Count JJ Watt among those who were scratching their heads at Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s decision Sunday to try an onside kick with 12 minutes left while trailing by 10 points.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year hammered Campbell after the risk-taking coach’s call backfired miserably as the Bills’ Mack Hollins recovered Jake Bates’ onside kick and ran it down to the Lions’ 5-yard line.
Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass to Ray Davis on the next play to put the Bills up 45-28 with 11:51 to go, and Buffalo went on to win, 48-42.
“I ‘think’ I could wrestle a small bear, that doesn’t mean I should try it,” Watt, who was on site with CBS’ “NFL Today” crew, wrote on X.
“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.”
CBS play-by-player Jim Nantz also called the decision out right before the kick, telling broadcast partner Tony Romo, “It seems a little early, Tony.”
Campbell said after the game he thought his team would successfully recover the ball.
“Obviously now sitting here in hindsight, after them taking it down to the [5-yard] line, yeah, I wish I wouldn’t have done that,” Campbell admitted.
The Lions (12-2) were down by 21 points before a 66-yard touchdown from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown cut their deficit to 35-21.
After Tyler Bass’ 50-yard field goal put the Bills (11-3) up by 17 early in the fourth, Goff connected with Jahmyr Gibbs for a touchdown about two minutes later to make it a 10-point game.
Gibbs scored a rushing touchdown after the failed onside kick with 8:02 left to once again cut Buffalo’s lead to 10.
Bass’ 41-yard field goal made it a 13-point game with 2:03 left, then Goff hit Jameson Williams for a 13-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left to get within six.
Detroit tried another onside kick, this one dribbled right up the middle, but after a long scrum, the referees awarded the Bills possession to end the Lions’ comeback bid.
The loss in this possible Super Bowl preview snapped Detroit’s 11-game winning streak.
Goff went 38-for-59 with 494 yards, five touchdowns and zero turnovers.
Allen, meanwhile, may have locked up the NFL MVP award by going 23-for-34 with 362 yards and two passing touchdowns while rushing for 68 yards and two more scores. He also did not turn the ball over.