At Wembley Stadium in London, a game that was seen by Americans at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, the Detroit Lions beat the Atlanta Falcons, 22-21, overcoming a 21-0 halftime deficit.
Atlanta was dominate to start the game, taking the opening drive 80 yards in ten plays, with Matt Ryan finding rookie running back Devonta Freeman for a 7 yard touchdown pass. After a defensive stop, the Falcons drove 56 yards in six plays, with Ryan finding tight end Bear Pascoe in the back of the endzone for a one-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 with 2:53 in the first quarter.
With ten minutes left in the second quarter, Atlanta started from their own 11, but drove the ball the length of the field, finishing with a one-yard touchdown run by Stephen Jackson to go up 21-0 with 3:45 left in the first half. Matthew Stafford was driving the Lions in the final two minutes, but threw an interception to Robert Alford in Falcon territory to keep the score at 21-0 heading into the locker room.
Detroit took its opening possession of the second half 76 yards in 15 plays, but were forced to settle for a 22 yard field goal by Matt Prater to cut the lead to 21-3 midway through the third quarter. On the next Lions possession, a 3rd and 25 was converted in a big way, as Stafford threw downfield to Golden Tate for a 59 yard touchdown to again decrease the deficit t0 21-10. with 4:48 to go in the third.
Matthew Stafford breaks Bobby Lane's TD Pass Record with his 119th Touchdown pass on 3rd & 25 for 59 yards. #Lions #DETvsATL #NFLLondon
— #3 G. Torres #82 (@GatoradeMVP) October 26, 2014
In the final minute of the third quarter, a promising Atlanta drive ended when Ryan, under pressure and looking to his left, threw to his right, where only Detroit cornerback Cassius Vaughn was, and a Vaughn interception was returned to the Atlanta 8. Four plays later, Prater hit a 20 yard field goal to make it 21-13 with 14:10 left in the fourth quarter.
Following a stop from their defense, the Lions drove 69 yards in 13 plays, with Stafford going underneath to running back Theo Riddick for a 5 yard touchdown, but a failed two-point conversion pass to Tate still gave Atlanta the lead, 21-19 with just under four minutes left. Detroit got the ball inside their own ten with just under two minutes to go, and drove to the Atlanta 26 with 4 seconds left, with Matt Prater kicking a 43 yarder, but a delay of game penalty made his wide right kick not count.
With a 48 yarder next, Prater was good and the Lions won their third straight game to get to 6-2, while the Falcons dropped to 2-6 with their fifth straight defeat. Stafford finished 24 of 47 for 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, finding Tate 7 times for 154 yards and a touchdown. Ryan was 20 of 27 for 228 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, losing his first game in which his team led by 18 or more points, as he was 18-0 previous, while the Falcons
The Detroit Lions were 0-51 in franchise history when trailing by 21+ at halftime. They WON 22-21 in London. And owe it to Mike Smith.
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 26, 2014
Detroit defensive tackle Nick Fairley left in the first half with a knee injury and did not return.
