Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is known for making bold decisions, but his overconfidence backfired at the worst possible time.
The Lions blew a 17-point halftime lead on their way to a 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game. It tied the 2012 Atlanta Falcons for the largest blown lead in NFC title game history, with the 49ers also making the comeback in that game.
Detroit was rolling in the first half, taking the air out of Levi's Stadium as it took a 24-7 lead into the locker room. San Francisco made the necessary adjustments and came out firing in the second half, but it was a questionable decision by Campbell that ultimately led to his team's demise.
Holding a 24-10 lead in the third quarter with the opportunity to kick a field goal and make it a three-score game, Campbell opted to go for it on fourth down. The pass from Lions quarterback Jared Goff was dropped by Josh Reynolds, and the wheels fell off for Detroit from that point on.
The 49ers scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession and then forced a fumble by Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs on the first play of Detroit's next drive. Another touchdown by San Francisco tied the game, and a field goal put the Niners ahead for good.
Campbell had another opportunity to go for a field goal that would've tied the game at 27, but he once again made the aggressive move and went for it on fourth down. Goff's pass sailed incomplete, and the 49ers reached the end zone on the ensuing possession to put the game away.
Campbell's moxie is what helped accelerate his rise to one of the best coaches in the NFL. However, his decision-making on Sunday was borderline reckless, and it was part of the reason the Lions failed to make their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Fans on social media didn't hold back as they called out Campbell for his questionable choices in the second half of Sunday's game:
Next Gen Stats @NextGenStatsThe Lions win probability reached as a high as 90.4% with 8:29 left in the third quarter (leading 24-10 with possession).<br><br>Just over 5 minutes of game clock later, the 49ers now have a 59% chance to win the game (with the game tied 24-24).<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DETvsSF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DETvsSF</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllGrit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllGrit</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FTTB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FTTB</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nm8OMsac7y">pic.twitter.com/Nm8OMsac7y</a>
The Lions captured the love of the football world for finally rising from the depths of being a struggling franchise to being a title contender. Things looked great for Detroit early on, but things fell apart both for the players and the coaches.
It should be noted that in addition to Campbell's mistakes, there were multiple miscues by the Lions players like a dropped interception and a Reynolds drop on third down that also factored into the blown lead.
It's a heartbreaking end to a fun season for the Lions, and Campbell will now have to reevaluate his approach as he prepares to lead the team on another title chase next season.
