DETROIT — The Detroit Lions opened the season by outlasting the Los Angeles Rams with a balanced offence, grinding out yards on the ground and going to the air for some pivotal plays just as they did in their NFC wild-card game.
David Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted the Lions to a 26-20 win over the Matthew Stafford-led Rams on Sunday night.
“Early in the season, a lot of games come down to who makes the fewest mistakes,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We made one less than they did.”
The Lions lost a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, but extended the game with Jake Bates’ tying 32-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation.
Detroit won the coin flip and took advantage of having the ball, gaining at least 9 yards on its first four plays in overtime to set up Montgomery’s winning score.
The Rams were in a position to spoil Detroit’s season-opening party when Stafford threw a go-ahead, 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.
They just couldn’t make enough plays on both sides of the ball to hold on for the win.
Los Angeles put up quite a fight despite losing Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua and two linemen on its banged-up line.
“I’m really proud of this group,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We had a lot of guys go down and a lot of people stepped up.
“We just came up short.”
The Lions had a 17-3 lead in the third quarter after Jared Goff threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams.
“We had that double move worked out all week and he smoked them on it,” Goff said.
Detroit, though, lost the comfortable cushion because its former star quarterback picked them apart and its current one threw an interception early in the fourth.
John Johnson intercepted Goff’s pass over the middle at the Rams 20, taking away Detroit’s chance to kick a field goal and restore its seven-point lead.
Stafford took advantage, leading a 10-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with the scoring pass to Kupp. He could not complete enough passes late in the fourth to keep the ball and seal the win, leading to a punt that gave Goff another shot from his 31 with 2:11 to go.
“I had a chance to win it,” Stafford said. “Every game, there’s plays you want back.”
The Lions reached the Rams 14 and settled for Bates’ tying field goal that sent the game to overtime.
McVay insisted he did not regret a decision he made in the second quarter.
With a chance to attempt a 40-yard field goal when it was tied at 3, McVay elected to go for it and turned the ball over on downs when Stafford threw an incomplete pass that targeted Kupp.
“We came here to be aggressive and I wouldn’t take that decision back,” McVay said.
Stafford completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception, lobbing a ball in the middle of end zone where Kerby Joseph was waiting early in the second quarter. He took some hits, particularly on his right ankle, and popped up each time and make more plays.
“Give Matt Stafford a lot of credit he played lights out despite taking all those hits,” Campbell said.
Kupp matched a career high with 14 receptions and had 110 yards receiving.
Goff was 18 of 28 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Williams tied a career high with five catches and set a personal best with 121 yards receiving.
“I’m proud of him,” Campbell said. “He still has a lot of room for growth. That wasn’t his best ball, but he made some plays.”
Montgomery had 17 carries for 91 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs ran 11 times for 40 yards — with both scoring a TD.
INJURIES
Rams: Nacua (knee) was hurt in the first half after catching four passes for 35 yards and didn’t return. … LT Joe Noteboom (ankle) was carted off the field in the second quarter after starting in place of Alaric Jackson, who’s serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. LG Steve Avila (knee) went down later.
McVay said after the game that he did not have an update on the team’s injured players.
Lions: DT D.J. Reader (leg) and S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) were inactive.
UP NEXT
Rams: Stay on the road and play at Arizona on Sunday.
Lions: Host Tampa Bay on Sunday in a rematch from the divisional round of the playoffs, a game Detroit won 31-23.
In a thrilling matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams, the Lions emerged victorious in overtime with a game-winning touchdown run by running back Ty Montgomery. The Lions’ victory came as a surprise to many, as they were considered underdogs going into the game against the powerhouse Rams.
The game was a back-and-forth battle from start to finish, with both teams trading blows and making big plays on both sides of the ball. The Rams, led by star quarterback Matthew Stafford, looked to be in control for much of the game, but the Lions never gave up and continued to fight until the very end.
In the final minutes of regulation, the Lions found themselves down by a touchdown, but they were able to drive down the field and tie the game with a clutch touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The game then went into overtime, where the Lions won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball.
On their first possession of overtime, the Lions marched down the field with a mix of runs and passes, setting up Montgomery for the game-winning touchdown run. Montgomery took the handoff from Goff and burst through the Rams’ defense, breaking tackles and racing into the end zone for the score.
The Lions’ victory over the Rams was a statement win for a team that has struggled in recent years. It showed that they have the talent and determination to compete with the best teams in the league and that they are capable of pulling off upsets against top opponents.
Montgomery’s game-winning touchdown run will go down in Lions history as one of the most memorable moments in recent years. It was a testament to his skill and determination as a player and a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability of NFL football.
Overall, the Lions’ victory over the Rams was a thrilling and hard-fought game that showcased the best of what football has to offer. It was a reminder that anything can happen on any given Sunday and that no team should ever be counted out.