Dan Campbell has probably never been the one to back down. The man who showed up to his first press conference after being named the head coach of the Detroit Lions talked about his team coming out and biting off the opposition’s kneecaps.
So, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Campbell is willing to take a big chance in a big moment in a big game to make a big play.
What Did Troy Aikman Say About Lions HC Dan Campbell?
With 1:56 left in the fourth quarter and the Lions up 31-24, Detroit faced a fourth-and-2 just shy of the 50-yard line. Campbell rolled the dice and let his offense go for it.
That’s when Troy Aikman chimed in just before the snap, while a graphic showed that the Lions lead the league in going for it on 32% of their fourth-down plays.
As posted by Awful Announcing, “‘He’s got big onions. I mean, this is a bold move.’ Troy Aikman on Dan Campbell, just before the Lions picked up a first down on a fourth-and-1 against the Ravens.”
After Aikman admired Campbell’s onions, Lions quarterback Jared Goff took the snap, dropped back, and lofted a perfect touch pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, putting the Lions on the Ravens’ 31-yard line with a fresh set of downs.
Before the Ravens could gather themselves, the Lions struck again. David Montgomery took a handoff and flashed 31 yards for a touchdown that essentially iced the game for Detroit, putting them up 38-24.
It was a wild game and an impressive performance from the Lions, who, in addition to their late-game offensive burst, had two touchdown drives over 96 yards. David Montgomery ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and the Lions (2-1) rushed for 224 yards. Detroit’s defense chipped in by sacking Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson seven times.
The Ravens (1-2) also saw Derrick Henry cough up another fumble, which gives him three on the year, two of which were lost.
The Lions won their first-ever game in Baltimore against the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Ravens have a losing record after three games for only the third time in head coach John Harbaugh’s 18 years as their head coach.
It’s still early in the season, but things don’t get any easier for the Ravens. They head on the road to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, where both teams will be looking to get their record to 2-2.
The Lions host the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.