I've been impressed with Lions head coach Dan Campbell in the past, but I have to admit I was bothered by the way he handled Sunday's game. Trick plays with a big lead? A tackle lined up at receiver with the game well in hand? Campbell didn't just want to beat the Cowboys, he wanted to embarrass them. My believe (hope) is what goes around comes around, and the favor will be returned one day. Your thoughts? – Michael Ryan/Philadelphia, PA
Mickey: Well, if you believe in karma, that already started to go around. They came into the game as one of the healthiest teams in the NFL. Their injury report was short, and pointed out starting center Frank Ragnow was ready to return. But then in the game the Lions lost DT Kyle Peko to a pec injury and then the devastating injury to Aiden Hutchinson, now out for the rest of the season with two broken bones in his leg, one a compound fracture and in need of a plate interested. Now no problem with the double-reserve, throwback to QB Jared Goff, who tossed the 52-yard TD pass to TE Sam LaPorta. That was early in the second quarter with the game still just 10-3. But get your point, the game already was 37-9 with :37 left in the third quarter when the Lions tried the hook and lateral play to OT Penei Sewell. That was a bit much. But maybe they thought they needed to practice that play in a game since Ragnow was flagged for being an ineligible player downfield. Got to be careful. People do keep score.
Tommy: Absolutely. When Dan Campbell's first move on offense was to report Dan Skipper as eligible after he failed to do so last year costing the Lions a potential win over Dallas, that showed you their mindset coming in. And to be honest, I don't blame them at all. It was a tough way to lose, and had the Lions won that game they'd have been the #1 seed in the NFC going into the playoffs. Knowing Campbell and the type of energy and aggressiveness he brings to his team, you had to expect they had this game circled on the calendar to make a statement in 2024 and they did just that. I completely understand being bothered by the trick plays and trying to get an offensive lineman to score a touchdown, and the Cowboys should be bothered by it too. Detroit earned the right to do whatever they wanted by hanging 47 points on offense and keeping the Cowboys out of the endzone all night. If anything, you would hope that taking a loss like this gives Dallas the same hunger that the Lions had following that loss a season ago and they come out of the bye week fired up and wanting to make their own statement to keep the season on track.
