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DETROIT (AP) – Jared Goff threw for a touchdown and completed the game-sealing first against the team that knocked them out, and the Detroit Lions beat Matthew Stafford and Los Angeles to win a playoff game for the first time in 32 years . Rams 24-23 on Sunday night.
The Lions (13-5) ended a nine-game postseason losing streak – the longest in NFL history – dating back to January 5, 1992 with a win over Dallas. They lost a home playoff game two years later and had not hosted one since.
Detroit will have two home playoff games for the first time in franchise history, hosting either Tampa Bay or Philadelphia in the divisional round next Sunday.
The Rams (10-8) had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Detroit’s defense held it. A holding penalty put Los Angeles out of field goal range, and Stafford – the Lions’ longtime quarterback who won a Super Bowl after being traded to the Rams – threw an incompletion on fourth down.
On the first play after the two-minute warning, Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown from 11 yards out, giving the Lions a chance to run out the clock – much to the delight of long-suffering fans who had The win marked the franchise’s second postseason victory. 1957 NFL title.
political cartoon
Against the franchise he once led to a Super Bowl, Goff was 22 of 27 for 277 yards and he threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta that put Detroit up 21–10 midway through the second quarter. Made ahead of. The Lions acquired Goff and a pair of first-round picks for Stafford three years ago.
Stafford, who played most of the game with a bandaged and bloodied hand after being slammed into a defender’s helmet, completed 25 of 36 passes for 367 yards with two touchdowns. Record-breaking rookie Puka Nakua had nine receptions for 181 yards.
David Montgomery and rookie Jahmir Gibbs scored rushing touchdowns for the Lions, and St. Brown had seven receptions for 110 yards.
The Lions scored on their first two drives to take a 14–3 lead.
The Rams led 21–17 at halftime thanks to Stafford’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Nacua and his 38-yard touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell.
Michael Badgley’s season-long, 54-yard field goal gave the Lions a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter.
The Rams turned the ball over at will for most of the game, but had to settle for short field goals by Brett Maher on drives late in the third and midway through the fourth to lead 24–23 with 8:10 remaining. Have become.
Stafford has made career fourth quarter comebacks, a fact that fans at Ford Field were well aware of. With a chance to put the Rams ahead for the first time, they led a drive to the Detroit 34, but the Lions’ defense forced them to punt from there.
Detroit took over at 4:07, and Los Angeles had only one timeout left after calling two in the first half to deal with the rush as the sirens blared. This allowed Goff to take a knee after the throw to St. Brown.
Stafford received a standing ovation from fans as he ran onto the field, where he posed for pregame photos with his wife and their daughters and chanted “Jar-Ed Goff!” Raised slogans. Jar-Ed Goff” for the Lions’ third-year quarterback.
Rams: Stafford had his right hand taped after being cut in the second quarter and was slowly walked off the field after being hit by two tackles late in the third quarter. … RB Kyren Williams suffered a hand injury in the fourth quarter. … TE Tyler Higbee walked off the field, favoring his right leg, after taking a low hit in the fourth. … S Jordan Fuller, the team’s second-leading tackler, was ruled out after being listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
Lions: WR/KR Kalif Raymond, TE James Mitchell and CB Jerry Jacobs were inactive.
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