Amon-Ra St. Brown Backs Dan Campbell’s Fourth-Down Aggression
· Yahoo Sports
Dan Campbell has been the head coach of the Detroit Lions since the 2021 season, the same year Detroit drafted wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown out of USC in the fourth round, 112th overall. Now in his sixth NFL season, St. Brown is one of the few players left in the building who has been there for all of it.
That history is why Stephen A. Smith went to him. In an interview billed around Detroit’s Super Bowl chances, Smith asked St. Brown, “How do you guys feel about the aggressive approach that he takes?” Smith was referencing the fourth-and-1 Campbell went for from Detroit’s own 24-yard line, with the score tied and 4:53 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers.
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What Amon-Ra St. Brown Told Stephen A. Smith
St. Brown did not hedge. “Yeah, I mean, first of all I would say since you know Ben and AG left, it’s been over a year now. I think we’ve adapted really well. He’s done a great job of adapting as a head coach. I don’t think Dan has ever changed since I’ve been here as a rookie. He’s been the same guy. I mean, I’ve been with him now going on to six years and he’s been the same dude ever since.”
Coming from one of the only people who has been with Campbell for the whole run, that is the answer to why Campbell keeps taking major risks with the game on the line. Nothing about Sunday surprised anyone inside the building. Detroit is 4-2 and in position to return to the postseason for the third time in four seasons, after missing out at 9-8 in 2025.
The Fourth-Down Call Nearly Cost Detroit
The call did not work. Jahmyr Gibbs was tackled for a two-yard loss, which handed Green Bay the ball inside field-goal range with the game tied. Campbell explained himself afterward: “I thought we would get it, number one. I really believed we would get that. Number two, I knew we would get the ball back if it didn’t work out.” He got the second part right. The Lions blocked the Packers’ field goal, then drove for a game-winning kick as time expired.
Detroit’s Offense Gives Campbell Room to Gamble
The gambles are easier to stomach with this offense behind them. Detroit ranks second in the NFL in total yards per game at 397.3 and second in points per game at 30.7. Drew Petzing runs the offense, and he has gotten strong work out of Jared Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown and the rest of the group.
The defense under Kelvin Sheppard has been shakier. The offense is the identity of this football team, and for better or worse, Detroit is better off with Campbell taking those risks than with what it had before he got here.