PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
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season in review<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Game #13<br />
LIONS 34, VIKINGS 28<br />
FORD FIELD, DECEMBER 11, 2011<br />
ATTENDANCE: 63,988<br />
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q OT Final<br />
MINNESOTA VIKINGS 7 7 7 7 - 28<br />
DETROIT LIONS 21 10 0 3 - 34<br />
LIonS ..................Tulloch fumble recovery in end zone (Hanson kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Young 57 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Pettigrew 12 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
vIKInGS ..............Shiancoe 7 yd. pass from Ponder (Longwell kick)<br />
LIonS ..................a. Smith 30 yd. interception return (Hanson kick)<br />
vIKInGS ..............Harvin 6 yd. pass from Ponder (Longwell kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Hanson 30 yd. Field Goal<br />
vIKInGS ..............webb 65 yd. run (Longwell kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Hanson 26 yd. Field Goal<br />
vIKInGS ..............Gerhart 2 yd. pass from webb (Longwell kick)<br />
VIKINGS<br />
LIONS<br />
First Downs 29 13<br />
Total net Yards 425 280<br />
net Yards Rushing 269 72<br />
net Yards Passing 156 208<br />
(att/Comp/Int) 37-22-2 22-10-2<br />
Punts-average 2-48.5 6-47.7<br />
Fumbles-Lost 5-3 0-0<br />
Sacks-Yards 5-19 4-43<br />
Penalties-Yards 5-37 10-76<br />
Time of Possession 28:46 31:14<br />
RUSHING<br />
VIKINGS: webb 7-109 1 TD; Gerhart 19-90; Harvin 4-40; Booker 3-17;<br />
Ponder 2-13.<br />
LIONS: williams 12-43; Morris 4-13; Johnson 1-11; Stafford 2-4; Burleson<br />
1-1; Brown 1-0.<br />
PASSING<br />
VIKINGS: webb 12-23 84, 1 TD; Ponder 11-21 115, 2 TD, 3 InT.<br />
LIONS: Stafford 20-29 227 2 TD.<br />
RECEIVING<br />
VIKINGS: Harvin 10-69 1 TD; aromashodu 4-47; Shinacoe 3-33 1 TD; Gerhart<br />
3-19 1 TD; Camarillo 2-31; Rudolph 1-0.<br />
LIONS: Pettigrew 6-57 1 TD; Young 4-87 1 TD; Johnson 3-29; Burleson<br />
3-25; williams 2-17; Brown 1-9; Morris 1-3.<br />
SUMMARY<br />
after the <strong>Lions</strong> stormed back from a big deficit in the teams’ first meeting earlier<br />
in the season, the vikings almost returned the favor in week 13. Coming off two<br />
straight losses to nFC powers, the <strong>Lions</strong> looked to start fast against the struggling<br />
vikings and accomplished their goal. on Minnesota’s first offensive play, rookie QB<br />
Christian Ponder was sacked by <strong>Lions</strong> De Cliff avril, stripped of the football, and<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>’s Stephen Tulloch jumped on the ball in the end zone for the game’s opening<br />
touchdown. on Minnesota’s next drive, on a 3rd-and-long situation, Ponder was<br />
picked off by CB alphonso Smith. Three plays later, <strong>Lions</strong> QB Matthew Stafford<br />
hit rookie wR Titus Young down the left sideline for a 57-yard touchdown. after a<br />
punt from the vikings, the <strong>Lions</strong> continued to add to their lead. a good punt return<br />
by return man Stefan Logan set them up at vikings’ 34-yard line; Stafford found<br />
his tight end, Brandon Pettigrew on a 17-yard pitch and catch that included the<br />
265-pounder hurdling over a defender. The two connected again on the very next<br />
play on a corner route for a 17-yard score to push the <strong>Detroit</strong> lead to 21-0. Down<br />
three touchdowns with their best player (RB adrian Peterson) inactive with an ankle<br />
injury, things looked bleak for the 2-10 vikings, but they fought back into the game.<br />
Late in the first quarter, Ponder led the team on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was<br />
capped off by a 7-yard tight end screen to visanthe Shiancoe. with a little bit of<br />
momentum, the vikings defense held the <strong>Lions</strong> and forced them into a punt. on<br />
their next drive, however, Ponder was picked off again by Smith, who returned it 30<br />
yards for a touchdown. Minnesota answered on its next possession as Ponder again<br />
led a 10-play drive that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown pass to wR Percy Harvin.<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> added a 30-yard field goal by K Jason Hanson late in the second quarter<br />
to take a 31-14 advantage into the halftime locker room. Minnesota received the<br />
second half kickoff, but once again the <strong>Lions</strong> defense forced them into a turnover.<br />
Ponder was intercepted by CB eric wright, giving the ball back to the <strong>Lions</strong> and<br />
ending his day. after a <strong>Lions</strong> punt, QB Joe webb replaced Ponder as the signal-caller<br />
and instantly brought some energy to his team. on his first drive, the mobile webb<br />
escaped a third-down pass rush and raced all alone down the right sideline for a<br />
65-yard touchdown run. Up by 10 entering the fourth quarter, the <strong>Lions</strong> added a<br />
second Hanson field goal to increase their lead. However, webb proved difficult to<br />
stop as he drove the vikings down the field and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to<br />
RB Toby Gerhart to bring Minnesota within six. after each team punted, the vikings<br />
were in position to have the final drive looking for a game-winning touchdown.<br />
with 3:32 remaining, Minnesota started on their 20 and methodically moved the<br />
ball down the field. They converted two fourth down plays on the drive, including<br />
a 4th-and-6 from the <strong>Lions</strong>’ 12. an offside penalty by the <strong>Lions</strong> gave Minnesota<br />
a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 0:09 left. on what turned out to be the<br />
final play of the game, webb rolled to his left, was sacked by <strong>Lions</strong> LB Deandre<br />
Levy forcing a fumble. The ball bounced down the field before avril rolled on top<br />
of it at the Minnesota’ 43-yard line securing the victory.<br />
Game #14<br />
LIONS 28, RAIDERS 27<br />
O.co COLISEUM, DECEMBER 18, 2011<br />
ATTENDANCE: 59,069<br />
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q OT Final<br />
DETROIT LIONS 7 7 0 14 - 28<br />
OAKLAND RAIDERS 7 10 0 10 - 27<br />
RaIDeRS .............Murphy 12 yd. run (Janikowski kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Johnson 51 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
RaIDeRS .............Heyward-Bey 43 yd. pass from Palmer (Janikowski kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Burleson 39 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
RaIDeRS .............Janikowski 46 yd. Field Goal<br />
RaIDeRS .............Janikowski 51 yd. Field Goal<br />
RaIDeRS .............Curry 6 yd. fumble return (Janikowski kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Young 3 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
LIonS ..................Johnson 6 yd. pass from Stafford (Hanson kick)<br />
LIONS<br />
RAIDERS<br />
First Downs 25 26<br />
Total net Yards 432 477<br />
net Yards Rushing 57 132<br />
net Yards Passing 375 345<br />
(att/Comp/Int) 52-29-0 40-32-0<br />
Punts-average 6-42.8 5-47.0<br />
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1<br />
Sacks-Yards 3-22 2-16<br />
Penalties-Yards 9-72 10-86<br />
Time of Possession 28:27 31:33<br />
RUSHING<br />
LIONS: Smith 15-43; Logan 1-5; Stafford 1-5; Young 1-4; williams 1-0.<br />
RAIDERS: Bush 18-77; Reece 1-26; Murphy 2-16; Moore 1-13.<br />
PASSING<br />
LIONS: Stafford 29-52 391 4 TD.<br />
RAIDERS: Palmer 32-40 367 1 TD.<br />
RECEIVING<br />
LIONS: Johnson 9-214 2 TD; Burleson 7-81 1 TD; Pettigrew 5-49; Young<br />
5-21 1 TD; Logan 1-19; Scheffler 1-4; Smith 1-3.<br />
RAIDERS: Heyward-Bey 8-155 1 TD; Bush 7-62; Houshmandzadeh 6-52;<br />
Boss 3-47; Reece 3-16; Schilens 2-14; Moore 2-13; Murphy 1-8.<br />
SUMMARY<br />
In a pivotal matchup with playoff implications for both teams, oakland and <strong>Detroit</strong><br />
faced off in week 15 at the o.co Coliseum. The Raiders, looking to bounce back from<br />
a loss the previous Sunday to the Green Bay Packers, got off to the quick start at<br />
home and raced out to an early lead. on their second possession, FB Marcel Reece<br />
bolted through a hole off left tackle and down the left sideline for 26 yards. after<br />
three <strong>Lions</strong> penalties put the ball at the 12-yard line, wR Louis Murphy took an end<br />
around and raced to the pylon for the game’s opening touchdown. on the subsequent<br />
possession, the <strong>Lions</strong> responded and tied the game. after a 3rd-down conversion from<br />
QB Matthew Stafford to wR Titus Young and a short pass to wR nate Burleson on<br />
first down, Stafford hit his favorite target, wR Calvin Johnson, in stride behind the<br />
oakland secondary for a 51-yard touchdown. The Raiders regained the lead early in<br />
the second quarter when QB Carson Palmer led a 94-yard drive that was capped off<br />
with a 43-yard pass to wR Darrius Heyward-Bey. on the play, Heyward-Bey took<br />
a skinny post pattern, broke a tackle from CB Chris Houston, and galloped through<br />
the safeties for the score. Like in the first quarter, Stafford once again countered<br />
the Raiders touchdown with one of his own. after two completions to Johnson, the<br />
third-year quarterback found Burleson down the middle of the field for a 39-yard<br />
score. with just 1:14 left in the first half, Palmer drove the Raiders into <strong>Lions</strong> territory<br />
and set up K Sebastian Janikowski for a 46-yard field goal as time expired. The third<br />
quarter was owned by both defenses as they forced three combined punts, a fourth<br />
down stop by the Raiders defense and a vital fumble recovery by the <strong>Lions</strong>. on the<br />
forced fumble and recovery by <strong>Detroit</strong>, Heyward-Bey caught a pass down the middle<br />
from Palmer for 29 yards. Chasing him from behind, LB Justin Durant stripped the ball<br />
and CB alphonso Smith recovered to take potential points off the scoreboard from the<br />
Raiders. The <strong>Lions</strong> offense did not take advantage of the turnover and were forced to<br />
punt it back to oakland early in the fourth quarter. on the next drive, Janikowski hit<br />
a second field goal, this one from 51 yards out. Down by six, <strong>Detroit</strong> started the next<br />
possession from its own 14-yard line. after two incompletions, Stafford dropped back<br />
on 3rd down, was sacked by DT Tommy Kelly, stripped, and LB aaron Curry recovered<br />
it and returned it for a touchdown. Trailing by 13 and momentum on the side of the<br />
home team, <strong>Detroit</strong>, who has had three substantial comebacks already in the season,<br />
proved once again that the <strong>Lions</strong> never quit. Stafford led a 10-play, 71-yard drive that<br />
ended with a 3-yard strike to Young. on the drive, Stafford connected with Te Brandon<br />
Pettigrew on two important 3rd downs as well as ran a QB draw on 4th-and-2 from the<br />
oakland 8-yard line to keep the drive going. while the <strong>Lions</strong> defense was able to force<br />
an Raiders to punt, P Shane Lechler dropped the kick inside the 5-yard line and had it<br />
downed at the 2-yard line. So with 2:14 remaining and 98 yards to go, <strong>Detroit</strong> would<br />
need their playmakers to step up. after the offense converted their first first down,<br />
the Stafford-Johnson combination would strike again as they connected on a 21-yard<br />
play along the sideline. after a booth review confirmed the catch, Johnson got behind<br />
the oakland defense for a 48-yard gain on the very next play. a pass interference call<br />
took the ball inside the Raiders 10-yard line and on 2nd-and-goal from the 6, Stafford<br />
hit Johnson in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. with just 0:39<br />
remaining, Palmer hit Te Kevin Boss on consecutive passes to get the ball to midfield.<br />
a sack by <strong>Lions</strong> De Cliff avril forced the Raiders to burn their last timeout, but Palmer<br />
found T.J. Houshmandzadeh along the sideline for 6 yards to give Janikowski a chance<br />
at a game-winning field goal. His 65-yard attempt, however, was blocked by <strong>Lions</strong><br />
DT ndamukong Suh and <strong>Detroit</strong> prevailed with a 28-27 victory.