Dan Campbell loves going for it on fourth down instead of punting or kicking long field goals. It’s one of the hallmarks of Campbell’s coaching style with the Detroit Lions.
And while it doesn’t always turn out well, as in the NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, it’s helped forge the Lions as a very difficult team to play against. One longtime NFL player and current analyst is a big believer that Campbell’s aggressive playcalling shouldn’t change even after the misstep in January.
Mark Schlereth, who won three Super Bowls in 12 NFL seasons as an offensive lineman, brought up a great point about how positively Campbell’s go-for-it nature benefits the Lions. Now a television analyst, Schlereth beamed about the energy in the building in Detroit on a recent episode of his “Stinking Truth” podcast.
After praising Campbell and GM Brad Holmes for the culture and energy, Schlereth was asked if he thought Campbell might “dial back” the aggression.
“No, I don’t,” Schlereth stated. “I think that’s the way he wants to play.”
The man known as “Stink” in his playing days then brought up a great reason why the occasional misfires are worth the overall aggressiveness,
“My guys knowing that the odds are we’re going for it on fourth down, takes the pressure off on third down. They are more — they have more duality on third down than any team in the NFL.”
Detroit was certainly quite good on third downs in 2023. The Lions 41.7 percent conversion rate on third downs tied for seventh last season. Campbell’s offense was 21-of-40 on fourth downs, the second-most successes and attempts. The 52.5% success rate was 13th.