In a display of his characteristic leadership and humility, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has accepted full responsibility for a crucial clock-management blunder that played a significant role in the Lions’ 20-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Campbell, known for his approach of not shifting blame onto his team or coaching staff, took the spotlight after the game to address a major error that occurred during the second quarter. “I asked our team to build on the improvements from last week, and they did,” Campbell remarked. “However, I made a critical mistake in the final moments of the first half, and that’s entirely on me. I made sure to communicate that to the team.”
The pivotal moment unfolded with just 18 seconds remaining in the first half. The Lions, out of timeouts, saw quarterback Jared Goff complete an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was tackled at the Tampa Bay 9-yard line. With the clock ticking, Goff attempted to quicken the pace for a field-goal attempt. However, the Lions’ field-goal unit inadvertently ran onto the field before scrambling back to the sideline. This miscommunication wasted precious seconds, and by the time Goff managed to spike the ball, only four seconds were left.
Compounding the issue, the referees penalized the Lions for having too many players on the field—there were actually more than 20 on the field—resulting in a 5-yard penalty and a 10-second runoff. The penalty effectively ended the half, preventing the Lions from attempting a field goal.
Had the Lions been successful with a field goal, they would have entered halftime trailing by just four points, 17-13, instead of the 17-10 deficit they faced. This adjustment could have potentially altered the game’s final moments, offering them a chance to score a winning field goal in the last minute.
In the closing moments of the game, with the Lions needing a touchdown to secure victory, they turned the ball over on downs with 53 seconds left. Although the defense managed to stop the Buccaneers, the Lions’ subsequent drive saw Goff throw three consecutive incompletions from the Buccaneers’ 26-yard line. On fourth-and-10 with just six seconds remaining, Goff attempted a short pass to Tom Kennedy, which fell incomplete, ending Detroit’s hopes of a last-minute comeback.
Goff, reflecting on the game, acknowledged the impact of the first-half mistake but did not believe it was the sole reason for the loss. “We had a plan for that play, but I just made a bad throw,” Goff said. Despite the setback, Goff appreciated Campbell’s accountability. “It’s easier for all of us to take responsibility when the head coach does the same. But we had numerous opportunities to win the game despite the error.”
Campbell’s willingness to shoulder the blame and the team’s resilience highlight both the challenges and the spirit of the Detroit Lions as they move forward from this tough defeat.
