Lions Had Snafu Against Ravens Before Fourth-Down Play

Lions never waver when offense goes for it on fourth-down.

Sep 22, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a touchdown catch against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have built a reputation under Dan Campbell as one of the NFL’s most aggressive teams on fourth down. 

That identity has remained intact this season, and Lions All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown says it all comes down to one thing: confidence.

“There’s almost never a play on fourth down where we feel like we can’t get it (the first down),” St. Brown told reporters Thursday. “So, I think that having that confidence going out, before you even go out there and run the play is huge for us as an offense. Because you already feel like you’re going to make the play and get the first down.” 

That mindset has been reflected in the numbers through the first three weeks of the 2025 campaign. In fact, Detroit has gone for it on fourth down a league-high eight times, and has converted seven of those tries, good for an NFL-best 87.5 percent success rate. 

Each conversion has provided an emotional jolt, often leading to touchdowns rather than field goals.

St. Brown believes that aggressiveness has become ingrained in the team’s identity. The players trust Campbell to make the call, and Campbell trusts his offense to deliver. 

“I feel like we’ve been doing it so long here that all of us have the confidence, coaches have the confidence in us, we have the confidence in the coaches to get us into the right play,” St. Brown expressed. “It’s just all around confidence I feel like.”

That trust was on full display late in Detroit’s Monday Night Football showdown with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. 

On fourth-and-2 with 1:56 to play and the Lions leading, 31-24, the ever aggressive Campbell kept the offense on the field and dialed up a pass play in which St. Brown beat his defender, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, for a pivotal first-down conversion. It took a perfect throw from Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff, and the veteran quarterback delivered. 

The play wasn’t executed exactly as drawn up, but the Lions’ immense preparation and poise under pressure carried them through. 

“We kind of messed it up a little,” St. Brown said of the game-sealing fourth-down conversion. “So, Leaf (Kalif Raymond) was supposed to be in, but he was hurt or I don’t know what he had. He was out for that play, so ‘Tes’ (Isaac TeSlaa) comes running in and goes, ‘What do I have?’ I said, ‘Hey, man, I don’t really know. Ask Jared.’ 

“So, he asked Jared, Jared tells him what he has. And I was supposed to get the safety, so I was supposed to insert and block. I believe it was Kyle Hamilton because on all those plays I’ve been trying to get the safety. It just worked out to where I just couldn’t really get to him and Humphrey was the only guy standing there, so I faked to block him and then went. So, it kind of worked out for us, but the way it worked out was kind of funny.”

Moments like that demonstrate why Detroit embraces and typically excels in such high-pressure situations. 

St. Brown also emphasized that the potential payoff – a touchdown drive instead of settling for three points – shifts the momentum in games. 

Campbell’s boldness and the offense’s execution have made the Lions one of the most feared teams in the league on fourth down. 

For St. Brown and his teammates, the mentality has become second nature. 

“Now, I don’t even blink,” the fifth-year pro said of the Lions’ propensity to go for it on fourth down. “I feel like us as an offense, we know if it comes down to it and it’s fourth-and-anything below three (yards), we’re probably going for it.”