Detroit Lions' head coach Dan Campbell was the subject of debate this week for his decision to go for it on fourth down on his own 24, with just under five minutes to go.
But it wasn't just analytics that backed up his call and led the Lions to a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers would stop the Lions on that fourth down, but would gain a grand total of five yards on their subsequent drive, while burning only 1:25 off the clock. They lined up for what should've been a gimmie field goal attempt, but was blocked by EDGE D.J. Wonnum. The Lions would go on to attempt their own FG, which they converted as time expired.
It was the first field goal block by a Lions player since Jeremiah Ledbetter in November 2017, per Lions PR. Wonnum's effort to get a hand on that FG attempt was honored this week with the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.
The award is Wonnum's first Player of the Week of any kind in his career. He's the first Lions player to win the Special Teams Player of the Week since kicker Jake Bates in Week 10 in 2024, where he kicked a game-winner in that infamous primetime comeback win against the Houston Texans.
It's also the second Player of the Week honor for a Lion this season, after running back Jahmyr Gibbs won NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 5.
Wonnum finished the game with two total tackles in an otherwise quiet day, but he made noise when it mattered most, and it proved to be the difference between 4-2 and 3-3.
Wonnum continues to be an excellent signing
Wonnum's weekly honor further underscores just how amazing of a pick up he was this past offseason. When he signed with the Lions back in March, the move was met with frustrated groans. Another take-a-chance pass rusher, who has battled injuries. A career high of 8.0 sacks? Boring.
Why can't the Lions just go big and bring in Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson?
Let's take a quick look at the sack numbers, shall we? Crosby, 2.0. Hendrickson, 2.0. Reuben Bain, 1.0. Wonnum, 5.0. Wonnum has the same number of sacks this season as Crosby, Hendrickson, and Bain combined. That's three pass rushers Lions fans begged general manager Brad Holmes to bring in either in free agency or the draft.
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5.0 also just happens to be the same number Aidan Hutchinson is at. Wonnum hasn't been as good as Hutchinson, of course, as there's more to the position than sacks. Hutchinson has been a much better run defender than Wonnum, for example. But like Al-Quadin Muhammad last season, the Lions need someone effective to not only draw attention away from Hutchinson, but take advantage of the openings given thanks to Hutchinson.
Wonnum has done that in spades, and it's part of the reason why the Lions are tied for league lead in sacks (21.0) despite already having their Bye week. Could the Lions do better than Wonnum? Naturally, but with Wonnum, the pass rush isn't an issue right now. It's that and plays like his game-saving block that has made Wonnum one of general manager Brad Holmes' best free agent signings yet.
And there's at least 11 more games this season for him to continue to prove Holmes right.
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