Lions Coach Dan Campbell Trusts Jared Goff in High-Stakes Fourth Down

Detroit coach Dan Campbell made a risky call on fourth down that nearly cost the Lions a game against the Green Bay Packers.

With the score tied and 4:53 left in the fourth quarter, the Lions faced fourth-and-1 from their own 24-yard line. Campbell chose to keep the ball instead of punting. He said he trusted quarterback Jared Goff to handle the response. Campbell noted that he knew exactly what they would concede if the play failed. He was confident the team would get the ball back with enough time to answer Green Bay’s drive.

The gamble did not work out as planned. Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon broke through the offensive line. He dropped running back Jahmyr Gibbs for a two-yard loss. Green Bay took over on the Detroit 22. The Packers failed to score on that possession. Receiver Josh Jacobs dropped a 17-yard touchdown pass on third down. That failure led to a field goal attempt. Lions safety D.J. Wonnum blocked Trey Smack’s 35-yard kick.

Goff praised the defense for the block. He said that missing the fourth-down conversion and getting the ball back without damage was a positive outcome. He credited Wonnum for the stop. The Lions then moved the ball efficiently. Goff completed a pass to Sam LaPorta for 18 yards. Officials awarded 15 more yards for a roughing-the-passer penalty. The team managed the clock with short runs. Goff drew an offside penalty from Green Bay defensive end Karl Brooks. That stop set up a final field goal by Jake Bates as time expired.

Goff finished the game 22 of 32 for 301 yards and two touchdowns. He has thrown 14 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in six games. That performance matches Russell Wilson’s 2019 record for the most touchdown passes without an interception in the first six games of a season. Campbell said Goff is playing at a very high level. He questioned why the team does not put the ball in Goff’s hands more often.

The Lions defense has shown improvement in recent weeks. The team cut its average yards allowed from 426 to 326 in the last two games. Detroit recorded six sacks and two interceptions during that span. The defense still gave up five touchdown passes in six games. The unit is trending upward despite remaining inconsistent.

The offensive line needs work. It often forces Gibbs to evade tacklers before he reaches the line of scrimmage. On the drive that included the failed fourth-down play, Gibbs gained no yards on a run and a catch before the two-yard loss. Campbell said the line must eliminate those plays. He noted that Gibbs only needs a small amount of space to make a big play.

Wide receiver Jameson Williams had a strong game against Green Bay. He caught five passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns. He gained 48 yards after the catch. Center Cade Mays made his debut after missing the first five games with a wrist injury. The Lions lost two fumbles involving Mays. He punched the ball out of Gibbs’ hands and had a snap issue with Goff. Mays said he knew he needed to shake off rust. He expects his performance to improve each week.

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. missed time with ankle injuries. Campbell expects them to sit out Wednesday practice. He believes both players will play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Lions are 4-2. They must fix blocking and defensive issues before facing the 6-0 Vikings. The team cannot count on opponents to make mistakes like the Packers did.