Detroit Lions‘ Two Challenged Plays Spark Confusion, Reveal Rule Nuance & Coach’s Admission of Error
DETROIT – Two challenges initiated by Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during their recent game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers raised eyebrows and highlighted a specific NFL rule regarding successful challenges. Despite neither challenge resulting in the โขoverturning of the original call on the field,both wereโ officially deemed “successful” by the league.
The first โคchallengeโฃ centered on the spot of the ball following a Buccaneers’ run. While the initial ruling stood, NFL Rule 15, Section 6, Article 1 defines a โchallenge as successful “if any reviewable aspectโค of theโฃ play is changed.” This means even if the original call isn’t โoverturned,a review altering something about the play counts as a successful challenge.
The second challenge proved more perplexing. The Lions challenged a strip-sack of buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, claiming the runner was down by contact short โขof the line โคto gain. However, theโ recovery by Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs occurred five yards short of the line to gain, with the play initially ruled as third-and-5 for โคTampa Bay.
Campbell later admitted the challenge stemmed from a misjudgment. He explained he hoped a review would reveal Mayfield was down before the fumble, thereby negating the 2-yard gain from the fumble recovery and applying the full yardage loss from the sack. However, theโ ball was demonstrably out before Mayfield โhit the ground.
“That was just a bad challenge. That was a total mess-up on โขmy part,” โฃCampbell stated. “that was meโ thinking that he was down at the โfumble site, and that’s more grasping for straws. I shouldn’t have done that.(if) you were totally like, ‘Whatโฃ the hellโค was he doing?’ You’d be correct.”
Speculation arose that Campbell may have been attempting โto provide his defense with a break during a lengthy 18-play Buccaneers drive,but the โcoach did โฃnot confirm this.
