Detroit Lions Fall to Seahawks 37-31 in Overtime After Costly Turnovers
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Detroit Lions’s Errors Prove Too Much to Overcome Against Seattle
The Detroit Lions dropped to 1-1 on the season after a hard-fought 37-31 overtime loss to the visiting Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field on Sunday. Turnovers and a lack of pass rush ultimately doomed Detroit despite a valiant late rally to force the extra period.
Turnovers Allow Seattle to Build Insurmountable Lead
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Detroit Lions got off to a rough start in the second half when a David Montgomery fumble gave Seattle a short field early in the third quarter. The Seahawks capitalized with a quick touchdown two plays later to tie it at 14-14.
Things went from bad to worse later in the fourth when a Jared Goff interception was returned 40 yards for a pick-six by Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown. The touchdown gave Seattle a 31-21 lead, which proved impossible for much of the game.
“When you turn the ball over twice offensively where we did, that’s tough,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell. “That bit us. We’re not good enough to turn the ball over.”
Overall, Seattle scored 14 points directly from Detroit’s three turnovers while committing none of their own. That differential was the most significant factor in the outcome, according to Goff.
“We didn’t deserve that one,” he said. “We might have gotten away with it at the end (sending it to overtime). They earned that win, and we earned the loss. Typically, it doesn’t go your way if the turnover margin is that big.”
Lack of Pass Rush Allows Seattle QB Smith to Pick Apart Detroit Lions Secondary
Coming into the game, Seattle had injury issues along the offensive line, but you wouldn’t have known it watching the game. Detroit Lions failed to generate pressure against backup tackles Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan.
The complete lack of pass rush allowed Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith to pick apart the Lion’s secondary comfortably. Detroit didn’t record a single sack or QB hit from their defensive ends. The only sack came late from linebacker Alex Anzalone on a scramble drill.
All told, the Detroit Lions allowed 393 total yards, 28 first downs, and had just a single tackle for loss. Seattle controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game, which was disappointing for Detroit’s defensive front.
Through two games, the Lions defensive line is still searching for its first sack of the 2022 season.
Goff Excellent Outside of Costly Pick-Six
Despite the outcome, quarterback Jared Goff played an excellent game for the Detroit Lions, completing 28-of-35 passes for 323 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. His lone mistake was the pick-six when he threw just behind running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Outside of that one misfired throw, Goff was nearly flawless, finishing with a 121.8 passer rating. He connected with wide receiver Josh Reynolds for two scores and found Kalif Raymond on a 36-yard flea flicker touchdown.
According to Campbell, Goff looked comfortable in the pocket all day: “I thought he played well. Man, he looked comfortable. I thought he was accurate. He just threw the heck out of it. I was proud of the way he played.”
The interception snapped Goff’s NFL record streak of consecutive passes without a pick at 383. It was his first since Week 9 last season.
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Lions Battle Back to Force Overtime Before Falling to Seahawks
Despite trailing by 10 midway through the fourth quarter, the Lions showed resilience and managed to scratch and claw their way back to tie the game and force overtime.
A Josh Reynolds 4-yard touchdown catch with just over three minutes left made it 31-28 Seattle. Detroit’s defense then held to force a quick punt, giving the offense one last shot with 1:06 remaining.
Goff methodically marched the Lions down the field, setting up kicker Riley Patterson for a game-tying 38-yard field goal as time expired. Patterson nailed the kick to complete the comeback and send it to OT.
Seattle Wins Toss, Never Lets Detroit Lions Offense Touch Ball in Overtime
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The extra period brought immediate heartbreak for Detroit, unfortunately. Seattle won the overtime coin toss and elected to receive. The Seahawks proceeded to drive 75 yards in nine plays, ending with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Tyler Lockett that sealed the 37-31 win.
Detroit’s offense never even got to touch the ball in overtime. It was a disappointing end after the tremendous rally to force extra time.
In the loss, Josh Reynolds led the Lions with two touchdown catches. Kalif Raymond and David Montgomery added one score each.
For Seattle, quarterback Geno Smith finished 32-41 passing for 328 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 20 yards.
Injuries Take Toll on Detroit Lions in Physical Matchup
The game took a heavy physical toll on Detroit, as several key contributors were sidelined with injuries throughout the contest.
Safety Kerby Joseph injured his hip early in the first quarter but later returned. Running back D’Andre Swift was ruled out before the game with an ankle issue. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson also missed the game with a thigh injury suffered in practice during the week.
During the game, edge rusher James Houston went down with an ankle injury and did not return. Running back David Montgomery exited in the third with a thigh injury after an awkward tackle. Right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai also injured his left leg in the fourth quarter and did not return.
In the receiving corps, wideout Antoine Green suffered a concussion, ending his day early.
The battered Lions now face a quick turnaround as they head on the road to take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 next Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 PM EST on September 25th.