DETROIT (WXYZ) — It took extra time, but the Detroit Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams 26-20 in overtime on Sunday night to open the 2024 season.
David Montgomery powered the Lions down the field in overtime to give the Lions the win.
It was a game where Detroit's offense shined. Jared Goff threw for 217 yards and a touchdown, Montgomery rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown, and Jameson Williams caught five passes for 121 yards in the win.
Both teams struggled on their first drive, and then the Rams got on the board first with a field goal. Detroit matched it on the ensuing drive to tie the game 3-3. It stayed that way until near the end of the second quarter.
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That's when the Lions drove 77 yards down the field on nine plays that ended with a Jahmyr Gibbs run for a touchdown. The call was originally that he was short of the line, but a replay ruled it was a touchdown.
Los Angeles took over late in the second but Matthew Stafford threw a pass that was intercepted by Kerby Joseph in the endzone. Goff was sacked on the first play and the game went to halftime with the Lions up 10-3.
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Both teams went 3-and-out to start the second half, but Detroit took a 17-3 lead on a 52-yard pass from Goff to Jameson Williams.
However, Los Angeles quickly drove down field on 11 plays for 70 yards that ended with a Williams run for at ouchdown that cut the lead to 17-10.
New Lions CB Terrion Arnold had two costly pass interference plays – one that set up that touchdown run, and another on the Rams' next drive that put them at the one-yard line.
Aidan Hutchinson drew two big holding penalties though, including one that took away a touchdown, and the Rams had to settle for a field goal.
As the Lions drove down the field, Goff's pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown was intercepted, and the Rams began driving down the field midway through the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles drove down 80 yards on 10 plays with big throws from Stafford. He hit Cooper Kupp for a 9-yard touchdown and the Rams then took a 20-17 lead with 4:30 left in the game.
The Lions had another 3-and-out and Goff nearly threw another interception, and Detroit was forced to punt, giving LA the ball at their 11-yard line with just 4:10 left in the game.
Detroit was able to stop the Rams on their drive and got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
They drove down the field and got into field goal range, but failed to score a touchdown. Jake Bates kicked a 32-yard field goal to tie the game at 20.
Los Angeles took over with 17 seconds remaining and all three timeouts, but an incomplete pass and a sack by Hutchinson sent the game to overtime.
Detroit won the toss and Kalif Ryamond took the ball out to the 42-yard line, then David Montgomery ran for 30 yards and Goff thew a 10-yard pass to Gibbs and the Lions were quickly in the red zone.
Montgomery got the ball and ran another 14 yards and got the Lions to the one-yard line. He ultimately punched it in, securing the Week 1 win for the Lions.
