Dan Campbell seized control of the Lions’ offense four weeks ago to save a sinking ship, but now with the playoffs on the line, he’s facing his toughest decision yet. While their 4th downs may still need work, the HC has added some sync back into a Detroit Lions offense that had felt lost all season. But will that leadership continue?

“Yeah. I think it’s the right thing to do right now,” Campbell said when asked about the Lions’ play-calling future.

Detroit’s been 2-2 since Campbell started calling the plays in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders. With their Week 13 Thanksgiving defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, Detroit now averages 27.8 points per game under Campbell’s play calling in 4 games. Not terrible, but not elite either. 

Dan Campbell didn’t just take over because Morton struggled. He did it because this team needed its heartbeat on the headset. Under Ben Johnson, Detroit averaged 29.0 points per game and led the league in scoring. When Johnson left for Chicago and Morton stepped in, the offense slipped. Not drastically, but enough for a change to come through.

Campbell’s first game calling the plays was pure magic. The Lions steamrolled Washington with 521 total yards. Then came the inconsistency. A 16-9 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles. Failed fourth-down conversions, dropped passes. The Lions are now 0-for-7 on fourth downs since Week 11, and even Campbell admits he wasn’t perfect.

“I don’t know how good of an opportunity we really gave our guys on that first one,” he said after the Packers game, referencing a Jahmyr Gibbs run on fourth-and-3 that lost two yards. But he’s not backing down from his earlier comments. “You always want to convert them and we’ve had a lot of conversions here, it just didn’t work out today.” 

The fourth-down aggression is Campbell’s DNA. He’s not changing that philosophy after building a culture around it. Detroit has converted 52% of fourth downs this season. The problem isn’t the strategy, it’s the execution. Campbell believes they’ll figure it out. But his play-calling puzzle is getting a bit harder with a key piece of his offense out of contention.

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s injury adds to Campbell’s troubles

The star receiver rolled his ankle while blocking during Thanksgiving’s loss to Green Bay. MRI confirmed a low-ankle sprain; no structural damage, but enough to sideline him. As for his eventual return this season, Campbell’s answer was more or less similar to what he said after the Week 13 game.

“Nothing new” on Amon-Ra St. Brown’s status, as Campbell put it.

The wide receiver is still “day-to-day.” This was a major update to those hopeful because now, Campbell doesn’t know if he will be able to suit up against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14 or against the Los Angeles Rams the following week. After the Thanksgiving loss, Campbell did sound optimistic when talking about St. Brown’s injury.

“I don’t feel like this is long-, long-term, so that’s the good news,” he had said. “But that doesn’t mean it won’t be here for – it could be a week or two, maybe. If we’re lucky.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been quarterback Jared Goff’s safety valve all season. The playmaker who converts third downs, commands double teams, and keeps drives alive. Without him, Campbell’s offense loses its most reliable weapon. Jameson Williams will need to step up now.

To complicate things further, Kalif Raymond is already nursing an ankle injury in the WR room. Tight end Sam LaPorta’s done for the season after his back surgery. Brock Wright has also missed Week 13 with a neck injury. The target depth for Goff is very thin. Add Detroit’s injured and struggling O-line, and the challenge gets tougher.

But the timing stings even more. Detroit’s 7-5, sitting in a playoff fight they can’t afford to lose. The Cowboys game is critical, the Rams matchup after that even more so. Campbell’s calling plays now, and he’s committed to his fourth-down philosophy. This coming Thursday will tell us everything. Either Campbell’s gamble pays off, or Detroit’s season slips further away. No in-between.