Dan needs to do the exact opposite of everything Cowherd tells him to do.
“Listen, I like Dan, he’s never gonna be McVay, Shanahan, I don’t think he’s LaFleur, certainly not Andy Reid. What you hope, as a Lions fan, is that you can maintain the alpha and the toughness and the aggressiveness. But ditch the recklessness.”
I do find it kind of obnoxious when analysts and football fans overrate the genius bit of the game. It can be a complex game, lots of moving parts. But people who think it even comes close to an actual chess match with grand masters is really overdoing it. And Dan has proven his punch you in the mouth and take no prisoners approach works. Can he tone it down just a tad, yep. But just a tad. In fact, toning it down just a bit is what will cause confusion to the opponent. Gotta be a bit more random to keep them on their toes. But never stop biting kneecaps Dan.
I’m not trying to say Dan Campbell is a better coach than Sean McVay… but didn’t MCDC just knock McVay’s team out of the playoffs? And that was with Stafford slinging it, and with Aaron Donald on that roster playing at an all-pro level. Honestly, what more can you ask for?
I’ve felt the way Cowherd feels at times… but part of me feels like this is how Dan and this braintrust see as the best path forward to winning. Hard to argue with the results so far. If they want to keep it going - I’m on board.
Campbell draws attention; clicks and listens.
I love Dan and think Cowherd is a clown, but there is a valid argument to make that being as aggressive as Campbell is can cost games. The argument could even be made for the NFC title game. Not saying Dan needs to change everything he does, but there could be some benefit.
The good news is Dan is not going to change.
He beat McVay, Reid and LaFleur in the same season. The only one he didn’t beat was Shanahan. And he had Shanny by the balls until a comedy of errors occurred.
Cowgherd just said the Rams “bought” the best OG in free agency this year… referring to Jonah Jackson. 
I AM!
No Way! Wait’ll you see how things look with the new DL. MORE aggressive, less predictability, more winning. Watch’n’see.
I can appear that he will be less aggressive, but he is the same guy and always will be. Better talent you can gamble in different ways…for example
→ Instead of having to blitz so much, we have better talent, so we gamble with press coverage and our guys gamble for more interceptions, because they can have more help over the top…that blitzing safety is now playing center field instead. Just as aggressive, but looks different due to better talent.
Better talent at K would change certain things, a
Drop everything and listen up!
A blowhard is speaking
It’s just dumb analysis based on the outcome rather than the process.
Dan went for it on 4th downs against the Bucs and the Rams in the playoffs, converting both for TDs. There has been exactly zero criticism of either of those plays because they worked.
The only game I would hold Dan’s aggression against him is the Cowboys, going for 2 from the 7 and then the 4 after the eligibility nonsense. No qualms with the NFCCG, all the plays Purdy beat us with his feet, the facemask catch and the fumble were just as consequential as the 4th down failures (and one of them should have succeeded). We lost that game because we came out on the wrong side of 7 or 8 plays in the second half, not only two 4th down attempts.
Just my opinion but the only thing Dan should change when being aggressive is timing. If its a close one score game then I can see how being aggressive can really swing in your favor. However, in the NFC Championship game foregoing a FG that could have made the game additional score difference was not the right choice. The risk/reward margin wasn’t worth foregoing the additional possession score.
It’s all opinion. But there are better “times” to be aggressive.
But if he changes his style, we aren’t even in the NFCCG. Dan is an amazing coach. I hope he never changes his mentality
I didn’t say change his style overall. Just tone it back a bit.
Dan’s got some serious Sun Tzu energy going on when it comes to outsiders underestimating his football acumen.
Would love to see him come out and say he plays statistics and not aggressive, but he’s not that far off, closer than most.
GDI
The aggressiveness, what others call “recklessness”, is what got us to where we are. DONT CHANGE A THING
Yes, it will hurt us from time to time. It’s part of the game. But it gives you an up, an advantage, they can’t just sit in shell on 3rd and 12, knowing around 5 yards to go, we’re always going for it.
It’s our identity. And it was a dropped pass away from playing in February.
48 yards, outdoors, off the grass and you’re assuming the Badger makes it?
I take my chances on going for it!