If you look around the NFL through four weeks, field goal protection has been a massive problem, and it’s cost a few teams a win. In Week 3 alone, three games—within minutes of each other—were dramatically altered by a blocked field goal. The Browns blocked the Packers’ go-ahead field goal attempt with 27 seconds left, leading to a late Cleveland upset. The Eagles blocked a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal from the Rams to preserve a win as time expired. And the Jets blocked and returned a field goal for a touchdown with 1:49 remaining to take the lead (although they would eventually lose).
It happened again this past week, as the Chicago Bears held onto their 25-24 lead thanks to a blocked 54-yard kick with 38 seconds left.
Field goal protection has apparently become more important than ever, and Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell is committed to making sure his squad never makes the same mistake.
“We’re not going to let that happen here,” Campbell said on Monday.
The Lions coach was asked if he enjoyed watching the impact of special teams so far this season, given that the Lions value the third phase more than the average team. While he agreed that he does, he admits it’s hard to watch all of these field goal blocks. And while some of these teams deserve credit for their scheme to free up a kick blocker, Campbell believes most of the errors are happening in protection.
“You battle your tail off for three hours, and that one time you didn’t quite take the right step, or your pad level wasn’t good, or you lunged, or you didn’t, or you were too high, and the guy runs through and makes a block, and it’s all for naught,” Campbell said. “And then you go back, and you say, ‘Man, if I just would’ve been lower. If I would’ve locked in on that play. If I really would’ve treated it like, man, everybody’s watching and we’re going to lose this game if I don’t block this guy.’ If you really treated that way, then it wouldn’t happen.”
It’s a strong reminder he gives to his team not to take a single play off. And it’s something Campbell had to learn the hard way as a player.
While he claims to have never given up a field goal block on his own, he quickly pulled a memory of when he should have. He still easily remembers the time Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers had a free run at the kick, only for the Hall of Fame defender to have the ball go right through his hands—and commit a running into the kicker penalty that gave the Cowboys another shot after the kick went wide. MLive’s Ben Raven found the exact play:
Campbell, on the right side, leaves Panthers cornerback Ken Lucas unblocked, and the defender dives at the kick. Lucas claimed after the game that he got a piece of the ball, which would have nullified the penalty on Peppers, but officials didn’t catch it. The Cowboys would get a first down because of the penalty and scored the game-winning touchdown a few plays later.
It’s a valuable, precautionary tale for Campbell, even if things worked out for his Cowboys at the time.
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