Getty Matt Prater celebrates the Lions walk off win.
The Detroit Lions have historically made snatching defeat from the jaws of victory a franchise theme, so you can forgive any fans who figured they were heading for that fate again late against the Atlanta Falcons.
Detroit was facing a 22-16 deficit aided greatly by their own errors in judgement, execution and play calling. But the Falcons had given the Lions some life by virtue of a touchdown that should have never happened. Then, almost surgically, the Lions went down the field and got the ball in position for one more shot with 2 seconds.
More often than not, there’s a penalty, or a rules gaffe, or some type of misfortune that befalls the team in such a circumstance. Instead, the Lions calmly tied the game via a touchdown from T.J. Hockenson. Then, they were forced to kick what might have been the longest extra point in NFL history. No problem, as Matt Prater calmly nailed the kick and sparked off the celebration after the 23-22 win.
Decades of Lions fans know only close game pain, so it was certainly nice to see the Lions pull out a crazy game that it felt as if they were going to lose. It took a mental mistake by the Falcons, of course, but credit the Lions for making them pay in the end on the scoreboard. Far too often, Detroit hasn’t made worse teams pay for their mistakes.
It’s just one win, but it does get Detroit back to 3-3. Moreover, it was the type of win that could spark the team toward that long-hoped midseason run folks have been thinking about. The Lions have the confidence now to move forward and perhaps get hot.
The Lions don’t often steal victories, but finally they managed to. Give them some credit for getting it done, and turning around the type of game they know all too well how to lose.
Here’s a few more lessons from the exciting victorious hunt.
Darrell Bevell Remains a Problem
The Lions should have won this game going away against the Falcons, but the inept offensive play calling kept the opposition in the game all afternoon long. Darrell Bevell has struggled this season to mix the run and the pass, and the Lions nearly lost as a result of this. A win is a win, but once again, Bevell will have to be monitored in coming weeks. The Lions need to air the ball out more, keep D’Andre Swift on the field and continue to get the ball to their playmakers. Bevell’s ability to do this will tell the tale of if the Lions do claw back into the playoff picture.
It’s Time To Pay Kenny Golladay
Has an NFL team ever awarded a contract following a game? Have they done an extension on the plane following a win? If not, this should be an NFL first for the Lions because once again, Golladay proved why he deserves all the coin that should be coming his way in Detroit. Golladay was the reason the Lions were even in position to win late, and made tons of insane catches on the day to help the Lions move the ball down the field. It’s rare to see Golladay not snag more than a few improbable passes during a game, and he has earned his money this season and in the future. Simply put, the Lions shouldn’t let him out of the building. He is the heir apparent to Calvin Johnson.
Detroit’s Defense is Playing Well
The Lions defense, for the second straight week, made plenty of plays in crunch time. They’ve developed a solid pass rusher in Romeo Okwara, and Trey Flowers joined him in being active up front. Some plays were made on the back end, but Detroit tackled enthusiastically and was solid on defense most of the day to only allow 22 points to a solid offense that had put up 40 the week before. They won’t get a ton of love this week, but it’s important to remember the Lions did well on defense and could be coming into their own a bit. Justin Coleman should return soon, and if Desmond Trufant comes back off injury it will only mean more of a boost to a group that is playing with a tiny bit of swagger all of a sudden after struggling early on.
Lions’ MVP vs. Falcons: Matt Prater, K
Once again, as so often has been the case in his career, Prater was Detroit’s entire offensive attack most of the afternoon. He did miss a 46 yard field goal which was frustrating, but redeemed himself with a kick on the next drive and one of the more challenging extra points ever attempted. Give Prater credit for arguably being the reason the Lions won the game again. He’s been great in his Detroit career even in games where he has struggled.
Lions’ Stat of the Game: 2
That’s the number of sacks the Lions had on the day, with Romeo Okwara accounting for both. The game was nearly a statistical dead heat with Atlanta accounting for 388 yards and Detroit 386. What made the difference, though, were both of Okwara’s sacks, one of which was a strip fumble to halt some Atlanta momentum. Detroit’s pass rush remains anemic at best, but Okwara made a pair of plays which showed why it can be so important.
Lions: Quote To Note:
“It’s almost 100% to him.” -T.J. Hockenson, lauding Detroit wideout Kenny Golladay, who makes a habit of making the contested catch that 50-50 ball rarely applies. It’s a great quote that will resonate with Lions fans who love watching Golladay make big play after big play every week.
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