Detroit – sixteen seconds.
Matthew Stafford has engineered a number of game-winning drives throughout his career. In fact, the man engineered more game-winning drives than any other quarterback since Drew Breeze entered the league in 2009. But, with only 16 seconds left, his throwing hand was wrapped in tape and his initial receiver was sidelined with two hip injuries while starving. Below the barrel of the League’s No. 1 defense, well, a few places have become more difficult than this.
It didn’t matter.
Stafford covered 34 yards in those 16 seconds, acting a little about two quick finishes and perhaps the amount of a passing penalty, and Matt Prater buried a 59-yard buzzer-bitter at Ford Field on Sunday to beat Washington Washington 30-27. .
“If you know anything about that guy, number 9, he can literally throw someone,” said receiver Marvin Jones.
In the first 40 minutes of the game, Stafford threw touchdown passes to Jones, Marvin Hall and D’Andre Swift. That paired him with Mont Montana for 17th on the NFL’s list of all-time touchdown passes, and helped Detroit take a 24-3 lead in the middle of the third quarter.
But this defense has not been particularly good for keeping anything under Matt Patricia and Washington Washington – the following five offenses with backup quarterbacks under the center – needing just 17 minutes to get 21 unanswered points and tie the game.
Stafford faced a go-ahead drive at the end of the fourth quarter, covering 56 yards in an experimental chapter of 11 songs, he set the praetor for the goal of the forward field and used all but the final 2:37 of the regulation. But, Washington was given more than enough time to punch back, with only three seconds left, with the third-third-long and fourth-en rotating the field goal connected to the second game.
It seemed like we were heading for overtime.
But then Washington made a tactical mistake to Shingt, choosing to send a kickoff from behind the end zone. He saved those precious seconds, and Stafford went to work with the other three timekeepers.
For injured Kenny Golade and Danny Amandola, as he passed a quick 10-yard pass over the bandit seam, he teamed up with Rookie Quintage Cafes. Detroit took its first timeout, then decided to take a shot coming out of the break. Stafford bombed Kefs and hashed the left side, and the pass also seemed to be on the money, but it was lengthy for the ball and came soon after.
Stafford slipped over his knee, clearly disappointed that he was not connected.
“Almost hit him,” Stafford said, “a little walk-touch f touchdown pass.”
There were only 6 seconds left, and there was still a lot of grass left between him and the goal.
But, a flag.
Chase Young, after finishing second overall in this year’s draft, hit Stafford in the back after the pass. There was no more contact, but there was contact nonetheless, and it was definitely too late. Stafford also sold it to the ground, and officers bought it.
“Hit him very hard,” said Washington coach Ron Rivera. They hit our man and knocked him to the ground. We didn’t get a fine. So, you know, a little inconsistent. ”
Sure, but the Lions were happy to take 15 free yards anyway, and suddenly they were at 50 with 6 seconds left. Stafford then made a quick pass for Marvin Jones on the following play, and Jones immediately took a dive into the 41st to call the Detroit deadline.
Clock: 3 seconds left.
“A great ecological football in the end,” Patricia said. Stafford, (Darrell Bewell), and planning it all – was very cautious about how we would play it. There were some plays that we dialed and then used their timeout and kind of able to progress all the way from there. Pending execution. “
Of course, the Lions still had to score a 59-yard field goal to finish it. Then again, the Lions still have Pra Prater, the best long-ball performer in franchise history. Preter already holds the record for scoring the longest field goal of 59 yards in club history in 2015. And he pushed this 59-yard a lot further and finished Washington in a buzzer-hitting fashion.
“We got there close enough to do his job by coming there for that most clutch kicker in football,” Stafford said. “So, I was very happy with Matt Prater and for that performance and by the excitement. I mean, to win him 59 59-yarder, that’s what that guy likes to do and what we like for him. Is a person and I am really proud of her today. “
Stafford has been beaten in the last few weeks, including leaving last week’s game to be assessed for a brain injury, then hitting his throwing hand so hard in the meantime that he was having trouble catching the ball. He stayed in the game, but needed a tape job to do it.
He then drove his 37th game-winning drive, passing just behind Breeze (39) after entering the league in 2009. He finished 24 of 336 with 276 yards, three touchdowns, no picks and a season-high pass rating of 127.8.
Not bad for a bang-up quarterback playing against the No. 1 defense in the league.
“There are definitely some things we can do better,” Stafford said, “but I’m proud of my boys fighting. Winning is winning. It’s hard to win in this league, I never want to apologize for one.” Can we play better? Yes. But we did a great job of not turning the ball forward, we did a great job of getting a little stop in defense, our special teams were always like nails. So, it was great. “
