SF gets the onside kick and it’s kneel down for the win.
The betting overs also win.
I’m not saying Dan Campbell cost the Lions the game, buuuuuutttt…
It was a reasonable call. Not Campbell’s fault the Lions have missed a few catches in the second half. The Lions played amazing football, including a nearly flawless first half, and I would have liked to see them win. They certainly have San Fran a good game.
Niners open as 2.5 point favorites.
The sucky part is that NFL coaches SHOULD go for it much more often than they do, tho to forgo the 3 points makes it less clear-cut than if it is 4th and 2 from your opponent’s 47 say. All this game will do is ensure that the more conservative trend continues pretty much everywhere.
And the 49ers chose to not just kneel it out but keep doing short runs.
The Lions got further in the playoffs than they did in forever and managed to keep it close. It was a winnable game so yes, some huge what-ifs to talk about Monday morning. But no shame. This was a game where both teams showed up .
Fourth down in field goal range, not once but twice. Kick the damn field goal at least one of those times, and this game doesn’t necessarily end the same way. Take the points, take the points, take the points. During the season, I’m much more comfortable with Campbell’s aggressive play-calling. But at this stage, on the road, take the points, especially when you’re going into the second half already 17 points up.
ETA: And, for me, this isn’t just hind-sight is 20/20. I was screaming for him to take the points as it was happening.
Well, the Lions are good. And unlike Michigan, the Lions should be able to retain their players and coach and be good next year.
They didn’t just show up; each team came to play, and play they did. After a few blowouts earlier in the playoffs, it was nice to see a come-from-behind, edge-of-your-seater. The Detroit Lions can be proud of themselves; they came pretty far, and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with next season, I’m sure.
Now, two weeks to SF vs. KC. At this point, I’m not even going to guess.
Same. Both times.
Damn, this feels gross. People from Detroit are gonna be talking about this one for years, the way Browns fans still sometimes talk about the famous deep playoff fuckups of the 80s.
Safe prediction 1: Unlikely to rain.
Safe prediction 2: Usher will be trying to perform a halftime show but all the socialnets will be saying is that meanwhile Taylor Swift is partying in the owners’ suite.
Campbell made the same mistake now that he did back then against Dallas when he thrice went for the 2-point conversion: At some point you just got to take the safe points, man.
The psychological swing was big. Had the Lions kicked the FG and been up 27-10, I think this is a different game.
Waiting to see if the Conspirists can find something satanic about the Halftime show.
Yeah, I’m willing to blame him. Especially when you lose by 3.
Now the SB is boring. I’m only slightly more excited for it than the Pro Bowl.
Any time a team blows a lead - like the Falcons 28-3 against the Patriots, or the Lions 24-7 against the Niners - it’s always weird how the defense seems to show no grasp of the urgency of the situation until the opposing team has drawn near to tying it or has taking the lead.
That 28-9 soon becomes 28-12, soon becomes 28-20, etc.
That 24-7 soon becomes 24-10, soon becomes 24-17.
It’s like someone on the train tracks, thinking “Aw shucks, sure, I can see the train coming, but it’s still 400 yards away.”
I’m glad the Niners won it, but damn that was winning uggLEEE!
And really, Detroit lost it, more than San Francisco won it.
But you also have to remember, they were within 3 because they scored the 3rd time they went for it on 4th down. The best play is obviously to go for it on the times you’re going to be successful and kick it when you’re not.
Dan Campbell needs to learn that field goals are ok sometimes. I’m with the people here that thought they were a bad idea at the time. Being aggressive 100% of the time isn’t a strategy, it’s a habit. A very predictable habit.
Ugh. What an awful Lions loss. I don’t know what would be worse- to have had the Lions just get blown out, or what did happen- Lions having a 17 POINT LEAD at the half, tasting victory, and getting it taken away 
As for the debate over whether or not Campbell should have just taken the field goal at that key point, I don’t know. I’ve been critical of Campbell the Gamble’s always going for it instead of taking the easy points in other threads, but the reality is, Campbell got the Lions this far, who am I to say if his aggressive play calls are wrong or right. What I think the Lions do need is to shore up their defense. With the same offense intact and a better D that doesn’t blow 17 POINT LEADS, the Lions could be a juggernaut next season.