The Detroit Lions' special teams have been the focal point of scrutiny following recent games, particularly due to critical errors and penalties that have cost the team dearly. One of the most glaring moments came during a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where a significant miscommunication led to a missed chance at a field goal just before halftime.
In a game that the Lions eventually lost 20-16, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp took partial responsibility for the mishap. As reported by Jeremy Reisman from Pride Of Detroit, Fipp said, 'Situations like that, there’s a lot that go into it. They’re all critical, they come at critical moments in the game, that one certainly was for us, and the only thing I will say is any time I’m a part of something. I definitely feel a responsibility for not getting the job done so I take a lot of the responsibility for that also.' Fipp went on to note that he 'could have done different and would do different if I could do it again today, so I feel like I need to take my share of the ownership and responsibility also, certainly.'
The crux of the error stemmed from a chaotic end to the first half. With no timeouts and time running out, the Lions had to decide between spiking the football to stop the clock or rushing the field goal unit onto the field. A decision to go with the field goal team led to a blunder where approximately 15 players were on the field, resulting in a too-many-men penalty and a 10-second runoff, ending the half without an attempt at a much-needed field goal.
Even though Fipp accepted his share of the blame, head coach Dan Campbell also shouldered the responsibility. In a post-game statement reported by Reisman, Campbell emotionally admitted, 'There’s no way to justify this. It’s a massive error on my part, no one else’s, and it was just between hurry-up field goal and clocking it. And it was 100 percent my fault.'
Situations like these highlight the importance of clear communication and precise execution on special teams. Fipp was asked if he typically communicated when the special teams unit should take the field, but he refrained from giving specifics, simply stating, 'I won’t get into all of that, but it kind of depends on the situation.'
Adding to the tumult, another critical moment for the Lions in their battle against the Rams was a penalty causing a 10-second clock runoff, preventing them from attempting a field goal late in the first half. As Detroit Free Press reported, this compounded the overall sense of missed opportunities and mismanagement in crucial moments.
Moreover, the special teams’ issues are not isolated. Hank Fraley, the Lions' offensive line coach, discussed what went wrong on a key screen play against the Buccaneers in an article by Dave Birkett from Detroit Free Press. While focusing on a different aspect of the game, it sheds light on a broader pattern of execution errors.
In conclusion, the Detroit Lions' special teams have been under the microscope for their recent blunders. Both Dave Fipp and Dan Campbell have openly taken responsibility, underscoring the complicated nature of in-game decision-making. For the Lions to turn the tide, there must be a concerted effort to tighten up communications and fine-tune the nuances of special teams performance.
What other sites are saying about this topic
Lions' Dave Fipp: 'A lot of things I could have done different' on costly penalty vs Tampa from Detroit Free Press
Lions ST coordinator Dave Fipps takes ‘share of ownership’ for too-many-men error from Jeremy Reisman, Pride Of Detroit
THE DAILY DRIVE: Lions coach Hank Fraley on what went wrong on key screen vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Detroit Lions