By Wes Long | Published | No Comments
The city of Detroit can finally celebrate a playoff win for the first time in 32 years, asthe Lions hung on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 Sunday night. And thanks to the Green Bay Packers upset earlier in the day over the Dallas Cowboys, they will get another crack at a home playoff win next week.
The Lions and Rams battled back and forth in what has, so far, been the only real close game of the playoffs.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was making his first trip back to Detroit since he was traded to the Rams back in 2021. Lions quarterback Jared Goff was also facing his old team, as he was essentially swapped in that trade that sent Stafford to his former team.
Goff wanted to show the Rams what they were missing, and he did a pretty good job of doing just that.
Goff threw for 277 yards on the night, while going 22 for 27 and one touchdown.
The Lions wasted no time getting on the board as they took their opening possession 75 yards in 10 plays, capped off on a 1-yard touchdown run by David Montgomery.
After the Rams cut the lead to 7-3 with a field goal on their first possession, Goff and the Rams once again took the ball 75-yards on 5 plays and this time rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs took the ball up the middle for a ten yard touchdown.
But the Rams were not going to let this game get of hand. On the next possession, L.A. went 72 yards on 6 plays, as Stafford hit his rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua for a 50-yard touchdown, to pull within four points of the Lions.
Both teams would trade touchdowns on their next possessions and Detroit would cary a nervous 21-17 lead into the half.
If the first half was all about offense, the second half would be a defensive showcase. Neither team would find the end zone in the second half, with field goals becoming the scoring choice for both teams.
The Rams would add six points in the second half on two key field goals, but the Lions would add one of their own. While both teams would score a total of just nine points in the second half, the Lions would make it stick as their defense was able to get a crucial stop at the end. With just a little over four minutes to go in the game, Stafford and the Rams faced a 3rd & 14 from the Lions 44 yard line. The Rams needed at least five to ten more yards to try a field goal that would have given them a late lead. But Stafford was unable to connect with Nacua on a deep shot down the right side line.
The Rams decided to punt with 4:15 left in the game. With just one timeout left and the two minute warning, the Rams were hoping that their defense could come up with a stop, and they could get the ball back.
Unfortunately for the Rams, they would never see the ball again.
The Lions picked up two critical first downs, including a gutsy decision by head coach Dan Campbell to throw the ball on 2nd & 9, coming out of the two minute warning. With the clock stopped, on the back side of the two-minute warning, Goff threw a clutch pass to Amon Ra St. Brown for 11 yards, that resulted in a first down for the Lions. With just 1:54 left in the game, the Rams could only stop the clock once more. After the timeout, Goff took three kneel downs and the Lions rushed the field to celebrate a playoff victory, that many younger fans had never before witnessed.
Stafford could only watch from the bench as his former team celebrated something that he could never bring them, a victory in the playoffs.
Stafford played well in his return to Detroit. He went 25 for 36, for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns. His favorite target all season, rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, set a rookie record for most yards in a playoff game with 181 yards, with one touchdown. Stafford’s second touchdown went to wide receiver Tutu Atwell for 38-yards. It just wasn’t quite enough.
The Rams running game found it difficult all night to gain ground, as they gained just 68-yards on the ground. Running back Kyren Williams, who finished the regular season with 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns, had just 61 yards on the night, and was kept out of the end zone.
In fact neither running game was able to do much, as the Lions prolific rushing attack gained only 79 yards, with Montgomery and Gibbs leading the way with 57 and 25 yards respectively. The difference for the Lions, was that both of their running backs were able to find the end zone.
Detroit will remain home for the divisional round, and will face the winner of Monday night’s game between Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.
