Written by LARRY LAGE, an AP Sports Writer

Jared Goff delivered a touchdown pass and a crucial first down against his former team, leading the Detroit Lions to their first playoff victory in 32 years. They defeated Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 on Sunday night.

The Lions (13-5) broke a record for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history, which had lasted for nine games since their win against Dallas on Jan. 5, 1992. After losing a home playoff game two years later, they had not hosted one until now.

The upcoming divisional round next Sunday will mark the first time in franchise history that Detroit will have two home playoff games. They will be hosting either Tampa Bay or Philadelphia.

In the final quarter, the Rams (10-8) had an opportunity to go ahead, but were unable to due to the strong defense from Detroit. A penalty for holding caused Los Angeles to move out of position for a field goal, and Stafford (the Lions’ quarterback for many years who won a Super Bowl after being traded to the Rams) was unable to complete a pass on fourth down.

During the first play following the two-minute warning, Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for a gain of 11 yards. This allowed the Lions to control the remaining time and ultimately secure a win, bringing joy to loyal fans who have endured a lack of success since the team’s previous playoff win in 1957.

Goff, who used to be the leader of the franchise that made it to the Super Bowl, completed 22 out of 27 passes for 277 yards. He also threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, giving Detroit a 21-10 lead in the second quarter. The Lions traded for Goff and received two first-round picks in exchange for Stafford three years ago.

Stafford, while dealing with a bandaged and bloodied hand from colliding with a defender’s helmet, completed 25 out of 36 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns during the majority of the game. The impressive rookie Puka Nacua also set a record with nine catches for 181 yards.

Both David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs scored a rushing touchdown for the Lions, with St. Brown making seven receptions for 110 yards.

The Lions were able to score on their initial two possessions, giving them a 14-3 advantage.

At the end of the first half, the Rams narrowed the score to 21-17 with the help of Stafford’s 50-yard touchdown throw to Nacua and a 38-yard pass to Tutu Atwell.

In the third quarter, the Lions gained a seven-point advantage thanks to Michael Badgley’s 54-yard field goal.

The Rams were able to advance the ball easily for most of the game, but they only managed to score short field goals by Brett Maher towards the end of the third quarter and halfway through the fourth, bringing the score to 24-23 with 8:10 left on the clock.

Stafford has established himself as an expert in making comebacks in the fourth quarter, which was well-known by the Ford Field fans. He had the opportunity to give the Rams the lead for the first time, and successfully led a drive to the Detroit 34-yard line. However, the Lions’ defense proved too strong and pushed him back from there.

At the 4:07 mark, Detroit assumed control while Los Angeles was left with just one timeout. The team had already used two earlier in the half to deal with the deafening noise from the crowd. This gave Goff the opportunity to end the play by throwing to St. Brown and then taking a knee.

The Lions had a strong start and seemed energized, much like their dedicated fans. Rapper and Detroit local Eminem was in attendance, along with Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson.

When Stafford stepped onto the field, the crowd expressed their disapproval with loud boos. He then took a pregame photo with his wife and daughters before the game started. The fans also chanted “Jar-ed Goff! Jar-ed Goff!” in support of the Lions’ third-year quarterback.

INJURIES

The Rams’ quarterback, Matthew Stafford, had his right hand wrapped in tape after it was injured in the second quarter. He left the field slowly after being hit by two players from the Lions in the third quarter. Running back Kyren Williams also suffered a hand injury in the fourth quarter. Tight end Tyler Higbee limped off the field and appeared to be favoring his right leg after taking a hit in the fourth quarter. Safety Jordan Fuller, who is second on the team in tackles, was unable to play due to an ankle injury after being listed as questionable.

Kalif Raymond, James Mitchell, and Jerry Jacobs were not active for the Lions.
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The AP NFL can be found at https://apnews.com/hub/NFL.

Source: wralsportsfan.com