The Detroit Lions path to a Super Bowl run got off to a very disappointing start. They blew a 14-point lead, giving the Los Angeles Rams a late lead.
However, Detroit did just enough in the final five minutes of the game to tie the ballgame. Then they dominated overtime for a single possession touchdown win and a 26-20 victory over the Rams.
Here’s how it happened.
First quarter
The Lions won the toss and deferred, giving Matthew Stafford and the Rams the first opportunity to get on the board. But they wouldn’t come close, as Alex Anzalone picked up a pair of tackles for losses in three plays, resulting in an immediate three-and-out.
But the Lions failed to pick up a first down on their initial drive, as well. Jared Goff was sacked by Byron Young on a third-and-4.
The Rams offense had some life on their second drive, as they added a little tempo to the mix. Stafford littered the Lions secondary with a bunch of short passes, working their way into Lions territory and down into the red zone. But a Levi Onwuzurike sack pushed the Rams back, and they eventually had to settle for a 41-yard field goal. 3-0 Rams.
The Lions took the opposite approach on their second drive, deploying their ground game with a healthy dose of David Montgomery. The Lions drove inside the Rams’ 30, facing a third-and-2 as the first quarter expired.
Second quarter
The Lions failed to convert on third down, but on fourth-and-2 from the Rams’ 27, Detroit went back to Montgomery for a conversion and a fresh set of downs. A nifty play to Sam LaPorta quickly set the Lions up first-and-goal. But Detroit, too, stalled, and settled for a 25-yard field goal, which Jake Bates promptly made. 3-3 tie.
The Rams worked their way down with more short game, and eventually found themselves in a fourth-and-4 from Detroit’s 23 yard-line. Los Angeles opted to go for it, and Cooper Kupp dropped a pass with Carlton Davis in tight coverage.
NOTE: On this drive Rams WR Puka Nacua suffered a knee injury. He would return later, but ultimately be ruled OUT in the second half.
Goff found Jameson Williams on the very next play for a 36-yard explosive play down to the Rams’ 41-yard line.
Goff then connected with Jahmyr Gibbs for a 14-yard screen play to move the chains. An end around to Williams put the Lions isn the red zone, and while he temporarily had to leave with an apparent foot/ankle injury, he only missed a play to get it wrapped. The Lions slowly inched their way toward the goal line and eventually punched it in with a 1-yard Gibbs touchdown run to make it 10-3 Lions with 1:57 left in the half.
Aided by a roughing the passer on Aidan Hutchinson, the Rams were able to get into field goal position quickly, and Colby Parkinson picked up 20 yards to get LA into the red zone. But just as it looked like the Rams were about to tie it up before the half, Aidan Hutchinson forced an errant pass by Stafford that went into the waiting hands of Lions safety Kerby Joseph for a half-ending pick.
Third quarter
The Lions got the ball first, but quickly went three-and-out after Williams got plastered on a crossing route on a third-and-4. Jack Fox had a perfect punt to pin the Rams inside their own 5-yard line, but rookie Ennis Rakestraw lost control of his body and accidentally knocked the ball into the end zone.
The Rams, now without Nacua, starting left tackle Joe Noteboom, and guard Steve Avila struggled to move the ball, going three-and-out, with Brian Branch nearly picking off Stafford on third down.
The Lions extended their lead thanks to another deep shot to Williams for a 52-yard touchdown catch. 17-3 Lions.
But the Rams would not go quietly. Despite the Rams being shorthanded all over, Stafford led the offense down into the red zone, and Kyren Williams punched it in from 2 yards to make it 17-10 Lions with 3:33 left in the third quarter.
The Lions offense couldn’t answer back, and quickly went three-and-out. Goff found LaPorta and third-and-5, but the second-year tight end was a full yard short and Detroit opted to punt and give the ball back to Stafford.
Poor tackling from the Lions secondary gave the Rams an explosive play right off the bat on the next drive. Tyler Johnson took a short pass, stopped on a dime, and scooted downfield for a 63-yard gain to end the third quarter with Rams in scoring position.
Fourth quarter
A pass interference call on Terrion Arnold—the second against him—put the ball on the Lions’ 1-yard line. But a defensive stop, then a holding penalty pushed the Rams back, and the Lions were able to get a stop, holding the Rams to a field goal. 17-13 Lions.
To avoid another three-and-out, Goff scrambled his way to a 7-yard gain, then he followed it up with a 27-yard strike to Williams. But a few plays later, Goff tried to fit a ball in a tight window to St. Brown, and Rams safety John Johnson jumped the route for an interception.
The Rams took advantage of the pick, moving into Lions territory. A 20-yard shot to Kupp and a 13-yard toss to Demarcus Robinson got them into the red zone. Then a play-action pass to Kupp found the end zone, giving LA a 20-17 Rams lead with 4:30 left.
Detroit just couldn’t find their offensive rhythm. Another three-and-out, punctuated with a near interception ended the Lions’ drive quickly, giving the ball right back to Stafford with 4:10 left. It would be up for the Lions defense to make a play and try to get the ball back.
Stafford completed a third-and-5 with pressure in his face to avoid a three-and-out, and force the Lions to start using their timeouts. But Detroit would get the stop they needed on the next set of downs, as a floater of a pass to Kupp was just too long on third-and-10.
Detroit’s final chance would come at their own 31-yard line with 2:11 left and two timeouts in their pocket. The Lions would pick up a huge play to LaPorta, who not only picked up 18 yards, but absorbed an illegal hit that added another 15 yards to the play. Gibbs picked up an essential third-down on a 4-yard toss to move Detroit to the 19-yard line with 52 seconds left. But Detroit would stall, needing Bates to kick a 32-yard field goal to tie it up late. He did, and it was 20-20 tie with 17 seconds left.
Stafford tried to work some late-game magic with 17 seconds and three timeouts. But Aidan Hutchinson finally got home for a sack, and to overtime we went.
Overtime
The Lions won the toss and obviously wanted the ball first. The drive got off to a good start with an 11-yard end around to Kalif Raymond. Montgomery followed it up with an impressive 21-yard rush into Rams territory. A swing pass to Gibbs put them inside the Rams’ 20-yard line, striking distance to end the game. A couple of Montgomery runs got the Lions down to the 1-yard line for a first-and-goal situation.
It only took Montgomery one attempt to get in and win the game for Detroit. 26-20 Lions.
