Tom Brady recently weighed in on Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions’ ill-fated fourth-down decisions during their NFC Championship Game meltdown.
The Lions, holding a 14-point lead in the third quarter, faced a critical 4th-and-2 situation at the opponent’s 28-yard line. Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed when Josh Reynolds dropped a seemingly open pass.
Later in the fourth quarter, head coach Dan Campbell decided to eschew a potentially game-changing 47-yard field goal attempt by Michael Badgley, opting to keep the offense on the field, needing just three yards.
During a discussion about Detroit’s heartbreaking 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on his Let’s Go! podcast, Brady expressed his opinion on the matter. He leaned towards playing it safe, indicating that he would have chosen to attempt the field goals instead.
“They’ve been aggressive all year. You know obviously, when you’re aggressive and it doesn’t work, it comes back to bite you. It came back to bite them yesterday. Again, I would’ve taken the points.”
However, in a somewhat ironic twist, Brady’s remarks inadvertently made a case for going for it on fourth down while explaining his preference for field goals.
“I’ve been in those situations. I look at them and say, ‘Okay, this is the opportunity to continue to keep the pressure on the 49ers to make great plays and you’re in a great position.’”
It’s worth noting that while Badgley’s successful field goals might have altered the outcome, the same could be said if the Lions had managed to convert at least one of those pivotal fourth downs. The game’s narrative was also heavily influenced by the Lions allowing a staggering 27 points in the second half.
Brady’s critique extended to another critical decision by the Lions in the closing moments of the game. With just 65 seconds left on the clock, Detroit ran the ball from the one-yard line. After failing to reach the end zone, they used a timeout before ultimately scoring a touchdown on fourth down. This choice left them with no opportunity to force a 49ers punt, especially after failing to recover the subsequent onside kick.
“The handoff there late in the game, that was the one I didn’t understand. Unless you saw some incredible look to walk the ball in, you just can’t take the chance that you’re gonna be stopped short and keep the clock running. You just can’t get the ball back. So that was the one I just said, ‘I don’t know what they’re doing.’ I thought it was just a flat-out error.”
In summary, Tom Brady wasn’t just questioning the Lions’ fourth-down decisions but also expressed skepticism about the late-game strategy, particularly the choice to run the ball so late in the contest. His analysis emphasized the importance of making strategic choices that maximize the team’s chances of success in high-pressure situations.