By Jeremy T. Ballreich
The Detroit Lions hit the road for their first away game against Minnesota. Started off with a missed FG, to have Minnesota repeat the same the result.
Then here comes the Lions, ending the first quarter with a TD. Then stop the Vikings again and go up 14-0 near the beginning of the 2nd quarter.
Then between injuries and penalties on the defense, the lead was erased within the same quarter. Score at the half was 14-14. 3rd quarter held the Vikings scoreless while scoring 10 more points themselves. End of the quarter, 24-14. Then the unimaginable happens. 3rd down penalty after 3rd down penalty starts to mount up with AO extending 2 scoring drives. This is a pivotal point here. Because it ultimately leads to 14 points unearned (IMO), which lead to Detroit Football Lions demise.
Coach Campbell continued his gambler ways, except when the team needed him to do it most. He was 4 of 6 on 4th down conversions. And with a chance to put the game away, he had 3 choices: A) punt the ball with one of the best punters in the league to pin the opponent deep with no timeouts (Gamble on the defense), B) Gamble on the offense again (Going for a 4th and 4), C) Going for a 54-yard FG with a kicker that already missed a 48 yarder. He chose C and a colossal mistake, because it was missed and gave 8 precious yards minimum of field position.
Then here come the Vikings down 24-21. They convert a key 3rd down and the clock is running, and made possibly the decision making blunder he did exactly 1 year ago against the Ravens. Called a Timeout with 50 seconds on the clock. Next play, the Vikings take the lead with a 5 second TD pass to KJ Osborn by Kirk Cousins.
While talent wise the Vikings look on paper as the better team. But the Lions outlined them on the ground lead by Jamal Williams with 89 yards and 2 TDs.
Amani Orunwarie was the ultimate demise of the Lions with 10 penalties, 8 accepted that continued to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory from the Lions.
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