Notebook: Origins of Dan Campbell's Aggressiveness

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has had a reasonable amount of success being aggressive.

In the opener, on the Lions' 17-yard line, Campbell decided it was again time to attempt a fake punt.

With a rare opportunity to watch other NFL football games on a Sunday, it was quite interesting to see Sean Payton attempt an onside kick in his very first kickoff as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

For Campbell, his time as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins produced a fair amount of reflection.

"I really believe it was more of an epiphany, if you will, the time I had at Miami. I just remember once I was done there, I had regrets, particularly in special teams, that I didn't use it more," said Campbell, when asked to discuss the origins of his aggressiveness as a coach. "We had Darren Rizzi at New Orleans. Now, he's an outstanding special teams coach. And, I just remember, always, it just stuck with me. And then certainly being with Sean (Payton) as a coach, I've been with him as a player. He made everything very clear. We knew exactly when criticals were going to come up, what we were going to do, how are we going to handle it. Just being under Coach Payton for five years, it gives you a whole different perspective. I think that's really where it comes from."

Lions' Josh Reynolds can handle added responsibilities

The Lions' offense needed a spark in the second half against the Chiefs, which were able to limit what the heralded unit could accomplish.

Josh Reynolds, a veteran wideout who quietly had a productive training camp, stepped up, and provided the spark Ben Johnson's offense needed.

With multiple key receptions in the second half, Reynolds continues to prove he can be relied upon to make plays when needed.

"He really came up big for us the other day," said Campbell. "And, I would say he is notorious for that, in a good way. He does kind of fly under-the-radar. But, he's a guy that -- I kind of tell him all the time, it's like the more you can do, the harder it is on you. And, he's a guy that has got a ton of versatility. And, we asked him to do a lot. He plays the X, he plays the Z, he can play in the heavy packages. We just, we do a lot. He's a very reliable, mentally and productive wise. He does a lot. We needed somebody to step up in that game and in that receiver room. And, he really did. He really did."

Vaitai plays vital role along offensive line

The veteran offensive lineman earned the highest PFF (88.4) grade of any member of the roster against the Chiefs.

Vaitai played the most snaps he has in over 12 months, and did not allow any quarterback pressures, while also shining in his run-blocking assignments.

“Solid. I thought he stepped up in there," Campbell said of Vaitai's performance Thursday. "It was the most plays he’s had since the injury. I thought he handled them well. I would say it was positive, it was positive. He’s got things to clean up, as we all do. It was a positive showing for him. It’s encouraging to see him back out there. He’s another one of those players that helped us win that game, especially in the critical moments.”

Halftime adjustments

At the half, Detroit's defensive coaching staff emphasized getting off the field, especially on third down.

That simple message was delivered, and understood by the defense.

In the second half, the Chiefs were not able to convert on a single third-down attempt, which aided in Detroit's ability to leave Arrowhead Stadium with the victory.

“Coach said one thing, ‘Get off the field.’ I swear to God. (Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) said, ‘Get off the field,’ so we got off the field," said C.J. Gardner-Johnson. "It only takes one time to say something as a coach to get the job done. That’s what we did.”