Head coaches in the NFL tend to develop a personal identity. It could be their coaching style or the fact that they choose to wear sweatshirts even in early September.

For Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, he’s a combination quote machine and known for being ranked fourth.

Football is largely an analysis game with mathematical formulas that can help determine whether a team should go for it. Whether or not the data indicates a jump, Campbell’s standard response always seems to be, “how high?”

Let’s take a look at how Campbell has fared at fourth down for the Lions so far.

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Dan Campbell 4th lower conversion rates

Campbell was hired as Lions head coach in 2021. In his first season, the team went 3-13-1 and finished in last place in the NFC North. Campbell led Detroit to a 9-8 record in year two, and a 12-5 record last year, with the Lions winning the NFC North for the first time since 1993.

Overall, Campbell has amassed a 30-27-1 record during his four seasons in Detroit. While he looks like the head coach the Lions faithful have been waiting for, it is his aggressive coaching style that has won the fans over. Of course, they aren’t successful every time, but to the extent that the Lions are successful, it is usually forgiven and seen as a positive.

There are times when Campbell chooses to go for two when it seems like the extra point is the best move, but his aggressive coaching style usually manifests in him going for it on fourth down.

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4th down

Since Campbell took over as head coach, Detroit has finished fourth in the league 133 times. This leads the NFL with the Cleveland Browns (126) and Carolina Panthers (124) behind them.

Of the 133 fourth down plays, 70 have resulted in a first down and 11 have resulted in a touchdown. The Lions’ 52.6 percent conversion rate on fourth down to a first down or a touchdown ranks 17th overall, but ranks fourth among teams with at least 100 fourth down attempts over the past four seasons .

This season, Detroit has gone for fourth place ten times. The Panthers and Browns are tied for 18th in the league and the Lions are tied for 17th in most fourth down attempts. Of Detroit’s six wins, three were dominant outbursts, so they didn’t have to go for fourth place as often. Still, they converted five of their attempts into first downs.

Three of the fourth down attempts came in Detroit’s home territory. Two came in the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Lions converted both. One was a three-yard run by David Montgomery on fourth-and-2. The other was a 17-yard pass from punter Jack Fox when they needed 12 yards.

Detroit went for it on fourth-and-7 against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at their own 33-yard line, but didn’t convert.