Lions Roar Back from 10 Point Deficit to Beat Eagles
The Detroit Lions came behind from 10 points down in the 4th quarter to force overtime and eventually beat the Philadelphia Eagles 26-23 OT at Lincoln Financial Field. While the win might have saved the Lions season it was the second time in two weeks the Eagles blew a 4th quarter lead and lost by a field goal. Had it not been for a missed field goal as time expired by the New York Giants it would be 3 losses in a row in the same fashion.
Earlier in the week the pressure was on Michael Vick to take better care of the ball threw two more interceptions, botched two snaps and recovered his own fumble. Vick acknowledged he needs to do a better job on maintain ball security “I’m just going to continue to try to work on ball security as much as I can. Limit the interceptions, limit the fumbles and just try to keep this football team ahead on the scoreboard. That’s my primary goal at the end of the day. If we can all play together collectively, certain things happen, but I just have to keep my team in a position where we are always ahead on the scoreboard. And that’s what matters the most to me.”
When asked on what happened on his two interceptions Vick explained “Well, the pass to [WR] DeSean [Jackson], I just kind of laid it out and [CB Chris Houston] caught it. I could have [thrown] it out there a little more. The one to [WR] Jason [Avant], just trying to make a play and the ball got picked off.”
With the team struggles, especially on the offensive side of the ball, Coach Andy Reid took responsibility for the loss “We have to learn how to win football games as coaches and players. That’s my responsibility, and obviously we didn’t get it done. You have a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, particularly after the slow start that we had offensively, then you have to care of it. We didn’t do that. I’ll take responsibility for it. I just know that it wasn’t good enough all the way around. There were times and places where everyone needs to look themselves in the mirror and get better – me included”
The problems seem to persist in Reid’s reluctance to run the ball as their best player LeSean McCoy only had 14 rushes while Vick threw the ball 46 times.
The coaching hot seat just got hotter for Coach Reid but the Eagles are 3-3 and still in the thick of the race within their own division the Eagles have a bye to get there issues fix and they better get them fix before hosting the currently undefeated Atlanta Falcons.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball the Detroit Lions were desperate to get back on track themselves as they avoided a 1-4 start to improve to 2-3. Jason Hanson’s kicked his 9th game-winning overtime field goal, tying fellow kicker Jason Elam 45-yard field goal.
“I was nervous” said Hanson. “We needed it bad. We needed it to get our season on track”.
With the Lions down by 10 in the 4th quarter Matthew Stafford connected on a 57-yard pass to Tony Scheffler to move the ball into Eagles territory before tossing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nate Burleson to cut the Eagles lead to 23-20 with 3:32 left in the game. After a quick three and out for the Eagles, Stafford drove the Lions down the field to tie up the game before Hanson kicked the game winning field goal.
The fourth-quarter comeback was the eighth in Stafford’s career. “It’s probably easier to just fold it in and go home packing,” Stafford said of the Lions comeback from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. “This team has a heck of a lot of fight. That’s something we pride ourselves on. Obviously we did not play a great game. We did on defense. We didn’t on offense. ”
Stafford finished the day 22-of-45 for 311 yards and one touchdown. Calvin Johnson hauled in 6 receptions for 135-yards.
However, the win doesn’t erase the problems that persist for the Lions as they had a season-high 16 penalties for 132 yards. The defense also allowed another big play as WR Jeremy Maclin caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Vick.
The Lions will play the Bears at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football Oct 22.
Game Notes:
- Calvin Johnson’s only touchdown reception this year came from quarterback Shaun Hill, not Matthew Stafford
- Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin led the team with 130 receiving yards, including a 70-yard touchdown, the third-longest score of his career … It marks Maclin’s eighth career 100-yard game … Maclin has amassed 2,891 career receiving yards, which is already the fourth-highest total ever by an Eagle in his first four seasons. His 22 touchdowns are sixth.
- Lions FS Louis Delmas was active and starting for the first time this season after having knee surgery in August
- Vick had his ninth 300-yard passing game as an Eagle, which is already the fifth-highest total in team history.
- Lions CB Jacob Lacey left the game twice with a head injury and didn’t return after the second time when he was diagnosed with a concussion
- Ricky Watters was the honorary captain for Philadelphia
