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The first four weeks of the 2025 NFL season have seen a crazy increase in the number of blocked placekicks. Field goals and extra points are being blocked in unprecedented fashion around the league.
There were 12 blocked field goals and extra point conversion attempts in the first three weeks. Week 4 saw two more blocked field goals and another blocked extra point, which the Dallas Cowboys returned for a critical two points in their Sunday night tie with the Packers.
The Lions haven’t been involved in any of those yet, but it’s impossible not to notice the growing trend around the league. Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked if he enjoys the surge in successful placekick block attempts. The question coaxed some mixed feelings from Campbell, who played a lot of special teams during his 10-year NFL career as a tight end.
“I do, but I hate watching. I hate it,” Campbell said. “Because I can put myself in the shoes of the field goal protection team more than the other. Man, you can appreciate the guys who go for the blocks, but most of the time it’s the protection. Most of the time.”
Campbell continued, recounting his playing days,
“Man, is it your own doing? When I see it man, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ To lose that way, that’s tough. But it’s a reminder as to how important it is and how important special teams – you battle your tail off for three hours, and that one time you didn’t quite take the right step, or your pad level wasn’t good, or you lunged, or you didn’t, or you were too high, and the guy runs through and makes a block, and it’s all for naught. And then you go back, and you say, ‘Man, if I just would’ve been lower. If I would’ve locked in on that play. If I really would’ve treated it like man, everybody’s watching and we’re going to lose this game if I don’t block this guy.’ If you really treated that way, then it wouldn’t happen.”
Campbell concluded with a proclamation intended to be heard loud and clear in the special teams meeting room:
“So, we’re not going to let that happen here.”
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