Halftime analysis: Dan Campbell’s brazen fake punt givese Lions fighting chance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dan Campbell leads the league in fourth-down attempts since taking over in Detroit, and that doesn’t even account for his league lead in successful fake punts too.

There was some debate over whether his daring ways would continue now that Detroit has returned to competitiveness, and has the improved roster to show it.

Two drives into the season, we got an answer.

With the world watching the NFL season kickoff, Campbell dialed up a brazen fake punt on a fourth-and-3 from his own 17-yard line. And he was rewarded handsomely for it. Jalen Reeves-Maybin moved the chains on a run up the middle after taking a direct snap, then Jared Goff settled in after a choppy start and completed four straight passes, the last of which was a 9-yard scoring strike to Amon-Ra St Brown.

Dan Campbell dialing up fake punts deep inside his own territory? Amon-Ra St. Brown catching third-down touchdown passes?

It’s almost like they never left.

Detroit trails Kansas City by just one score — 14-7 — and Cambell’s risk-taking is the biggest reason for it. Not only did the decision lead to points, but it helped the offense get on track after a disjointed start, plus kept Patrick Mahomes on the bench for another six-plus minutes — nearly half the opening quarter.

But no one can keep Mahomes down for long, and the All-Pro quarterback — coming off another MVP performance in the Super Bowl — led touchdown drives of 75 and 92 yards to conclude the half. The last one was a back-breaker, needing only six plays and 88 seconds to cover the near-length of the field and score the go-ahead touchdown pass with 34 seconds left before intermission.

The kill shot came on a third-and-17 where Mahomes found Marquez Valdes-Scantling for 34 yards. Jerry Jacobs was in decent coverage, but didn’t get his head around to track the ball. And just like that, Detroit was facing its first deficit of the young season, with Mahomes set to get the ball back to open the second half.

Detroit has held serve in Kansas City, but must tighten up defensively in the second half. It also must do a better job with ball security, after a scoring opportunity was dashed when Marvin Jones fumbled the ball on third down deep in Chiefs territory. Center Frank Ragnow also snapped the ball into a man in motion two plays before that, and the Lions never found a rhythm the rest of the way in the second quarter.