In a thrilling display, the Detroit Lions secured the overtime victory against the Los Angeles Rams, 26-20.
Football is finally back, and Ford Field was buzzing this past Sunday. The thrill intensified when a successful coin toss for the Detroit Lions led to a David Montgomery game-winning touchdown in the closing moments. Commanding the field in beast mode, he completely wore down the Rams’ defense, demonstrating a truly gritty performance. Montgomery led the pride and racked up 91 yards on 11 carries.
After a 1-0 start to the season, head coach Dan Campbell lauded Montgomery in his post-game press conference.
“He’s in unbelievable shape, he’s worked, worked extremely hard, and he’s just, man, he’s just reliable,” Campbell said. “He runs heavy, he’s tough, he’s physical, he gets in a rhythm and I think he’s a catalyst for us. You know, he starts carrying it, and he gets better and better, and I think the line feeds off of him, and he feeds off of them — that guy’s a stud. He’s a stud.”
Jameson Williams can’t be caught, either. Jared Goff connected with Williams for a 52-yard touchdown, adding his first career game with over 100 yards receiving to his resume. Williams finished with a total of 121 yards on five receptions and was simply unstoppable.
The wide receiver’s stellar performance gave the Lions the 17-3 lead. Following the game, Williams was honored with his first-ever game ball, proof that his breakout year is well underway.
After Williams ignited the crowd with his end zone celebration, the Rams knew they needed to make a push. Strong defense, led by Alex Anzalone, made it hard for Matthew Stafford early in the game. Lions safety Kerby Joseph further disrupted their offense with an interception just before halftime. Stafford had to make adjustments in the second half if they wanted to have a chance.
The game soon saw him orchestrate a 70-yard drive to Kyren Williams for the touchdown that pulled them within 7 points. Following this, Rams kicker Joshua Karty drilled a field goal. Then, to give them the advantage, Cooper Kupp made his presence felt with a 9-yard touchdown.
Detroit eventually got close enough and settled for a field goal in their final drive, and it was all on Jake Bates. With a lot of pressure on him, he successfully completed the 32-yard kick that sent the game into overtime, tied at a 20-20 score. In the extra period, Montgomery burst through 21-yards, setting up a crucial 10-yard run by Jahmyr Gibbs.
Detroit eventually advanced to the 2-yard line, and from that point, Montgomery took over and clinched the game, and the Lions came out on top.
“A win is a win. That team gave us everything they had, man, but the bottom line is man, it’s hard to break us now. It’s hard to break us. As a matter of fact, you ain’t gonna do it,” Campbell said. “And we just had to buy our time, find our rhythm. Defense, we held. That’s a damn good win. When you don’t play your best ball and still find a way to win, ’cause we’ll clean the rest of this up, and we’ll be better.”
The Lions achieved victory through grit and determination, which signals that they are not to be underestimated.
What’s Next?
Fans will pack Ford Field again this Sunday, Sept. 15, for an exciting matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 pm, and the “One Pride” spirit will be in full swing as they look to make another statement.