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NFL.com
Detroit Lions 26, Los Angeles Rams 20 (OT)
Grant Gordon's takeaways:
- Montgomery mauls Rams in Lions' OT win. For four quarters, the Lions' offense was largely stagnant other than Jameson Williams. Entering overtime, Detroit had a modest 293 total yards with 103 on the ground. Enter David Montgomery, who went full ravenous Lion in OT, smashing the Rams defense for 45 yards on five carries, including the 1-yard game-winning score. Yup, Detroit won the OT coinflip and promptly marched 70 yards in 4 minutes 41 seconds, with 60 of those yards coming on the ground. Montgomery, who finished with 91 yards on 17 carries, woke up the Lions' offense in thundering fashion and put the Rams to sleep all in one emphatic drive. This was the epitome of running the ball down your opponent’s throat. It didn’t happen for much of the Lions’opener, but it happened when it mattered most. Detroit squandered a 14-point lead only to rally back with the final nine points for a victory in the most emphatic fashion.
- Stafford singing Motown blues again. Throughout his second return to Detroit after last season’s narrow wild-card loss, Matthew Stafford was pummeled by the Lions’ pass rush. Nonetheless, he stood tall, surgically cutting up Detroit in a second-half rally that led L.A. back into the fight. He struggled a bit in the first half, which included a rare end zone interception, but responded late. On the go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter, Stafford (34 of 49 for 317 yards overall) was a brilliant 8-of-8 as he piloted the Rams on an 80-yard drive that concluded when he hit old buddy Cooper Kupp (who looked back to his old self with a 14-catch, 110-yard night) for a 9-yard TD. L.A.'s offensive line was a question mark coming into the season and the injury-riddled bunch (Joe Noteboomexited with an ankle issue and Steve Avila hurt his knee) remains one. Stafford was limping in the first half, battered throughout, but his cast-iron toughness and ridiculous accuracy almost won the night. Unfortunately, Stafford -- who was hit 12 times, pressured 14 times and sacked twice -- lost for the second straight game in his old stomping grounds.
- Jamo’s career night not wasted. Detroit was looking for some separation and -- boy oh boy -- did Jameson Williams give them some! Williams torched Tre’Davious White for a 52-yard touchdown in the third quarter, leaving the veteran cornerback far behind in his wake. The score led to a 17-3 lead for Detroit, but it wasn’t enough separation as the Rams rallied to go ahead before the Lions sent it to OT on a late field goal. However, after Montgomery’s game-winner, Williams still was afforded plenty of postgame flowers. He turned in a career-best 121 yards on five catches. The Lions have been patient, waiting for the 2022 first-rounder to overcome injuries and a suspension. Sunday was a breakout night. Should Williams keep it going, the Lions have a vertical threat on an already-potent offense.
- Next Gen stat of the game: Rams defensive end Jared Verse had six QB pressures and a 26.1 pressure rate in his first NFL game.
NFL Research: Detroit won a game in overtime for the first time since Week 9, 2016, when Matthew Stafford threw a game-winning TD to Golden Tate.
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