The Detroit Lions won their first playoff game for 32 years on Sunday evening, edging past the in-form LA Rams 24-23 at an emotionally charged Ford Field.
Jared Goff threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as the Lions saw off a late Rams charge to set up a clash against the winners of Monday night’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Philadelphia Eagles clash.
Here’s what we learned from the Lions’ narrow victory.
History makers
You’d have to have a heart of stone (or other rooting interests) not to have been taken in by the emotion on display at Ford Field on Sunday night. It was a win 32 years in the making for the football-mad city of Detroit, complete with the usual nervy moments you get at this stage of the season.
After the early Lions offensive dominance began to fade, their defense kicked in, with two red zone stops before some classic Dan Campbell aggression when a passing play on second-and-9 sealed the first down they needed to run out the clock.
Fans were openly weeping in the stands, while Detroit luminaries such as Eminem, Megatron and Barry Sanders were seen celebrating on the sidelines in scenes that couldn’t help but put a smile on your face. And now they get to do it all again in their building next weekend.
Goff vs Stafford meets the hype
Much of the pre-match narrative centred around Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford going up against their former teams. With everyone in Ford Field chanting his name, Goff began well, seeing just two of his 18 first-half passes fall incomplete as he racked up 194 yards and a score before the break.
While he found the going tougher after half-time, he was clutch when it mattered after the two-minute warning in what will have been a personal mini-victory against the coach who traded him.
On the other side of the ball, Stafford put in a gutsy display, with his throwing hand bleeding and a trip to the blue medical tent, as he was often forced to improvise in the face of an aggressive pass rush.
Both men can hold their heads up high after an exciting encounter and if the Lions’ momentum carries on, then the Goff-Stafford trade will go down as a rare win-win situation.
Rams rapid rebuild bodes well
While their season ended in the disappointment of a one-point playoff defeat, when the dust settles, the Rams can be delighted with how their season went.
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Sean McVay and company after the franchise mortgaged their future to bring home a Lombardi two years ago, but a brilliant draft class and the continued class of Stafford meant that expectations were exceeded. Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, Byron Young and Kobie Turner have all excelled this season and if general manager Les Snead can weave his magic again in this year’s draft, the Rams could quickly find themselves contending again.
Dan Campbell’s reputation grows
With the talk of ‘biting kneecaps’ in his introductory press conference, some were quick to dismiss the former tight end’s coaching career before it began, especially after a tricky first season.
Three years of consistent improvement have seen the Lions win the NFC North and now they they have a playoff win under their belt, validating the ownership’s patience and belief.
Creating a new culture is one of the hardest things to do in sports, but Campbell has done exactly that at one of the NFL’s most embattled modern-day franchises, with the now Lions a hardworking, gritty and united team that are reaping the rewards.