The Detroit Lions were aggressive on fourth down for most of the 2023 season. That approach played a significant factor in ending Detroit’s chance at winning the first conference title in franchise history in its 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell left his offense on the field on two fourth-down plays within presumed field goal range in the second half, neither of which Detroit converted. Three points in either situation – fourth-and-2 from the Niners' 28-yard line with 7:03 left in the third quarter and fourth-and-3 from the Niners' 30-yard-line with 7:32 left in the fourth quarter – could have had a crucial impact on the outcome of the game.
A field goal would have given the Lions a 17-point lead in the first scenario, while the second would have tied the game at 27.
Campbell said after the game that he did not regret either decision. Lions quarterback Jared Goff followed suit, backing his head coach despite plenty of Detroit fans questioning the moves.
“I love it. Keep us out there. We should convert,” Goff said, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “He believes in us. I don't know what the numbers are, but we had a lot of big-time conversions this year that changed games.
“But it can change a game if you convert them, and we didn't, and that's part of the reason why we lost.”
The Lions went for it on 34 percent of their fourth down's this season, the highest rate of any team since 2000. Only the Carolina Panthers kept the offense out there on fourth down more than the Lions in the regular season (48 to 40).
Detroit was successful on two fourth-down attempts in the playoffs before the NFC title game.
No trust in Michael Badgley?
Something that surely played a factor in Campbell's decisions was his trust in Lions kicker Michael Badgley. The sixth-year kicker was with Detroit's practice squad for much of the season before being activated in Week 15.
He converted all six of his field goal attempts in the regular season but was 13-for-15 on extra points. Entering Sunday's game, he was a perfect 9-for-9 on all kicks in Detroit's two playoff victories, though only two of those were field goals.
Badgley nailed all five of his kicks against the Niners, four extra points and a 21-yard field goal. Had the Lions sent him out on both occasions they failed to convert, he would have stared down two kicks within the 40-49 yard range. Badgley makes kicks in that range on a 77 percent clip for his NFL career.
Badgley replaced Riley Patterson late in the season as Detroit's kicker. Patterson was 15-for-17 on field goals with the Lions, though 13 of those attempts were within 40 yards.
Having a kicker you can trust can make a world of a difference and the Lions did not trust their kicker in the biggest game of the season. Maybe it was the main reason why their season ended, but its a position Detroit should figure out this offseason to avoid a repeat of Sunday.
Follow Us
Subscribe