Field Level Media
Oct 25, 2020
Matthew Stafford completed an 11-yard scoring pass to T.J. Hockenson as the clock ran out and Matt Prater's extra-point conversion gave the visiting Detroit Lions a 23-22 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The Lions' eight-play, 75-yard drive came after Atlanta took the late lead on a 76-yard drive.
A 29-yard pass to Kenny Golladay set up the tying score. Prater's extra point was taken from 48 yards out after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Stafford threw for 340 yards and Golladay had six catches for 114 yards for the Lions (3-3). Prater kicked three long field goals.
Todd Gurley rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (1-6). Matt Ryan passed for 338 yards and a score, while Julio Jones caught eight passes for 97 yards.
During Atlanta's go-ahead drive, Ryan completed three passes to Russell Gage while Gurley picked up a key first down, putting Atlanta in range for a game-winning field goal. The Lions, out of timeouts, essentially allowed Gurley to score on the next play from 10 yards out to preserve clock time with 1:04 left. Ryan then found Calvin Ridley for a 2-point conversion to give the Falcons a 22-16 lead.
Atlanta led 14-10 at halftime on a Gurley rushing touchdown and a Ryan-to-Ridley hookup.
Stafford got the Lions into field-goal range with the clock winding down and Prater booted a 50-yard field goal on the last play of the half to pull Detroit within four points.
Prater drilled a 51-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to make it 14-13.
The Falcons drove inside the Lions 20 early in the fourth quarter. They passed on a field goal try on 4th-and-5 but Ryan threw an incompletion.
Prater missed a 46-yard try with 7:32 remaining, leaving the Lions with a one-point deficit.
He soon got another chance. Romeo Okwara sacked Ryan, who fumbled. Trey Flowers recovered at the Falcons 36-yard line. The Lions failed to pick up a first down, but Prater made a 49-yarder with 3:16 remaining to give his team the lead.
--Field Level Media