Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is known for his aggressive approach, a trait that can either pay off or backfire depending on the situation. That was evident during Sunday Night Football on November 16, when the Lions faced the Philadelphia Eagles in a tightly contested, low-scoring game that ended 16–9 in Philly’s favor.

For this matchup, Campbell once again took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton, continuing the approach he first used in the November 9 game against the Washington Commanders. He has indicated that he plans to remain in charge of offensive calls for the remainder of the season.

Campbell’s aggressive style was on full display, particularly on fourth down. The Lions went 0-for-5 on fourth-down attempts, including two tries inside field-goal range and two others in their own territory that ultimately helped set up Philadelphia field goals. Such frequent fourth-down attempts are highly unusual at the NFL level, and the results made the calls a topic of debate.

When speaking to the media on November 17, Campbell acknowledged that a more conservative approach might have increased Detroit’s chances in that game. “There are a few things I wish I would’ve done differently,” he admitted. “If we’d played it safer, the odds of winning would have been higher than some of the choices I made.”

However, Campbell also stood by his aggressive philosophy, emphasizing that it reflects both his coaching style and the team’s identity. “I get that,” he said. “But that’s who we are. That’s who I am, and today it caught up to us.” While he may rethink some of the riskier plays in the future, a wholesale shift toward conservative play-calling is unlikely.

On the performance side, quarterback Jared Goff struggled, posting the lowest completion percentage of his career. He threw for 255 yards but completed just 38% of his passes, finishing with a passer rating of 60.1. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery also had limited success on the ground, though Gibbs led the team in receptions with five for 107 yards.

Despite the offensive difficulties, Campbell found positives in the team’s efforts. He praised the Lions for moving the ball at times and acknowledged that they reached scoring positions before stalling. “Give credit to their defense — they played very well,” Campbell said. “If we’d converted a fourth down or two, it could have changed the game, even some of the third downs. But we weren’t at our best today.”