Boneheaded Play of the Game: Dan Campbell

Lions got Zimmed in this one. 

Lions where repaying the favor for lopsided trade on draft day.  B)

That was definitely a key factor in the win, however we would not have needed it if KOC didn't actually lead in the bonehead category in doing that twice, the two 56 yard FG attempts led to 14 points.  Not sure with our defense playing so poorly why you would risk giving them a short field.  

I was pretty shocked when they lined up for it.  Even if their kicker hadn't missed earlier in the game, kicking the FG is the worst decision of all potential options. 

I'm happy O'Connell didn't take the conservative approach and went for the score instead of playing for OT once we were in FG range.

Camprbell’s Lions have yet to secure a road win under his tutelage, managing 1 tie w/ Pittsburgh last season…  :o :o :o  

I don’t think it’s the worst decision
in the world.  I think all 3 options are
pretty comparable in terms of risk.  I
think the thing that makes it more risky was the wind in that corner that
pushed all 3 FGs to the right in that end zone. 
A 56 yard FG is about 60% chance to succeed, while 4th and 4
is about 55% chance to succeed.  If you
fail either, you’re screwed.  You make
the FG, we have to drive the full length of the field and get a TD, which is
difficult but not impossible.  You make
the conversion, you pretty much win.  You
punt, then we have to drive 45-50 yards and kick a FG to tie or drive the whole
length of the field to win.  Like what
are the odds that we can drive 45-50 yards or drive 80 yards?  In hindsight, that KJ TD would have been a TD
from anywhere on the field.  Knowing
that, it’s easy to look back and think that the 55% chance of victory was your
best option.

@"Wetlander" said: I'm happy O'Connell didn't take the conservative approach and went for the score instead of playing for OT once we were in FG range.

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"Wetlander" said: I'm happy O'Connell didn't take the conservative approach and went for the score instead of playing for OT once we were in FG range.

Do we thank KOC? Or KC?

@"medaille" said: I don’t think it’s the worst decision in the world.  I think all 3 options are pretty comparable in terms of risk.  I think the thing that makes it more risky was the wind in that corner that pushed all 3 FGs to the right in that end zone.  A 56 yard FG is about 60% chance to succeed, while 4th and 4 is about 55% chance to succeed.  If you fail either, you’re screwed.  You make the FG, we have to drive the full length of the field and get a TD, which is difficult but not impossible.  You make the conversion, you pretty much win.  You punt, then we have to drive 45-50 yards and kick a FG to tie or drive the whole length of the field to win.  Like what are the odds that we can drive 45-50 yards or drive 80 yards?  In hindsight, that KJ TD would have been a TD from anywhere on the field.  Knowing that, it’s easy to look back and think that the 55% chance of victory was your best option.

The best option would be to go for it instead of kicking the FG.  If you don't get the first down, it's basically the same as missing the FG.  If you get it, it's game over. 

Even if you make the FG, the other team still has an opportunity to return a kick (no guarantee it's a touch back or you stop them inside the 25), and you're basically dictating their play calling and aggressiveness since they now know they need to score a TD to win...  if they were only down 3, some teams may decide to kick depending on the down and distance, time left, etc. 

The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

I punt there.  Not because of mysterious wind,   I just dont trust my job to many kickers outside of 50.  Maybe the Vikings pull it out,  but starting 25 yards further back makes my bend dont break prevent more likely to beat the clock. 

@"Riphawkins" said: The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

@"HappyViking" said:

@"Riphawkins" said: The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

I wonder if the way Hunter stuffed the prior 4th down attempt made Campbell rethink going for it.  Fourth and four is no "gimme", punting still gives the Vikes plenty of time to get into FG position (or TD), so possibly getting points from a 54 yard FG then kicking off is maybe the best option.  

@"Riphawkins" said: The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"Riphawkins" said: The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

I wonder if the way Hunter stuffed the prior 4th down attempt made Campbell rethink going for it.  Fourth and four is no "gimme", punting still gives the Vikes plenty of time to get into FG position (or TD), so possibly getting points from a 54 yard FG then kicking off is maybe the best option.  

Did Danielle play on Sunday? I wasn't sure...

 :p  :p :p

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"HappyViking" said:

@"Riphawkins" said: The announcers in the booth said going for the FG was the right choice. Not that they know everything, but it only seems dumb once the FG was missed.

They had been converting on 4th and short all day, but if they don’t convert, then everyone wants to hang Campbell because they didn’t get it and left the Vikings with virtually the same field position had they missed the FG.

Personally, I’d have punted and made the Vikings drive at the length of the field to beat you and at least 50 yds to kick the FG.

I wonder if the way Hunter stuffed the prior 4th down attempt made Campbell rethink going for it.  Fourth and four is no "gimme", punting still gives the Vikes plenty of time to get into FG position (or TD), so possibly getting points from a 54 yard FG then kicking off is maybe the best option.  

Did Danielle play on Sunday? I wasn't sure...

 :p  :p :p

Ive been wondering when he gets to come back from IR....

@"purplefaithful" said:

Did Danielle play on Sunday? I wasn't sure...

By my model, the worst 4th down decision of Week 3 was Detroit electing to kick a 54 yard field goal while up 3 points on a 4th & 4 instead of trying to trying to put the game away pic.twitter.com/mSme7nl2AU

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) September 27, 2022

Paul Allen said on Monday that the Lions kicker is 39% on kicks over 40 yards. The 56 yard kick would have been the longest make of his career. Knowing that, the decision to kick the FG was an aweful one.