By: Michael Niziolek
Career days for multiple Detroit Lions helped lift the team to its second win of the season in a thriller over the Cleveland Browns 38-31 at Ford Field. Matthew Stafford won the game with no time left on the clock with a 1-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Brandon Pettigrew.
It was Stafford’s fifth touchdown of the day (tying the Lions all-time single game record) and all five touchdowns were to different Lions receivers (a franchise record). He also set a new Lions rookie single-game mark racking up 442 yards.
Calvin Johnson (161 yards), Pettigrew (72 yards, six receptions) and Kevin Smith (104 receiving yards, 149 yards from scrimmage) all had career highs as well and came up with huge contributions throughout the game to help the Lions erase a 21-point deficit.
But people won’t be talking about stats on Monday, they’ll be talking about the game’s final series.
With no time remaining Stafford threw a hail mary into the end zone that fell incomplete. Two things happen on the play – Stafford took a huge hit driving his shoulder into the ground and Browns safety Hank Poteat was called for pass interference.
The penalty gave Detroit an untimed down at the one-yard line, but with Stafford down on the ground because of injury it looked like Daunte Culpepper would have to come in and try to win it for the Lions. NFL rules state a player injured has to stay out for one play unless there’s a timeout.
Detroit didn’t have any, but the Browns did. With his defense trying to get set Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini made the controversial decision to use a timeout and allow Stafford back in.
Which Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz said after the game wasn’t an easy task…
“He made a great play to finish the game but probably his best play was eluding four team doctors on the sideline that were all trying (to stop him),” Schwartz said. “He was lying on his back when Cleveland took that timeout to set their defense and when he found out it was a timeout he popped up and all the team doctors said, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa.' I said, 'What does he have?' They said they didn't even know yet. He made a nice scramble on the previous play but he did a nice job eluding (the doctors).”
Stafford said after the game there was no way anyone was going to stop him from getting back into the game.
“I heard timeout over the loudspeaker and knew that was probably my only chance to get back in,” Stafford explained. “It was my left shoulder and don't really need it to throw. So they helped me up and they weren't going to help me up. Then I really told him to help me up and he helped me up and I ran out there."
As for the injury on Stafford’s left shoulder, Schwartz said the initial x-rays were good, but follow up tests will need to be run during the week. His status remains in the air for the short week and Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers.
Updates on his status Monday afternoon...
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