DETROIT — With 12 minutes left in regulation and the Detroit Lions trailing the Buffalo Bills 38-28, Dan Campbell and company made arguably their most aggressive play call of the season.
Facing a defense decimated by injuries, the Lions attempted to steal a possession with what could be considered an extremely early onside kick. The gamble backfired spectacularly. Not only did the attempt fail, but Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins returned the kick 38 yards to Detroit’s 5-yard line.
Buffalo quickly capitalized, scoring its final touchdown on the first play of the drive as quarterback Josh Allen connected with Ray Davis for a 5-yard pass to extend the lead to 45-28.
Though the Lions mounted a late comeback effort, they ultimately fell short, losing 48-42. The defeat marked Detroit’s fifth home loss since Week 12 of the 2022 season, which was also a loss to the Bills at Ford Field.
After the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott was asked if he was surprised by the Lions’ decision to attempt the onside kick in that situation. While he didn’t answer directly, he seemed bemused by Campbell’s approach, though he acknowledged it was consistent with Detroit’s aggressive tendencies.
“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. “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.”
Bills running back James Cook, who had a standout day with 14 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns, expressed his surprise at the call but remained focused on his team’s execution.
“Yeah, but things happen,” Cook told MLive when asked if he was shocked by the decision. “Can’t worry about what they do. We got to focus on what we do, and we executed.”
The Bills not only executed on that play but dominated throughout the game. Aside from a missed field goal by Tyler Bass in the first half and a punt in the second half, Buffalo’s offense was nearly flawless.
Buffalo finished with 559 yards of total offense, including 362 passing yards and two touchdowns from Allen. Former Lions running back Ty Johnson contributed 114 receiving yards.
Given Buffalo’s offensive efficiency, not everyone in their locker room was taken aback by the Lions’ risky play. Defensive end Greg Rousseau said he saw it as part of Campbell’s aggressive style.
“I wasn’t surprised they did that,” Rousseau told MLive. “It’s just an aggressive play call. I wasn’t shocked.”
Despite sharing a 12-2 record with the Eagles following Sunday’s loss to the Bills, the Lions remain atop the NFC standings.
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