It’s too early to say, but Matthew Stafford could have another opportunity in January.

The Rams’ star quarterback returned twice to Ford Field, where he played 12 seasons for the Detroit Lions, and narrowly missed out both times.

A one-point loss in an NFC wild-card game last season was devastating.

On Sunday night, Stafford gave the Rams the lead with one of his patented fourth-quarter drives, but was unable to finish the game in regulation time.

A revamped Rams defense that held the strong Lions in check for much of the game finally collapsed on the first possession of overtime. Quarterback Jared Goff took his team 70 yards in eight plays and running back David Montgomery scored a one-yard touchdown to hand the Rams a 26-20 loss in front of 66,530 spectators.

Rams coach Sean McVay was looking for positives for one of the NFL’s youngest teams.

“This is a real learning opportunity,” said McVay, who has a 6-2 record in season-opening games.

It was a costly defeat for the Rams in several ways.

Wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive lineman Steve Avila left the game with knee injuries, and offensive lineman Joe Noteboom suffered an ankle injury. Right guard Kevin Dotson left the locker room on crutches, his left foot and ankle in a protective boot.

McVay did not provide any updates or say whether Nacua injured the same knee he sustained during a joint practice with the Chargers at training camp.

The series of injuries in the opening game is reminiscent of 2022. Back then, the Rams, the reigning Super Bowl champions, lost several offensive linemen in a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the season opener, marking the beginning of the Rams’ historic Super Bowl hangover.

The Rams entered Sunday night with fewer players on the roster because left tackle Alaric Jackson was suspended for violating NFL conduct rules and veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein was out with an ankle injury.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) injured his knee in the first half against the Lions and could not continue.

(NurPhoto / NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Noteboom started at left tackle, with Warren McClendon Jr. at right tackle. But Noteboom was wheeled from the sideline to the locker room in the second quarter, and Avila, who started at right guard, did not play after halftime. That forced center Jonah Jackson to move to guard, rookie Beaux Limmer took over at center, and AJ Arcuri, who was promoted from the practice squad this week, played left tackle.

A holding offense against Arcuri negated a touchdown and the Rams had to settle for a field goal to cut the score to 17-13, but Stafford praised the offense’s performance.

“Tough environment,” said Stafford, who completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. “We had a couple of linemen down, a starting receiver down, and our guys didn’t even bat an eyelid.”

Stafford rued his missed opportunities. The Lions intercepted his pass into the end zone with less than a minute left in the second quarter. After he threw a touchdown pass to Kupp with less than five minutes left, the Rams got the ball back less than a minute later.

However, Stafford’s pass to Kupp on third down was too high and incomplete, giving the Lions a chance to kick a field goal to tie the game. Stafford walked to the sideline in frustration, his hands on his helmet.

“I had a chance to win it,” he said. “In every game, there are plays you want back, and that’s definitely one of them. I’d like to think I could hit that shot a few times in a row.”

Kupp, who caught 14 passes for 110 yards, said: “We have to find a way to ideally finish the game out there. … That’s what we’re doing, and overtime doesn’t matter.”

Goff, for whom Stafford was traded in 2021, was once again superior, completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards and also recording one interception.

The Rams’ defense, playing without the retiring Aaron Donald for the first time since 2015 and led by new coordinator Chris Shula, neutralized the Lions’ high-powered offense for much of the game.

After the Lions won the overtime coin toss, however, the Rams couldn’t stop them. The Lions ran the ball six times during the game-winning drive, with Montgomery carrying it five times.

“Just give it to D-mo, man, a battering ram,” Goff said. “Just give it to him and he did the rest, and it was fun. It was fun to watch him — kind of get his second wind in overtime, and our O-line did too.”

Rams outside linebacker Michael Hoecht said the Rams fought until the end.

“When you play a team that made it to the NFC Championship Game and it comes down to a coin flip, it sucks,” he said. “But it hurts a little less.”

Rookie Jared Verse and second-year pro Byron Young each had a sack.

“We held our own – we messed up a little bit,” Young said, adding: “There’s a lot to learn from that. I see a bright future for us.”