Detroit Lions Beat Rams 31-28 To Return To .500

Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) signals first down after a run against Los Angeles Rams defensive end Eugene Sims (97) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) signals first down after a run against Los Angeles Rams defensive end Eugene Sims (97) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next

The Detroit Lions climbed back to .500 with their second straight win, 31-28 against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) signals first down after a run against Los Angeles Rams defensive end Eugene Sims (97) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) signals first down after a run against Los Angeles Rams defensive end Eugene Sims (97) during the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

For the second consecutive week, the Detroit Lions (3-3) came up with a defensive stop at the end of a back-and-forth game to seal a win at home, taking down the Los Angeles Rams (3-3) 31-28 on Sunday.

The Lions took the ball first and went 75 yards in eight plays, scoring on a seven-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Marvin Jones to take a 7-0 lead early in the first. The Rams responded in kind with a ten-play, 75-yard drive and tied the game with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Kenny Britt.

More from Detroit Lions

The Rams took the lead on their next possession, Keenum capping off an 11-play, 84-yard drive with a one-yard bootleg touchdown run. The Lions responded themselves with Andre Roberts hauling in a tough two-yard touchdown catch on fourth and goal to end a 14-play, 75-yard drive and tie the game at 14 late in the second.

The Rams launched a drive as the first half ended but the Lions defense came up with a goalline stand, stuffing Todd Gurley on fourth and goal on the final play of the half to preserve the tie going into halftime.

After forcing a three-and-out on defense to start the second half, the Lions offense returned to the field and Stafford found Golden Tate, who made two defenders miss on a 62-yard reception, setting up a four-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Anquan Boldin to put the Lions back in front. The Rams answered with their third 75-yard-plus touchdown drive of the game, tying the game once again with a 15-yard pass from Keenum to tight end Lance Kendricks.

After forcing a three-and-out on the Lions’ next drive, Los Angeles took the lead back once again, Britt scoring his second touchdown of the game on a nine-yard reception early in the fourth quarter. Once again, the Lions offense responded, driving 84 yards in 13 plays and tying the game on a 23-yard pass from Stafford to Tate with 6:09 left in the fourth.

After forcing a Los Angeles three-and-out, the Lions drove into Rams territory and Matt Prater kicked a go-ahead 34-yard field goal to put the Lions ahead 31-28 with 1:33 left in the fourth. Keenum tried to launch a drive for the Rams at the end but was picked off by Rafael Bush, sealing a 31-28 Lions win.