Lions head coach Dan Campbell has never shied away from taking risks, but he’d like to have one roll of the dice from Sunday’s loss to the Bills back.
After a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown cut Buffalo’s lead to 38-28 with 12 minutes left to play, Campbell called for an onside kick. Kicker Jake Bates gave the Lions a chance, but Bills receiver Mack Hollins recovered and returned the ball to the 5-yard-line. The Bills scored on the next play and were on their way to a 48-42 win.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said after the game that he wasn’t sure what Campbell “was thinking there, but it paid off for us.” Campbell said he’d take a mulligan on the decision if such a thing were possible.
“Obviously, now sitting here in hindsight, after them taking it down to the [five]-yard line, yeah, I wish I wouldn’t have done that,” Campbell said, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. “But it is what it is.”
We’ll never know what the outcome of the game would have been if the Lions kicked deep, but Campbell will likely take that option if he faces a similar choice at some point in the future.
