As has been the case since the summer, many people are picking the Detroit Lions to not only reach the Super Bowl but win the franchise’s first-ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The Lions will look to take the next step toward doing just that when they host the surprising Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday.
But there are a couple of things that could prevent Detroit from winning it all: their many injuries on defense and head coach Dan Campbell’s tendency to leave his offense on the field in fourth-down situations.
Many have criticized that aspect of Campbell’s coaching, but Aaron Glenn, his defensive coordinator, is on board with that philosophy, per Jets Today.
It sounds like Aaron Glenn is a believer in Cambell’s philosophy of being aggressive on 4th down.
“I actually believe in that.”#Jets pic.twitter.com/IUA9Aw7PEY
— Jets Today (@NYJetsToday_) January 15, 2025
Campbell often electing to go for it on fourth downs arguably cost the Lions last season’s NFC Championship Game versus the San Francisco 49ers, a game in which they led 24-7 at halftime.
During the season, they converted 22 of 33 fourth-down attempts, but those numbers can be misleading, as even one failed fourth-down attempt in a playoff game can become extremely costly.
Detroit’s defense struggled down the stretch of the regular season, but they held the Minnesota Vikings, who were fighting them for the NFC North title, to nine points in Week 18, and as a result, they earned a bye into the divisional round.
They’re big favorites for Saturday’s game, but one cannot count out Washington and Jayden Daniels, their sensational rookie quarterback, especially if Campbell gambles too much in fourth-down situations again.
