Ex-Texans All-Pro struggling to wrap his head around Lions HC Dan Campbell’s ‘insane’ plan in 48-42 loss to Bills
Former Houston Texans All-Pro pass rusher JJ Watt didn't understand the Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell's call to go for an onside kick with the Lions down 10 points with 12 minutes remaining.
The call surprised many, and Bills receiver Mack Collins recovered the ball and returned it to the 5-yard line, allowing Buffalo to score on the next play.
After the game, Watt took to social media to question Campbell's decision to go for an onside kick so early in the game.
"I “think” I could wrestle a small bear, that doesn’t mean I should try it. I love that DC believes in his squad so much that he thinks everything they do will be successful. But onside kicks have a 7% success rate. Trying one with 12 min left while only down by 10 was insane," Watt wrote.
Detroit kicked another onside kick with just seconds left in the game and nearly recovered it.
The Lions (12-2, leads NFC North) lost 48-42 to the Bills on Sunday. However, the Minnesota Vikings can tie the Lions with a win on Monday Night.
Dan Campbell explains the decision to go for onside kick
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell regrets his decision to go for the onside kick.
Campbell says he thought his team would recover and get the ball and the momentum. But, in hindsight, Campbell says he wishes he never did the onside kick.
“Obviously, now sitting here in hindsight, after them taking it down to the [five]-yard line, yeah, I wish I wouldn’t have done that,” Campbell said via NBC. “But it is what it is.”
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott was also surprised by Campbell's decision to go for the onside kick.
“They’ve been pretty aggressive, I would say, with their fourth downs. They went for one against the Packers, I think it was on their own 30, minus territory somewhere,” McDermott said, via MLive.com.
“They didn’t get it. It put the Packers in good position there. Obviously, coach felt like that’s — I don’t know what he was thinking there, but it paid off for us.”
The Lions will go on the road to play the Chicago Bears next Sunday.