DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff lifted his arms in the air, encouraging Ford Field fans to get even louder, before taking the final snap to end his long-suffering franchise’s skid in the playoffs.
The crowd delivered, approaching the decibel level of a siren.
Goff came through, too.
Goff threw for a touchdown and completed a pass for a victory-sealing first down against the team that cast him away, and the Detroit Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 32 years, beating Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 on Sunday night.
The Lions (13-5) ended a nine-game postseason losing streak — the longest in NFL history — that dated to a victory over Dallas on Jan. 5, 1992. They lost a home playoff game two years later and hadn’t hosted one since.
The 29-year-old has helped the Lions transform their fortunes, and despite playing in front of an expectant home crowd, they hit the ground running, literally – David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs crashed into the end zone in the first quarter, either side of a Rams field goal.
The two quarterbacks – both former number one draft picks – then had a shootout in the second quarter, after which Detroit led 21-17 at half-time.
LA receiver Puka Nacua continued his record-breaking rookie season with a 50-yard touchdown, before Goff made a touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta and Stafford found Tutu Atwell for a 38-yard score.
Detroit added a field goal in the third quarter, only for LA to kick two of their own to get within one point with eight minutes left. But the celebrations could begin after Stafford was unable to get the Rams into a scoring position on their final possession.
