It feels like there's going to be some debating about Dan Campbell's in-game decision making this week. On more than one occasion during Sunday's NFC Championship, Campbell's decision to go for it on 4th down backfired, leaving the Lions without points on multiple drives when, until the very end of the 4th quarter, it was a one-possession game. It wouldn't be the first time that Campbell's been criticized for game management, and Twitter was quick to dunk on him in the immediate aftermath of their 34-30 loss. First it was for ignoring their kicker:
Lions kicker: I’m ready coach!
— Charlie Yook (@yookc) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell: pic.twitter.com/35umau5ho2
what have field goal kickers done to Dan Campbell
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell remembered his kicker has probably been cut by the Browns three times
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell strikes me as the coach who tells his kickers to stop wasting his time and to go practice somewhere else.
— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) January 29, 2024
And there were a lot of blackjack jokes:
Dan Campbell drawing an 18 in blackjack: “hit me.”
— Sam Morril (@sammorril) January 29, 2024
dan campbell would hit on 21 if they’d let him
— big content guy (@bigcontentguy) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell type of guy who doesn’t play by the book in Black Jack.
— JJ Gruden (@TakingThePoint5) January 29, 2024
Dan Campbell is not someone I want sitting at my blackjack table 😂
— br_betting (@br_betting) January 29, 2024
(H/T @mrjuicevip) pic.twitter.com/iKlxjkKmdL
And while plenty of people defended Campbell's commitment to the style of coaching that got him the NFC Championship game, when he decided to run the ball on third down – with only a minute left – while still down two possessions, even his staunchest defenders didn't really have much to defend:
I love Dan Campbell, he’s my favorite coach in the sport.
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) January 29, 2024
But he had a terrible night, right to the finish. Decisions you absolutely cannot defend. #Lions
Literally all Dan Campbell had to do was ignore the intrusive thoughts just one time
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 29, 2024
I don’t hate Dan Campbell going for those fourth downs, at least not nearly as much as others on here
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) January 29, 2024
I do hate that decision to run on third down with one minute left down 10
Ranking what cost the Lions the game (in order):
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) January 29, 2024
1. A pass hitting Vildor in the face that Aiyuk caught for a 51-yd gain
2. Gibbs fumble inside own 25-yd line
3. Run play call on 3rd & Goal at SF 1-yd line, burning a TO
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4. Dan Campbell going for it on 4th down
Not sure why ran football on third down. Cost them a timeout. Going for it in FG range twice and the run will be questioned. It’s Dan Campbell’s brand to be bold. But seems like today demanded more nuance. https://t.co/4ADtFTI27k
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) January 29, 2024
I’m only blaming Dan Campbell for that indefensible run/timeout combo at the end. The rest is…fine enough. Unlucky game with the drops and shit.
— Luis Paez-Pumar (@lppny) January 29, 2024
So yeah, not a good night to be Dan Campbell on Twitter. And really, probably not a good night to be Dan Campbell anywhere, but definitely not on Twitter. Prepare for a week of non-stop debates about 4th down, kicking, and analytics, all of it being yelled so much louder than you expect.