Analysis of the Lions’ 26-20 overtime win against the Rams in the opening game
Nolan Bianchi, John Niyo and Richard Silva of the Detroit News analyze the Detroit Lions’ 26-20 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Detroit — The Lions and their fans had so much fun last year, hey, they might as well keep it up. On opening night, they picked it up again and picked up where they left off, right up to the last sweaty second.
If the Lions have to prove themselves again, same path, same destination, same opponents, then it was a damn good start, sloppy at times but relentlessly gripping. The stakes weren’t as high as in their playoff thriller against the Rams in January, but it still felt like it. Matthew Stafford was back, hurling missiles and misery at the Lions, and they escaped him again, just barely.
In overtime, the Lions finally got their feet pumping and David Montgomery ran in a 1-yard touchdown to cap the 26-20 victory. It was as tough as it looked, as hard as expected, as loud as ever, and although the Lions buckled, they didn’t crumble.
It was Stafford against Jared Goff again, but without the over-the-top storyline. The Lions’ motto this season is “It takes more,” and that was definitely the case tonight. Jameson Williams had to have a big game and deliver on his promise, catching 121 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown. Goff had to snag a rebound after a crucial interception, and he made a crucial drive to force overtime.
Stafford was back to his old Lion self, taking hits and delivering sacks and making spectacular plays behind a battered Rams offensive line. He was 34-for-49 for 317 yards and, like Goff, threw one touchdown and had one interception.
“I give this team a lot of credit,” Dan Campbell said of the Rams. “I thought Stafford played outstandingly, took hit after hit, kept getting up and making incredible shots. They fought and fought. But we’re tough to break, so we did what we had to do.”
That was the key point of the night, a continuation of last season’s message. The Lions don’t rely on one player or one plan, so they have to come up with new ways to win. As Super Bowl favorites, they have a target, and Stafford certainly hit that target.
He rallied the Rams from a 17-3 deficit and seemed to have the game under control, but in the crucial minute he missed a third-down pass to Cooper Kupp, giving the Lions a chance to tie the game with a 32-yard field goal by Jake Bates with 17 seconds left.
“Yeah, I think it kind of comes down to the last time we were here, similar circumstances and the fact that we didn’t score enough points in the red zone,” Stafford said. “We had our chances but couldn’t capitalize on them. And still, if I can get the ball to Cooper at the end of the game … That’s part of the game. Humbling, but fun to play in.”
Stafford has endured some humiliation at Ford Field, but this was an admirable performance and in some ways the ideal opening test for the Lions. To maintain last year’s success in the NFC Championship Game, it will take more. Their new-look secondary was put to the test and rookie Terrion Arnold was harassed, committing two pass interference penalties. But he held firm and the defense held firm when it mattered most, somewhat containing Kupp, who finished with 14 pass catches and 110 yards.
Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone kept breaking through the Rams’ makeshift line, and Stafford kept escaping and firing away. The Rams were Super Bowl champions three years ago, and even at 36, Stafford seems capable of making another run.
The same goes for the Lions. One clear sign was that after a prime-time victory in front of another roaring Ford Field crowd, the Lions were happy with the win but not thrilled with their overall performance. Goff was 18 of 28 passing for 217 yards, relying heavily on Williams, while the Rams smothered Amon-Ra St. Brown (three catches, 13 yards) and Sam LaPorta (four catches, 45 yards).
“There were certainly things that were below our standards,” Goff said bluntly. “Good enough to win, but not good enough for our standards.”
The Lions know they’ll be judged differently and treated differently now. It’s almost as if the NFL told them, “Good job, now do it again” when it scheduled the Rams and Bucs (next week) as their first two opponents, the same two opponents they beat in the playoffs.
The Lions showed off their speed and power early on, and if Williams can break free on a regular basis, the game is up for grabs. He showed the electrifying burst the Lions have always craved, and it came just when it was needed.
Then Montgomery took the lead in overtime and the Lions showed what they can do with their offensive line. The Montgomery-Jahmyr Gibbs backfield duo is the perfect blend of power and speed, and when the Lions won the overtime coin toss, they knew who would get the ball and where it would go.
After a clever 12-yard reverse from Kalif Raymond, Montgomery ran for 21 and 9 yards. From the Rams’ 15-yard line, he finished the game with consecutive runs of 6 and 8 yards, capped off with the 1-yard game-winning score. The Lions’ potent offense offers a little of everything, but don’t underestimate Montgomery’s power. When he got going in overtime, he knew they wouldn’t stop him.
“Oh no, I was in the mood, I was already committed,” Montgomery said. “At that point, I felt like I had to prove it to myself, and I felt like this was the biggest opportunity to do that – for me to show what I’m capable of. But at the same time, to show how much grit this offense and this team has.”
That takes guts, sure, and it takes more. The Lions needed plenty of guts and more to beat the Rams again. With all the requisite noise and drama and huge crowds downtown, the ride continued. Getting back on board is one thing. Staying on board will be the challenge for the Lions.
@bobwojnowski
