In the first half, it looked like the Detroit Lions were prepared to go toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Rams and their red-hot offense. Jared Goff threw three first-half touchdowns, and the Lions took a 24-17 lead into halftime.
But in the second half, the offense went completely cold. They started the third quarter by going three-and-out on three consecutive drives. Meanwhile, the defense just couldn’t hold the Los Angeles Rams’ pass or run game in check. The Rams started the second half with a 24-3 run before the Lions brought the game a little closer at the end.
The final score was 41-34, and now the Lions have dropped to 8-6 on the season. With the Bears and the 49ers both winning on Sunday, Detroit will likely need to finish with three straight wins to make the postseason.
First quarter
The Rams won the toss and deferred, giving the Lions the ball first to try and take the lead. Their initial drive got off to a promising start with first down grabs from Amon-Ra St. Brown (8 yards) and Jameson Williams (22). But a holding penalty got them behind the sticks, and facing a fourth-and-4 from the Rams’ 25-yard line, they opted to kick a field goal. Unfortunately, Jake Bates pulled the 43-yard field goal wide left, keeping the game scoreless.
The Rams quickly worked into the red zone with 17 and 18-yard gains to Davante Adams. However, the drive came to an immediate halt when Aidan Hutchinson leapt in front of a screen pass and took it the other way all the way down into the Rams’ red zone.
It took the Lions’ offense just one play to take advantage, with Jared Goff finding St. Brown on a post route for a 17-yard touchdown. 7-0 Lions.
The Rams responded with a gritty, methodical drive. The Lions defense had a chance to get a stop at midfield, forcing a fourth-and-4. However, Matthew Stafford found Puka Nacua in tight coverage for a 6-yard gain and a new set of downs.
The Rams faced another fourth down on the next set of downs, and Nacua, again, converted a fourth-and-8 to keep the drive alive, despite very tight coverage from Amik Robertson.
Then Stafford made the Lions pay. He hit a wide oepn Colby Parkinson for a 24-yard gain, and Kyren Williams punched it in from 4 yards out. 7-7 tie
The Lions moved into Rams territory in just three plays thanks to a big 25-yard pass to Jameson Williams. David Montgomery followed that up with a pair of runs for 9 total yards, setting up a big third-and-1 to start the second quarter.
Second quarter
Montgomery picked up the first down with a nice, physical run for 10 yards and into the red zone. He followed it up a play later with an 8-yard gain to make it first-and-goal. But on third-and-goal from the 6, Goff was under pressure and missed St. Brown, forcing Detroit to settle for three. 10-7 Lions.
Kyren Williams started off the Rams’ next drive with a big 19-yard gain to midfield. Then Stafford hit Nacua down to right sideline for a 37-yard strike.
The Lions nearly got a stop on the goal line, but on a third-and-goal incompletion, Alex Anzalone was called for defensive holding, giving the Ras a fresh set of downs. Williams would punch it in from the 1-yard line to give LA their first lead of the game. 14-10 Rams.
The Lions exploded back with a 52-yard floater to St. Brown on a fantastic play from Jared Goff.
A pair of short runs set the Lions up third-and-5, and Detroit had the perfect play call. A WR screen to St. Brown went the distance for a 8-yard touchdown pass. 17-14 Lions.
The Rams were able to pick up a single first down to move close to midfield. However, the Lions defense would eventually force their first punt of the game. On third-and-5, pressure from Aidan Hutchinson and a sack from Alex Anzalone took down Stafford.
Detroit immediately faced an interesting decision. At their own 29-yard line it was fourth-and-1 at the two-minute warning. Go for it and try to keep the ball out Stafford’s hands and risk turning it over deep in your own zone? Or do you punt it away, giving the Rams a chance to tie or take the lead—while also getting the ball to start the second half?
The Lions opted to go for it, and Goff found a wide open St. Brown for 14 yards. A few plays later, St. Brown moved the chains again on a 9-yard gain on third-and-7. After 14 more to Williams, the Lions were at the Rams’ 31-yard line with 36 seconds left. On the next play, Goff found Williams for a 31-yard touchdown and a 24-14 lead.
With 24 seconds left, Stafford and the Rams tried to cut into the lead. They succeeded after finding Nacua for 37 yards on a play DJ Reed stumbled on. After missing on a couple of end zone shots, the Rams settled for a field goal, making it 24-17 Lions at halftime.
Third quarter
The Rams offense went right back to work, starting with a 21-yard strike to Nacua. Los Angeles was able to keep the drive alive on a fourth-and-1, with Blake Corum just barely getting enough before Erick Hallett took him down. But the Lions would eventually get a stop. Roy Lopez sacked Stafford to set up a third-and-12.
On third down, Stafford fumbled the snap, forcing an eventual throw away, and a field goal attempt. Harrison Mevis drilled it from 44 to make it 24-20 Lions six minutes into the half.
Detroit couldn’t respond after a strangely conservative offensive three-and-out. A holding penalty on Giovanni Ricci set up a second-and-15, and after a Gibbs run only picked up 6 yards, the Rams sent the house on third down. That forced Goff to get it out quick, and his pass to St. Brown was well short of the sticks.
The Rams avoided a three-and-out of their own with a 5-yard pass to Parkinson to move the chains. After another third down conversion, Stafford connected with Adams for 21 yards, and a ridiculous deep shot to Parkinson that appeared to be down at the 1-yard line, but even after review, the officials called it a touchdown. 27-24 Rams.
Detroit quickly went three-and-out after Goff failed to connect with Williams on a deep shot on first down, then took a sack on second down.
The Rams only needed two plays to cash in: a 39-yard pass to Nacua and an 11-yard run by Corum. 34-24 Rams.
Fourth quarter
Detroit, still seeking their a first down in the second half, went three-and-out for the third straight drive. Goff third down pass was nearly picked off, and Jack Fox’s punt went into the end zone.
The Lions’ defense finally got the quick stop they needed, forcing a three-and-out after Stafford deep shot to Davante Adams fell incomplete. Adams appeared to pull up on his route with an injury.
With over 12 minutes left, it was now or never for the Lions offense to get back on track. Detroit started with a 20-yard pass to Kalif Raymond. On the next series of downs, the Lions faced a fourth-and-1 and had to go for it. Goff found St. Brown to keep the drive—and the game—alive. But that was about all the Lions could muster on the drive, and they had to settle for a field goal. Bates was good from 48 to make it 34-27 Rams with 7:54 remaining.
But Detroit’s defense couldn’t get the second stop they needed. Blake Corum bounced a run outside for 24 yards. Nacua picked up another first down with a 12-yard gain. On the play, Nacua went down with an injury, leaving the Rams without their top two receivers. But it didn’t matter, Stafford found Parkinson for a touchdown and a 41-27 Rams lead with 4:49 left. (Nacua would return on the next offensive drive.)
The Lions were able to able to drive all the way down into a goal-to-go situation, but on fourth-and-goal, they failed to punch it in from the 5-yard line—but were bailed out by a pass interference call to give them a fresh set of downs. David Montgomery plowed it in from 1-yard out to make it 41-34 Rams with 2:42 left.
Detroit passed on an onside kick attempt, hoping the defense could get a three-and-out. They didn’t. It only took two rushes from the Rams to move the chains and put the game away.
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