Official game 11 Thanksgiving Day in Detroit pregame thread

[BrokenArrow]

Trying a fake punt vs the Packers has to be seem by all teams as a good risk given how bad the special teams have been over the years. It didn't work, so kudos finally to the Packer's special teams for not ******** up.

A good risk that puts us right in the red zone if it fails? C'mon.

 

[Don Barclay]

So back to what I said, do you have anything specific to say regarding the merits of his risky 4th down decisions in a playoff scenario? He turned down 2 FG chances and gave us the ball at their 20 yard line. That might well have been the difference in the game.

You know, your point is a really good one - but I don't know how Campbell will coach in the playoffs with this team. And in the meantime he's experimenting, and putting a world of experience with unpredictability on record and in his team's worldview, which may be a smart long-arc decision, if he's able to pivot as needed in the playoffs. Like, these dudes on his team are down for *anything*, and if they need to do some weird **** in a crazy high-stress, high-leverage moment, they may have a hardened temperament for it. But maybe he is too close to the edge. I think it will be interesting to see, assuming they don't collapse (and I don't think they will).

Ew, sounds like a Dan Campbell love letter, sorry everyone I feel really gross

 

[OldSchool101]

So back to what I said, do you have anything specific to say regarding the merits of his risky 4th down decisions in a playoff scenario? He turned down 2 FG chances and gave us the ball at their 20 yard line. That might well have been the difference in the game.

not to put a wedge between your question there but you reminded me of a related play where Matt went for it on 4th down and turned the ball over (end of 1st qtr) At the time I liked that call but the more I consider that play? If I’m in a contest where I’m winning by 2 scores and my D is playing decent? Im probably taking the 3 points next time. The momentum shifted some there as it got the Lions fans back into the game. They started getting rowdy and holding those stupid “3” cards up
Next time I’d shut those Lions fans up and take 3pts off that turnover and go up 23-6 1st qtr. there. That’s definitively 3 scores even if they scored 8 twice it’s still 23-22.

Now in a first half with a higher scoring OR closer contest such as 20-17. I’m trying to go for the TD. That miss almost came back to haunt us as they got within a score instead of 10 points. I understand what Matt was doing being aggressive but you’ve got to consider many games are decided by 3 points.
We’ve lost several contests because we were down by 4 or 5 etc. and had to score a TD on our last drive instead of needing 1 point or 2 points to tie or 3 to win.

 

[milani]

A good risk that puts is right in the red zone if it fails? C'mon.

The play worked against KC in Week 1. They were trailing at the time. They did eventually score. But it was in the first half. When you are 8-2 and playing a 4-6 team that you manhandled in Week 4 it is not necessarily a bad risk especially at home. The Lions are a team that is good enough to overcome its mistakes against most opponents. I believe Campbell has used this fake punt about 8 times in his tenure and has had success. I am just amazed that we stopped it. This is exactly a play in which we get torched 2 years ago.

 

[longtimefan]

So back to what I said, do you have anything specific to say regarding the merits of his risky 4th down decisions in a playoff scenario? He turned down 2 FG chances and gave us the ball at their 20 yard line. That might well have been the difference in the game.

Every coach makes a wrong call every game. They do what they believe is best at the time . He took ownership of it

If I was a Lions fan would I be mad he did that ?? Yup. But still, they are in the hunt for hfa

he is doing something right

 

[longtimefan]

The play worked against KC in Week 1. They were trailing at the time. They did eventually score. But it was in the first half. When you are 8-2 and playing a 4-6 team that you manhandled in Week 4 it is not necessarily a bad risk especially at home. The Lions are a team that is good enough to overcome its mistakes against most opponents. I believe Campbell has used this fake punt about 8 times in his tenure and has had success. I am just amazed that we stopped it. This is exactly a play in which we get torched 2 years ago.

Yes, Lions head coach Dan Campbell called a fake punt from his own 17-yard line in the stadium of the defending Super Bowl champions with Patrick Mahomes on the other sideline — and it worked. Detroit then drove straight down the field before eventually finding the end zone thanks to a touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

 

[PackerDNA]

Lots to like about this game, but I think what I like the most is that our guys beat them physically. We were the more physical team, and won on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

 

[swhitset]

not to put a wedge between your question there but you reminded me of a related play where Matt went for it on 4th down and turned the ball over (end of 1st qtr) At the time I liked that call but the more I consider that play? If I’m in a contest where I’m winning by 2 scores and my D is playing decent? Im probably taking the 3 points next time. The momentum shifted some there as it got the Lions fans back into the game. They started getting rowdy and holding those stupid “3” cards up
Next time I’d shut those Lions fans up and take 3pts off that turnover and go up 23-6 1st qtr. there. That’s definitively 3 scores even if they scored 8 twice it’s still 23-22.

Now in a first half with a higher scoring OR closer contest such as 20-17. I’m trying to go for the TD. That miss almost came back to haunt us as they got within a score instead of 10 points. I understand what Matt was doing being aggressive but you’ve got to consider many games are decided by 3 points.
We’ve lost several contests because we were down by 4 or 5 etc. and had to score a TD on our last drive instead of needing 1 point or 2 points to tie or 3 to win.

All logical except…
We had already missed an extra point and 3 points was by no means a sure thing at that point. I remember thinking exactly that as the Packers were lining up to go for it.

 

[OldSchool101]

Frankly, I think he tried that fake punt simply because he's an idiot.

I didn’t understand that play other than to see it was out of total disdain. We are considered a weak team that just gets lucky even at this moment.
Now if it’s a 2 score game (and you’re behind) with less than about 6-7 minutes? Might be tough to punt there. Another scenario where it’s chancy but doable (to reverse momentum) is 10 yards past a more typical FG range for your opponent. Call it between the 40’s.

Imo. Dan just severely underestimated us after that first contest and he was trying to catch us napping.

Btw. Let’s give a hand to #90 Vsn Ness as he blew that play up and Enagbare set an Edge and forced him back inside and #94 Karl Brooks cleaned up with great backside hustle. Honestly any or all of those 3 guys could be D starters one day. Bad choice considering our above average personnel group. This isn’t 2020 ST anymore

 

[Poppa San]

I remember thinking exactly that as the Packers were lining up to go for it.

I remember thinking MLF wanted to drive a spike into their heart by going up 3 tuddies. Totally sap their will.

Btw. Let’s give a hand to #90 Vsn Ness as he blew that play up and Enagbare set an Edge and forced him back inside and #94 Karl Brooks cleaned up with great backside hustle. Honestly any or all of those 3 guys could be D starters one day. Bad choice considering our above average personnel group. This isn’t 2020 ST anymore

Brendan Cox was in on the tackle also I believe. I read an article earlier that I cannot find about an ***'t offense coach in the press box called out the fake by alignment and RB radioed it down. Players were also warned about Campbell's propensity to run a fake in this situation as they headed on to the field.

 

[OldSchool101]

I remember thinking MLF wanted to drive a spike into their heart by going up 3 tuddies. Totally sap their will.

Brendan Cox was in on the tackle also I believe. I read an article earlier that I cannot find about an ***'t offense coach in the press box called out the fake by alignment and RB radioed it down. Players were also warned about Campbell's propensity to run a fake in this situation as they headed on to the field.

Interesting.

Also I can’t believe how quick Karl Brooks is. He was kinda slow on speed testing pre draft, but he can get up and move.

 

[BrokenArrow]

The play worked against KC in Week 1. They were trailing at the time. They did eventually score. But it was in the first half. When you are 8-2 and playing a 4-6 team that you manhandled in Week 4 it is not necessarily a bad risk especially at home. The Lions are a team that is good enough to overcome its mistakes against most opponents. I believe Campbell has used this fake punt about 8 times in his tenure and has had success. I am just amazed that we stopped it. This is exactly a play in which we get torched 2 years ago.

It really shouldn't be that amazing. It's exactly what you expect when you play the Lions. I would play for the fake every time and I'm sure that's exactly what Bisaccia had in mind. He probably anticipated that Campbell would be desperate to win on Thanksgiving and chances were high he wouldn't be able to resist his old tricks. So better to be prepared for the fake and take the fair catch than to try to set up for a big return and give up a first down. That's what happens when you overuse gadget plays. Campbell has gone to the fake punt so much that it's unlikely he will find it to be as successful going forward.

 

[milani]

It really shouldn't be that amazing. It's exactly what you expect when you play the Lions. I would play for the fake every time and I'm sure that's exactly what Bisaccia had in mind. He probably anticipated that Campbell would be desperate to win on Thanksgiving and chances were high he wouldn't be able to resist his old tricks. So better to be prepared for the fake and take the fair catch than to try to set up for a big return and give up a first down. That's what happens when you overuse gadget plays. Campbell has gone to the fake punt so much that it's unlikely he will find it to be as successful going forward.

That is why we got Biasacia. Two years ago you could have told our ST coach they are going to run it and they still would not stop it.

 

[Poppa San]

That's what happens when you overuse gadget plays.

Kinda why I believe Watson's jet sweeps seem to fail this season. Reed's work because he's tinier, shiftier, and covered by the #3 CB.