The Detroit Lions was able to squeak out a 30-27 victory over the Washington Football Team on the foot of Matt Prater’s 59-yard field goal to nail their fourth win of the season and their first home victory this year.
The Lions looked in control to start the game. The offense was managing to put points on the board, and the defense was in their bend, not break mentality, and for the most part, it was working. Then everything came off the rails and almost allowed Alex Smith to steal the win from the Lions grasp on his career day.
It always feels good to pull out the win, but it shouldn’t have come down to Matt Prater to seal the win. The Lions were up 24-3 in the 3rd quarter, but they fell into their old ways again and found themselves digging their own grave once again.
It all started on a fourth-down conversion by Washington that got it started.
The Lions just scored on their first drive to start the second half, and Washington was attempting to convert a 4th-and-13 deep in the Lions zone to stay in this game. All the Lions had to do was not break, and they could get the ball back in hopes of extending their lead.
Unfortunately for the Lions, Smith had other plans when he found former Lions tight end Logan Thomas for 15 yards to covert in what looked like an insurmountable task. In the next play, another former Lion, J.D. McKissic, completes the drive with a touchdown.
The Lions didn’t do themselves any favors going 3-and-out on their next drives, resulting in just two total yards of offense. During that time, Washington went up-tempo and caught the Lions sleeping, scoring touchdowns on their next two drives to tie this game up.
The fourth-down conversion from Washington swung the momentum in its favor, and was able to ride it through the second half. It started a downward spiral for the Lions that had no answers for the onslaught that was happening right in front of them.
After a couple of field goal exchanges, it was looking like this game was heading to overtime. Likely, the Lions were saved with the help of late-game heroics from Stafford and Prater and get the win.
The Lions won, which is always a good feeling, but this feels like a soulless victory. The Lions fell victim to their own ways, and on top of self-inflicted wounds, it allowed Washington to come back and almost succeed in the upset.
Detroit will head back on the road to face the 3-6 Carolina Panthers next week, who are on a five-game losing streak after suffering a defeat from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week.