The Detroit Lions came into the 2024 season with a singular goal — to win the first Super Bowl title in franchise history.
The season instead came to an abrupt end on Saturday as the Lions fell flat against the Washington Commanders, losing 45-31 in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs and heading to a long offseason. The Lions struggled on both sides of the ball, committing five turnovers on offense and failing to stop quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on defense.
After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell took some heat for the aggressive playcalling that backfired as well as some critical mistakes.
Lions Fall to Mistakes
The Lions finished the season with a league-best 15-2 record, earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history. The team succeeded behind Campbell’s aggressive playcalling, with the offense regularly going for it on fourth downs and keeping opposing defenses off-balance with trick plays.
That strategy backfired on Saturday, with wide receiver Jameson Williams throwing an interception on a trick play in the fourth quarter. The interception came after the Commanders scored a touchdown to take a 38-28 lead, with the Lions trying to flip momentum back.
The decision garnered some criticism on social media, with some commentators saying this was not the right time to take such a risk.
“Sorry, but Jameson Williams isn’t throwing the ball with my season on the line, brother. Zero chance. That is one of the dumbest calls I’ve ever seen,” wrote reporter Jon Ledyard in a post on X.
Campbell also took heat for a critical mistake earlier in the fourth quarter. The Commanders drove inside the 10-yard line but the Lions held them on third down, leading to a field goal attempt. But the Lions were flagged for having 12 men on the field before the kick, giving the Commanders a free first down and leading to a touchdown.
“Absolute killer there. Someone on that sideline has to catch the 12-man thing and bang a timeout,” wrote reporter Albert Breer in a post on X.
Lions Go Bust
After reaching the NFC championship game and blowing a 17-game lead to the San Francisco 49ers last season, Campbell established a goal to win the Super Bowl this year. Speaking to reporters in May, Campbell said it made no sense to aim for anything less.
“I don’t see bust, I see Super Bowl. I don’t know what bust is,” said Campbell.
“Every team ought to have that. Every team ought to be like ‘Man, what are you playing for? You’re playing for a Super Bowl.’ We’re no different than that.”
The Lions appeared on track for that goal, setting a franchise record for wins and taking the NFC North by dismantling the rival Minnesota Vikings in the season finale. Despite suffering a spate of injuries on defense, the Lions earned an extra week off to start the playoffs and got some key players back including running back David Montgomery.
The Lions could now face more challenges in the coming offseason, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn both seen as top candidates to land head coaching jobs.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lions Coach Dan Campbell Under Fire After Brutal Playoff Exit appeared first on Heavy Sports.