Fourth down?
So what, says Dan Campbell. The Lions head coach is not afraid to leave his offense on the field.
The Lions led the NFL with 41 fourth-down attempts in their first season under Campbell, five more than anyone else and 17 more than the league average, and Campbell is back for more in year two.
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In the first half alone Sunday against the Vikings, the Lions went for four fourth downs, and converted three of them. And they went for a fifth early in the second half, converting that one too.
In the first quarter, Detroit converted fourth and 5 from Minnesota's 32-yard line with a 30-yard pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown -- and scored a touchdown on the next play.
On the same drive in the second quarter, they converted fourth and 1 from Minnesota's 45 with a five-yard run by Jamaal Williams and then fourth and 1 from Minnesota's 31 with a 17-yard pass to Josh Reynolds -- and scored a touchdown two plays later.
And they converted 4th and 2 from Minnesota's 46 in the third quarter with a 16-yard pass to DJ Chark after Goff had eluded some pressure. That drive ended in a field goal.
The only time the Lions were stopped on fourth down was late in the second quarter from their own 49 when Goff couldn't connect with T.J Hockenson. The Vikings turned that advantageous field position into a touchdown.
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