kicked the field goals in real time.
Agreed. That’s not fidelity to the system, that’s stupid stubbornness. Same thing lost them the cowboys game after the blown call.
Folks said he should have kicked it, but we knew he was going for it because he did it all season. People would not have criticized him had his players made catches.
No intelligent person is saying that. 50 yard Fgs are not gimmes especially with our sub par kicker. 4 and 2 the Lions are near 90%. Should have ran it. The play call was fine the execution was bad. This is common practice in the NFL now especially when you have a dynamic offense. People like you act like you just add 6 points and see you win. Thats a logical fallacy.
@@greatwhite3676 That’s literally what everyone is saying “why change when it brought you here”
@@greatwhite3676 FGs are hard but 4th and 2's are 90%. I guess you can agree with the call. But there's really no doubt that the game completely changed from that point on. Campbell broke his team. I'm not sure how any Lion walking off that field couldn't feel like the head coach pulled the rug out from underneath them. SF had a miss and still had to put Moody back on the field, from the same distance Badgely would have kicked. Take the points on the road.
Campbell needs to acknowledge the difference between building a lead and maintaining a lead! All 4th down situations are NOT created equal...MANAGE the damn game!
💯
Best talking point I’ve read
Aggression is part of what got them to the NFC championship game. He went for the kill and they missed. That's all there is to it.
@@negativghostrdr He went for the kill when he didn't need to. He was up 17.
And instead of realizing he needed to shift to chess, and not throwing haymakers, he continued to box.
Yea I would played it safe… thats 3 points
I feel like he regretted settling for the field goal at the end of the half, and that clouded his judgment and he overcompensated by going for it on 4th twice in the second half.
I thought the EXACT same thing. That first FG he took he didn’t want that, he wanted to go for it then.
You are 100% correct in that assessment
I don't know about that cause he later said he would do it again lol stubborn
That play at the end of the first half, when he DIDN'T go for it, was THE biggest moment in the ENTIRE GAME. I was yelling GO FOR IT
@@sleong Yup, didn't go for it when he should have. Went for it twice when he should not have.
what's funny though is if he goes for a TD there and gets it, he wins by 1. I noticed that with the rams game. He went for a TD instead of a FG and it is what got him the win. Taking the FG at the end of the half might actually be the bigger mistake save for the running on 3rd down
Matt LaFleur made the same fateful mistake 8 days earlier, in the packers 24-21 three point loss, again in the final 2 minutes. That decision came early in the 2nd quarter, but I knew that call would come back to bite them. As Rich stated, you ALWAYS take the points. Leave it to Jerry Jones to run up the score. The win is the thing! The city of Detroit awakes in mourning.
As a Packer fan, I thought the exact same thing. Take. The. Points.
Dan Campbell said that he was worried about the 49ers chewing up so much clock … but that’s exactly what you want if you have a three score lead! If it takes them 5+ minutes to drive the field, and, then, you’re able to match they’re field goal … that’s a winning strategy.
They had 148 yards on the ground at halftime. We finished with 182. They yet again completely abandoned the run game & more importantly they stopped running Montgomery. I have no sympathy for Dan crying at the podium. He made the same mistakes that cost them every game this year except where the Ravens total trashed us. Once or twice I get it but that's 5 losses that should've been wins.
Thats ben johnson for you, candidate for HC at other teams.. cant wait to see him go
They abandoned the run several times this year trying to trick them by passing. Stupid
From the coach who blew the Dallas game by going for three 2 point conversions without success. Which probably kept Detroit from getting the #1 seed.
Do you remember the missed 4th n goal earlier in that Dallas game, which left points on the field they’d later need?
Absolutely. You're absolutely right.@@rzgrimes
The first one is understandable. You’re mid-way through the 3rd quarter, in the lead, and keeping your foot on the gas. But when there’s only 7 minutes and change left in the game, and you’re *losing* by 3 points…you need to trust your kicker and kick the damn field goal.
I don't think first one was understandable. A very makeable 45 yd fg puts them up 3 scores and that's all that matters. Missing it give the 49ers a lot of hope. That decision is just plain stupid.
@@stickman1742Agree 100%.
The first one was worse. Field goal puts you up 3 scores, not even a decision unless you outthink yourself.....
3 score lead on th 49ers in the middle of the third, not only puts, all the pressure on the 49ers. They cant run the ball with Cmac they lose time on the clock down 3 scores. They have to really put the game in Purdy hands. With that roster on offense that is best case scenario. You also flip the field n defense can reset from the 25 off the kickoff up 17 with a quarter n 1/2 left in the NFC Championship. No the first one was the exact same situation at the end of the first half. Dan coaches emotionally not with emotion.
I agree and ill copy paste my opinion cause I agree the first one isnt that big of a deal but it contradicts the decision earlier to kick instead of going for the TD
I have no issues with going for it on 4th down, where I don’t like the play calling is, when you were 4th and goal (on the 2 yard line) you kicked for 3 points, for me that set the tone, get the points it’s more important. Great, take 3 and if you lose because you took “guaranteed” points so be it.
When you kick there, but it’s 4th and 3 on the 30 you go for it, you lose me. I understand there’s more field to stretch more options etc. but let’s pretend you get the first down, you still need to go score vs on the 2…. You’re right there, so that’s why I didn’t like the call.
I also think momentum had swung so much to the 49ers when they went for the 2nd 4th down conversion it would have rewarded the team with points and to expand their lead back to 10. I think that could have helped motivated the team and core group, it would have injected energy into your defence to take some pressure off of them. It would have injected some energy into your offence. I think the second non conversion is more of an issue than the first
Im also not saying this in hindsight - I was flabbergasted at the calls in real time
Momentum is the greatest currency in playoff football. One single decision can alter momentum, thus altering the game. 24-10, and not deciding to take the points, resulted in a 24 point swing. Take the points, Dan.
That's not what did it. It was the drops and the fumble. What are you even talking about??
@@healthyb-fu5zdhe's 💯 right... that miss on 4th and 2 changed the whole game!
Analytics does not consider momentum and therefore should not be the only thing to control decisions
I agree. Taking the points, would have welcomed a 2nd opponent vs the niners. The lions and time.
Better to be safe than sorry.
Campbell doesn't have control of his emotions, the Dallas game showed that. If you hit a 10 to 1 bet you don't keep betting and lose it All
K.C kicked 5 field goals out 5 Field goal opportunities against Miami and got 15 points. Resul: K.C will be playing the S.B .
Detroit kicked 1 field goal out of 3 F.G opportinities and got only 3 points . Result: Detroit will be home watching the S.B
As a Head Coach you are tasked with putting your team in the best position to win. That first 4th down call was a bone headed call you kick the fg if it's good you go up 17 and you kill any momentum the niners just got from going down and getting 3 on you like what else you got we just matched what you did. Instead momentum swings and 8 mins later you are staring at another 4th down decision down by 3 with a chance to tie the game and you go for it and cost your team again. It's the NFC championship game points are a premium you take that first fg and this game we don't know how it ends but chances are you'd be in a better position to win in the 4th than how it turned out to be.
As a player, you catch the ball when it hits you in the hands. You people act like those FG's were gimmes, but our kicker is not reliable and is 50/50 from that point.
@@usnairframer "if it's good" did i say they were automatic?
Going for it when up 2 scores is weird enough, but when you could change it from 2-3 scores with a field goal....you just always take it. This was objectively the wrong decision tbh regardless of outcome
@@andrewmoluf4299 I love that you people keep assuming we have some Pro-bowl kicker. The fact is that he's about 50/50 from those distances during the regular season over his career. If he misses, idiot Monday Morning HC's like yourself would be saying Dan Campbell changed his style from what got him this far on the biggest stage.
@@usnairframer It's in field goal range, this is why you have a kicker. To make a 2 score game into a 3 score game. I don't care if Campbell "sticks to his guns", it's just a dumb call by him
It’s so easy…it’s not about the exact points it’s about possessions. Anytime you have a chance to go up an additional possession you always do it. Always. Because it forces the other team to have to score more than once.
Give some credit to the 49ers. They didn't give up even when it looked hopeless. That is the mark of a champion.
Agreed. SF made so many things happen any single instance Detroit didn't execute in the second half. The dropped pass by Reynolds on 4th down, the deflection off Vindor's helmet, the fumble by Gibbs, Purdy making things happen even if it's not pleasing to the eye all the time. This game was more about SFs resiliency against a team they knew would hold nothing back. This isn't the same Detroit teams of old. They are legit. Just didn't finish it off.
Not even trying to hate or take away credit, but you don’t lose hope when the game is handed to you in failed conversions. That fumble was definitely crazy though. Stripping a player in a situation like that takes poise.
SF is going to lose by 10+ to KC.. that defense is atrocious, especially in the middle.. and KC's defense is light years ahead of what they faced in the lions.
@@stndpenguin Perhaps. You seem to possess a clairvoyance that I lack. Or, it may be possible that you are wrong...or not. As for me, I have no idea who will win the game. I do know what the score will be at kickoff, but that's about it. I feel fortunate in that I don't possess your gift of viewing future events. That's a lot of pressure. Good luck with that.
@@stndpenguin your name "penguin " says all
I always love listening to Rich Eisen because he usually puts everything into perspective. The stakes are much higher in the postseason. Every game is a one and done situation. Coaching playoff football is different than regular season football. You have to use common sense by kicking the field goal and taking the points.
As a Lions fan very true statement but I love the aggressive play calling by Gamble Campbell I love my coach we it was the drop passes for me and the ball bounce off the helmet to IU hands.
Great analysis Rich. Campbell going for the first 4th down completely changed the momentum of the game. The Lions had the game completely in control until then. Campbell's decisions doomed the Lions.
Right and the players dropping passes and fumbling the ball didn’t
@@Ander173coach knows his personnel and adjusts how to put the team in a position to win. DC gave it away.
He lost the regular season game against Dallas by making the same type of decision.
Fire Campbell. He's stupid and too risky
Momentum changed when they took the 3 points in the first half instead of taking the momentum and scoring again, and theres 0 arguement against it.
Everybody keeps bringing up the 51 yard reception saying it shoulve been an interception, watch the replay ref threw a flag immediately for pass interference
That decision took all momentum.
This is not the regular season. If you lose, there is no next week. In a playoff game, points & field position are paramount.
As a Chicagoan and a Cubs fan, my heart bleeds for Lions fans. The Lions of 2023 came to play in the first half but the "bad news Lions" or as Dan said, "same old Lions" played the second half. The Cubs were SUPPOSED to win the World Series in 2003 as the stars were aligned to break the 3 longest baseball world series droughts in 3 consecutive seasons-Cubs, Red Sox & White Sox. The Lions and Chiefs were destined to play the very first AND LAST game of the 2023-2024 season but it didn't happen. As a lifelong Bears fan, we got our Super Bowl win, albeit many moons ago in 1985-86. I am a Lions fan now until they win it all as i always have bled blue because i guess it's just in my DNA.
Campbell’s ego is massive. He’s a hell of a motivator and leader, but he’s a Madden player. Zero situational IQ. Even if Reynolds catches it, the gambles are baffling on the pro level.
All we can hope for is he learns his lesson. Be very aggressive but you have to be smart in the right situations
What team do you coach?
I assume you are not an NFL coach, I'm assuming your situational awareness isn't his, but yeah maybe take the 3 points.
You people have no clue what you’re talking about. Lions have a better statistical chance of succeeding 4th and 2 this year than they do 45yd field goals. Statistically, it would’ve been a bigger gamble to kick the field goal.
@@RileyPPPHow do you figure when the kicker has made all of his field goals so far this year????
The Lions mentality reminded me of Cliff Clavin in Final Jeopardy!
Niner fan here. I was happy to see them go for it. I knew it was a gift. The opportunity for our D to make a play and get some momentum was a GIFT. I was dreading going back down by 17 at that point. Thank you Mr Gamble🙏🏽
You absolutely correct.
49ers got lucky, good for you.
The D didn't stop them, the Lions stopped themselves they dropped an easy pasd.
The D didn't stop them, the Lions stopped themselves they dropped an easy pasd.
The D didn't stop them, the Lions stopped themselves they dropped an easy pasd.
I was watching the game with my father and when it got to that 4th and 2 and Campbell went for it, his words exactly when they didn't convert, "That's gonna come back and hurt them..." and when San Francisco started to come back all I could do was laugh because he NAILED it. Mo mentum just said "welp lemme see how it is in San Francisco " and it was like that attempt woke them the hell up
I literally said, "Watch us lose by 3"
My girl said no we gonna win. Then I knew it was over 👍
I turned the game off because after 50 yrs of being disappointed by the Lions I knew they had just lost the game. I can’t do this anymore.
Dude our kicker sucks. Noone would be saying this if we had tried to kick the 48 and 47 yarders and missed.
How about Jamo dropping a touchdown on the last drive of the half? Or Gibbs slipping on that same drive with one cut to the endzone? We lost, have faith we'l be back again, we knew there was huge holes in our team going into the playoffs and they showed. If we could throw the ball deep or if we had a decent pass rush we'd have won that game.
Maybe your dad should be the new coach
@@TJZ2345 yeah.....but leaving that 3 out there sure made the difference though
Knew this game was lost as soon as the first field goal wasn't kicked. 17 points is still a 3 score lead
At that point in the game its less about points and more about possessions. If you make it so that your opponent has to possess the ball three times halfway through the third youre putting them in a very tough spot. Not tying the game with 5 minutes left is absolutely bonkers.
I'm with Rich. Take the points. We had this game won. Take the points and keep running the ball. I'm sick to my stomach over this. The Lions should be playing in the Super Bowl. I love MCDC but he's gotta learn from this
Welcome to SOL. Again.
Dan Gamble just said I have no regrets unbelievable
situational football. sometimes you gotta take the damn points when things tighten up in the playoffs. 2nd option is why not hand the ball to david montgomery? they were tearing it up on the ground. when coach gamble said "i wanted to get the upper hand back" it reminds me of a gambler chasing their losses. bet WITH your head, not OVER it! i love my team and my coach...but i am angry at the blown opportunities.
Dan Campbell's biggest bonehead blunder was allowing Ben Johnson to run the ball on 3rd & goal with a minute left, and 3 timeouts. Basically conceded the game to San Francisco. You're down 10! Kick the FG on 3rd down, and even if you don't recover the onsides kick. You have a chance to stop them on defense & get the ball back. Just an inexcusable decision by the Lions coaching staff! Smh.
"Everything doesn't have to be Spinal Tap 11." Great analogy.
I wonder how many other fans made the connection. Very few, I would imagine. Loved it!
Secure the football more like. 2 dropped passes that killed drives, lost fumble, and dropped int. Those 4 plays are the difference in the game
Campbell left 6 points on the field, 4 qtr drive , 3rd down run fixed a time out, game lost…
4 more at the end of first half. THAT was the time to go for it on 4th down, but instead settled for 3.
Their final drive was a mismanaged joke too.
The 49ers kicked some fields goals, worked out pretty well for them.
17 missed tackles, 6 drops and a fumble on our 25 was the difference; not Campbell
Those points aren’t guaranteed… ask Buffalo bruh
You said it best, Rich. The FG to tie the game would have put all the pressure on SF offense to score again. That's what analytics doesn't factor, pressure. It was a game for the ages and could have been an all-time great ending to an already very entertaining game had Detroit kicked that FG to tie.
I'm sorry but this was not being aggressive. This was being reckless. You can take those gambles in the regular season, but not with Super Bowl on the line
That game was so heartbreaking and I'm not even a Lions fan. I feel so bad for the fans
Risk management is important in any business. You can’t aimlessly always go for it
Sure, risk management is important. But if I gave you two options, one with an 86% chance of succeeding, and the other less than 70%, which one do you choose? The 86%. Guess what, that’s the decision Dan Campbell faced. Kick a field goal with a guy who is only 70% accurate from that range or go for it on a fourth down conversion distance where you are 86% successful.
It wasn't aimless... Lions kicker is 39% from 50 yards. It was a 48 yarder. Lions converted 53% of 4th down attempts for the year. It would have been a 1st had Reynolds not dropped the pass, a pass he normally catches everytime. Dan picked the more reliable option.
Why is going for it on 4th down described as aggressive? In these situations I think it was desperate, playing scared: "we might not be back here again so we better go for the TD." To the contrary, in my book piling points on is the aggressive, confident move: "yeah, we're just gonna put points on the board and see how you respond under pressure."
💪🏾👍🏽
As a 49ers fan my MVP award goes to Dan "Gamble" Campbell 🏆
Definitely he won us the game. I was so happy he went on 4th
my man hits on a 20, zero fs given
Thats right. 49ers didnt win, Lions lost.
@@kylereno5383 show me on the bear where the 49ers hurt you😂🤣
The 49ers came back and beat the Lions. "That's all to it." Stop blaming the Lions' coach for going for it on fourth down. He had the dagger in the heart of the 49ers, all he tried to do was turn it, but it backfired. The Niners offensive line step-up, and their defensive line as well. Players drop passes. Running backs get stopped at the line.
Being up by 3 scores has never been a bad thing in football, especially in the 3rd quarter. NEVER! Take the points!
Thank you Dan for all you did for Detroit, and the 49ers! We're going back to the SB because of your stubbornness.
Sure we will see,the schedule next year that was best chance ever but Dan Flintstone got 2 go 4 it everytime amazing how everybody else don't thanks Dan now I'll never see a,superbowl in my lifetime
Soory,49er fan and u are right Dan Flintstone helped u out
Not without Ben Johnson, you're not.
We going back because we have a QB.
@@paulettelee6977not every good team comes out plays as well the following year. With the playoffs super wildcard we will see a bunch of team next year in the playoffs that missed out. Nfl is tough
I know I'm sitting here in Switzerland, but I'm from Brooklyn..... Everyone is taking about the dropped INT catch, but did we not see a flag thrown that would've made it pass interference, putting the ball where it was caught? No one is talking about this... I don't understand... 🤷🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
They picked it up to give the Niners the ball on the 1. It is rigged.
Long time Jets fan here. I was cheering for you guys. I am sorry you lost. I feel your pain.
I don’t go niners 💯
Thank you. Lions fans appreciate that. 💙
Another Jets fan 👋 So sad for them! I have no reason to watch the SB now. 😢
Both calls should have been about possessions. Kick the field goal in the 3rd quarter and maintain a 3 possession game. Kick the field goal in the 4th and keep a 1 possession game regardless of what the 49ers do. Really can’t overthink this if your Campbell
Dan Campbell LOST THIS GAME FOR THE LIONS! He made so many poor coaching decisions that he is THE REASON why the Lions lost the game, PERIOD! His EGO prevented him from making good coaching decisions! Running for a first down on fourth down and not kicking a field goal we’re decisions that will haunt the Lion’s Fans for years! Dan, YOU BLEW IT, BIG TIME!
As a life long Lions fan I'm just crushed with the result. This loss is on Campbell - inexplicable decision making, TWICE, to not try for FG's. On the first attempt it wasn't just about 3 points - momentum of the game was in the balance!
No one is as stupid as Dan appeared to be in the 2nd Half - He did what he was told to do. The NFL is licensed for entertainment only, and the US Supreme Court said the NFL offers no guarantees, other than the seat on your ticket and the date of the game. Legitimate outcomes are neither promised nor implied.
Get back to me after you've watched your team lose in the NFC Title Game 11 times.!
Get back to me after you've watched your team lose in the NFC Title Game 11 times.!
He didn't make his receivers drop all those passes or fumble the ball
@@brettwheeler7753: If things continue on as they have, it will take another 300 years for the Lions to lose 10 more NFC title games. I don't think I'll live to see it.
Wouldn’t have been nice is Dan Gamble did the complete opposite of what he has done over the course of the season. The turning point was the first stop on fourth down. Crowd got back in it, team morale of SF went up. Then the Lions were like uh oh …. This is the NFC championship! Take the points.
It is two weeks in a row that Campbell mismanaged the end of the game - Tampa did not make them pay for it though. I agree, the biggest thing was that timeout at the end (and yes they should have kicked the FG to tie, i was okay with going for it on the earlier one).
How can you not regret those decisions, Head Coach Campbell? YOU WERE IN THE LEAD, AND YOU COULD HAVE EXTENDED THAT LEAD, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T GO ON THOSE 4TH DOWNS!!!
I believe in being aggressive in football games. But when you are up ahead by a touchdown or more, you gotta take the easy 3 points.
You obviously aren't a fan because you don't know their kicker.
As a Lions fan, you're right, Rich: The Lions settled for a field goal at the end of the first half instead of going for the touchdown.
They should have gone for the touchdown then too.
The Lions had the momentum. They had a beaten and battered and demoralized defense on the field in front of them. Go for the touchdown and make them feel crushed, with no hope at all.
But a field goal? That's a stop in the minds of defenders. They held the line. That's a moral boost.
I'm not gonna fault Dan Campbell for his decision making last night. At the end of the day, the Lions players just did not execute. You laid it out. Reynolds dropped the pass on 4th down.
The Lions had the opportunities to take back the momentum on the field and they couldn't capitalize.
We could have won the game with the decisions Campbell made, if the Lions executed better. And it wasn't just the 4th down calls.
The backup TE stepping out at the two at the end of the game ultimately cost us a good 20 seconds and a Time Out, which we could have used to possibly stop the 49ers.
We had the chance to pin them deep at the one, but we stepped on the goal line.
Jared Goff had multiple balls where he was just overthrowing guys, and he collapsed under pressure a few times more and threw some ugly balls.
There were a lot of ways in which the night could have gone better for the Lions.
But Dan Campbell being aggressive on those plays wasn't why we lost.
Can you mention the run play to St Brown, that was stuffed, which set up the 4th down drop to Reynolds
no that would hurt the narrative. This ALL Campbell. the great Ben Johnson shall not be blamed for a single thing.
If the Lions continue to miss the Super Bowl for a while longer, this game will be analyzed and argued about for years. After 66 years they finally had the Super Bowl in their hands, 17 point lead, but they let it slip away
Big mistake to not take the FG, only to get stopped on 4 and 2. This is the playoffs, points matter more (win or go home.) The score could have been 34-34 at the end of regulation and it would go to OT, take your coin toss and get the ball and try to score. Have your defense stop the 49ers. Dan gambled one time too much, and his team lost a chance to go to the SB.
I've got no issue with Campbell going for it mid 3rd. BUT... I had a major issue with Campbell NOT choosing to tie the game.
That was a really really really bad choice.
To a good football coach the score is the most important thing. To Campbell, it's converting a first down on 4th down.
Your assessment, which is correct, left one 'major' factor out, the Fans. It took a non- factor, a defeated lifeless fan base, and put them back in it. Giving the team hope and energy. That 12th man. This was Dan's fault. That FG would have kept them 17 points up and the Fans still out of it.
I wanted the lions to win in the worst way, and loved how they came out on fire and went up 2 TDs right away. But when instantly everyone was celebrating and trash talking online like they’d already won when still the first quarter I just had a deep down feeling that the niners with the whole game still ahead of them and plenty of time to adjust would do just that and the lions wouldn’t be able to hold on to it.
@@DoubleDDeaconIt's difficult for fans to be objective. Their emotions tend to overwhelm their rational thought process.
When watching a stream of the game after I woke up from my PM nap, the streamer made it seem like they didn't trust their kicker as to why they were going for it on 4th down. Michael Badgley for his career is 38.5% from 50+ but the FG attempts would've been 47-49 yards out & he is 77.1% in his career from 40+. W/ that in mind it would seem more obvious than ever to TAKE THE PTS.
It wasn't just the fourth down fails. It was the momentum shift.
I admire Campbell and what he has done with Detroit, but these experiences had better impact his future decisions.
Campbell is not good decisions making coach
I have no issues with going for it on 4th down, where I don’t like the play calling is, when you were 4th and goal (on the 2 yard line) you kicked for 3 points, for me that set the tone, get the points it’s more important. Great, take 3 and if you lose because you took “guaranteed” points so be it.
When you kick there, but it’s 4th and 3 on the 30 you go for it, you lose me. I understand there’s more field to stretch more options etc. but let’s pretend you get the first down, you still need to go score vs on the 2…. You’re right there, so that’s why I didn’t like the call.
I also think momentum had swung so much to the 49ers when they went for the 2nd 4th down conversion it would have rewarded the team with points and to expand their lead back to 10. I think that could have helped motivated the team and core group, it would have injected energy into your defence to take some pressure off of them. It would have injected some energy into your offence. I think the second non conversion is more of an issue than the first
Im also not saying this in hindsight - I was flabbergasted at the calls in real time
When he didn't kick a field goal the second time, I got a sick feeling
Before the decision was made, I pulled the blanket over my head and said, “I don’t want to watch this…” because I felt like the Lions had lost the momentum, were just getting out back, but not enough to take the risk when there was 3pts to take and get the momentum back. There was a 90% chance of converting and 90% of 3pts… You go for the 3pts.
Dan Gamble has a very good football team but his coaching is what lost it for the team! When he went for it on fourth down the first time to be greedy and get more points than just the three ,I thought right then and there, that is a momentum changer that they won't recover from and they didn't. And then with 7 minutes left and he didn't kick the field goal to tie the game he went for it again I thought right then and there he's compromised and someone's paying him a lot of money to do that.
An argument can be made for both going for it on 4th down or kick the field goal. I think the bigger issue was the 2 dropped passes by Reynolds, the complete whiff from Jamo that would have been a TD, and that missed interception by Vildor. Any of those work and this game is different, if not a Lions W.
Lol ok buddy. @@DoubleDDeacon
It's ok, he's wrong @@Ataraxia462
@@DoubleDDeacon Not only that, but after getting that 50% 4th down conversion, they would still need to make 3 or 4 more plays to go right to turn that into a TD or have 3 or 4 potential turnover plays to keep it to another FG try.
That loss was heartbreaking... and I'm not even a lions fan
In a nutshell...too many huge moments that were too big for a team/coaching staff that had never been in situations that big before. It was a deer in the headlights situation from that first failed 4th down onward.
Someone should've told DC that, in the postseason, points are at a premium. Score whenever possible.
I understand Campbell's process and I really do appreciate his willingness to stick to it, but there has to be some weight given to the situation. It's not week 7 and you can move on to next week. It's the NFC championship; you win or your season is over. It's hard to say it's definitely the wrong decision, but in a playoff game you have to get points and a lead when you can in a win or go home game.
My thoughts exactly 👏🏼
It's definitely the wrong decision. Actually not that hard to say. Gimme a 3 score lead any day.
In the context of the enormity of the game's outcome (NFC Championship), that was the most unbelievable game I have ever witnessed, by any team, in 60+ years of watching ball....
You win the game by scoring the most points. Take the FGs and that last TD wins it. Not every punch is a haymaker. There are jabs that hurt the opponent too.
When you're playing in these championship games you have to look at how many possessions your opponent needs to come back. Once you have a lead you don't look at it as points you look at it as in possessions and if Dan would have kicked that field goal to go up by 17 it would have made it a three-position game meaning the 49ers would need to get the ball back three more times just to have a chance. So whenever the Lions get the ball back all they needed to basically do is run the ball and settle for field goals and basically they just walk right into the Super Bowl. But then getting cute on 4th down and then getting cute with the passing plays ruin the whole second half. They're running with great success and I don't know why they stopped running the ball. It's almost like they can't help themselves like they just have to get cute with these fancy passing plays.
Being a Chargers fan for 50 years and suffering through that train wreck called Staley I can tell you this with confidence. A few more idiot "Go for it on forth" calls that lose you in the Playoffs or worse dont allow you to get there and you will be begging to run Campbell out of town as we did Staley. 2 words for the Lions fans. "SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL".
The lions could have put it away multiple times. There were alot of crucial dropped passes that could have turned the game into a beatdown.
Heartbreak for sure, but that field goal wasnt the only thing
2 field goals
@@jerryalexander8803 from a 50/50 kicker.
@@usnairframer a 50/50 kicker that hasn't missed all post season and just hit a 50 plus yarder in the playoffs, that kicker didn't give you any reason for the coach not to trust him.. Meanwhile San Francisco kicker missed a field Goal in the 1st quarter but they sent him back out there and he made 2 field goals after that, and low and be hold the lions lose by 3, go figure
That fumble didn't help either.
Dan Gamble loss the game with his poor decision making stop making excuses for him drop passes fumbles are apart of the game Trevor Lawrence threw 4 interceptions and still won. The loss is on Dan Gamble period worse loss in lions history to busy keeping receipts
It just doesn't make sense to not ho for it on the 2 but to go for it when you can get an easy 3 points. Makes no sense!
players have GOT to execute in that situation. too many crucial drops added up with missed opportunities and the game slipped away from them as it would have for anyone else.
I thought that I was a layman and a caveman, for questioning why he didn't just take the points. I put myself in Campbell's shoes and I just couldn't forgive myself for not taking the f@cking points. That was the entire game! There IS a margin for error and that margin was the Gibbs fumble. That could have been forgiven with the field goal that they didn't take. Dan Campbell absolutely blew this game. The 49ers won by 3 and that 3, again, was that field goal that Dan Campbell didn't want and didn't take.
Yeah what matters is what happened this year they had the perfect opportunity to win this game and go to the Superbowl with a chance to win but Dan Campbell threw it all away by moronic decisions twice by not trying to kick a field goal in perfect weather conditions.
4:30 That ball wasn’t airmailed, it was perfectly thrown. It only hit the defender in the face because he had just been flagged for pi.
They picked up that flag
The ball was overthrown in the defender was actually in position not the receiver and they were about to call offensive pass interference on the wide receiver not the defender SMH but they end up picking the flag up anyway but the initial call was going to be for offensive pass interference because the wide receiver started to push the defender early and that's possibly why he couldn't catch it and it hit his face mask and bounced off so the 49ers got a gift from the refs
Yes, DPI. The throw was actually on the money
Wrong if Purdy underthrows it Brandon is in perfect position, by throwing it deep the CB was in perfect position and had a right to the ball. No penalty was the right call. Now if Vildor makes that INT I think the Lions still get screwed and they keep the flag because that’s how it goes.
The flag was picked up because the defender made a play on the ball. So no, it was not pi.
There's a difference between coaching a game in week 8 and coaching the game that will send u to a superbowl
you always take the points, i did appreciate the late TD play to cover the spread
A lot of bettors are happy that the Lions beat the spread.
A monumental comeback for the 49ers but Campbell's horrific decisions on 4th down plays sealed Detroit's playoff hopes. The Lions' fans deserve better than this.
They ain't had better in 60 plus years. Stop it.
Sorry Doc, but that’s a Bullshit.
I'm a Ohioan but I wanted 2 see history being made. There's only 4 teams that never made a Super Bowl 🏈 I feel bad 4 Lions 🦁 Nation
Dan Campbell is every Madden player online that goes for it on 4th down.
Dan Campbell can thank only himself and his stupid decisions to change the momentum of that game. They had it wrapped up . He ripped the road to the superbowl away from his players, coaches, the fans and that city all on his own. Shameful.
that ricochet ball off the facemask/chest was a killer. Let that thing be a pick (which it is in maybe 4 out of 5 times) the game takes another direction. would have been INT #2 on Purdy and all that talk about him is gone. but it went the way it went..... sometimes "game of inches" - and luck!
Big games are decided by who makes mistakes and whether or not the other team capitalizes on them.
Campbell is a heck of a coach, but he is still pretty new at it. This game, his inexperience in games like this was his downfall. I expect that he will grow into it over the coming years and learn to temper that aggressiveness some.
MUCH respect for him and what he has accomplished in Detroit.
He's an offensive-minded coach. He's gonna be aggressive on offense, especially with players who relish the opportunity to cash in on those risks and have proven they can execute. So I don't think he's gonna budge from his aggressive nature -- not when that's what his players have come to expect and buy into. He and the players just need to understand that an NFC championship game isn't a regular-season game. You hold your cards a little closer to the vest, knowing that when your opponent was good enough to make it to the same game, they're not gonna lie down and allow themselves to get run over. When you've got the opportunity, you take the points. Whenever that opportunity presents itself. I like the confidence he has in his players, that alone makes them play better and rise to the occasion; but when a Super Bowl is on the line, you play it a little closer to the vest.
Nope, was as close as he ever gets . Next season schedule isn't in their favor. His gambling cost them the game. His time management sucks .
Team choked!!!
Dan enjoy the racetrack & casino.
" Gambling Dan Campbell"
why is everyone acting like the field goal was a certainty? Badgley did not have a good year, was 70% from the range for his career
He is 100% on FG attempts THIS year
only 4 attempts with a long of 41@@JaneDoey
@@Hamgt83 You're not counting this postseason where he is 100% with a long of 51
I'll say this before I even start this video, Campbell was the reason we were even here, and he stood by the identity of who the team was. Everyone can arm chair QB his decisions afterwards, but I agreed with going for it both times. Honestly, if anything is to blame, it's the players. They didn't keep they're cool and allowed far too many mistakes in the 2nd half, dropped balls, fumble, and some stupid luck on that one catch.
You're right but if not for the decisions, the players wouldn't have been in position to drop those passes. If he kicks those FGs and keep running that ball, it's probably a Lions win. Regardless if we got there because of his aggressiveness, were eliminated because of it.
couldn't have said it better! we'll be back.
What you said about the Lions players can also be said about the 49er players in the first half.
You can “what if” for only one side of the game😂
Just because he went for it on 4th down against the Bears in week 6 (or whenever) doesn't mean you go for it in the NFC championship game when you already have the game won if you just take the points.
I only disagreed with the first attempt from 4th-and-2, and that still would have worked if Josh Reynolds had made the easy catch. Campbell did take the FG in the 1st half in a situation he could have justifiably gone for it. You also have to keep in mind it's an outdoor game and the Lions kicker does not have a big leg.
Sadly, Reynolds two bad drops were what swung the game. They ended drives in the 3rd quarter where it looked like the Lions were going to score two more TDs and bleed the clock. That got the defense tired and sloppy and put the offense in a funk. I guess it was his Prince Fielder moment.
There's a pic of the Lions with a 24-10 lead halfway through the 3rd with what looks like a Purdy interception and they botched everything from that point forward. Edit: Rich showed it lol
Before starting the show, Rich needs to re-watch the game on Brandon Aiyuk catch. It was not could of should of INT, it it is a PI where the ref did throw the flage so no matter BA caught or not, it is still 49ers balls. BTW Purdy threw that ball to that spot where BA will be there if it wasn't for the PI. Man these people need to be more professional to re watch carefully before having their show.
The points weren’t guaranteed. But I do think we are seeing the flaw in the analytics. Situation made them choke.
When you’re up 17, you only need to match your opponents points the rest of the way to win. That’s why you take the three points.