In Play Magazine
Home Scoring
The Lions were victorious today over the Washington Redskins 37-25 at Ford Field. The team has scored at least 30 points (32 vs. Philadelphia September 19 and 44 vs. St. Louis Rams October 10). Today’s 37-point outing marks the first time since 1997 (38 vs. Minnesota 11/16/97, 32 vs. Indianapolis 11/23/97 and vs. Chicago 11/27/97) that the Lions have scored 30 points in three-consecutive home games.
Entering today’s game, the Lions led the lead in scoring average at home (38.0), and their average was nearly reached. The team is now averaging 37.7 (113 points) over their first three home games.
Stafford Returns
Second-year QB Matthew Stafford returned today after missing the last five games due to a shoulder injury to lead the Lions to a 37-25 win over the Redskins and giving the Lions two wins in the past three games and two wins in the last two home games.
Stafford completed 26-of-45 passes for 212 yards and 4 touchdowns, while accumulating a 90.2 passer rating.
His 4 touchdown passes are the second-highest single game tally of his career. He joins QB Bobby Layne (4), QB Eric Hipple (2), QB Gary Danielson (2) and QB Scott Mitchell (2) as the only passers in team history with at least two games of 4 touchdown passes, and Stafford is the first player in team history to do it twice in his first two years with the club.
By connecting with WR Calvin Johnson on 4th-and-1 with 3:12 left to play in the fourth quarter to take a 28-25 lead, which the Lions would not surrender, it marked Stafford’s second career fourth-quarter come-from-behind win.
Johnson’s Career Day
WR Calvin Johnson was crucial throughout today’s 37-25 win over the Redskins as he gathered 9 receptions for 101 yards and three touchdown receptions. Johnson’s 3 touchdown receptions is a career high and it was the first time since WR Roy Williams (3 vs. Arizona 11/13/05) that a Lions receiver recorded three touchdown receptions in a game.
All 3 touchdown catches by Johnson helped the team either take the lead initially in the game or re-take the lead.
Today’s game marked the fourth time in his career that he caught at least two touchdowns in a game and the first time against a team other than Green Bay.
With 3 touchdown receptions, Johnson passed WR Roy Williams (28, 2004-07) for the second-most receiving touchdowns by a Lions receiver in their first four seasons. E Cloyce Box holds the best marks of 32 touchdowns in his first four years (1949-50, 1952-53).
Johnson has now caught touchdown passes in 4 consecutive games.
His 101 yards marks the 11th time in his career that he has recorded 100 yards in a game. He has 100 receiving yards in the past two games (146 at New York Giants 10/17) for a two-game tally of 257 yards.
It is the second time in his career that he has recorded 100 yards in back-to-back games and first since he did so in 2008 (107 at Atlanta 9/7/08 and 129 vs. Green Bay 9/14/08)
With 101 receiving yards, Johnson passed WR Gail Cogdill (3,534 yards, 1960-63) for the second-most receiving yards by a player in their first four seasons with the Lions. With 35 yards receiving next week, he will surpass the highest tally set by Williams (3,652) from 2004-07.
His 9-catch day tied a career high and marked the third time he has registered 9 receptions in a game.
Johnson surpassed WR Brett Perriman (226, 2004-07) for most receptions by a Lions’ receiver in their first four seasons with the club. Johnson now holds the second-highest mark with 231 receptions.
Johnson has now caught passes in all 52 games he has played in his career. His 52-consecutive games with a reception is the longest streak by the Lions.
Suh-per Day
Lions rookie DT Ndamukong Suh electrified the Ford Field crowd as part of a dominating performance by the defensive line today when he registered 2 sacks (17 yards loss), 4 tackles (2 tackles for loss) and put an exclamation point on the victory today with a 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 1:36 to play in the game that gave the Lions a 37-25 lead.
In the second quarter, Suh halted a Redskins drive when he registered two sacks in the span of three plays for a total of 17 yards lost. Suh became the first rookie to record two sacks in a game since DE Kalimba Edwards at Arizona December 8, 2002. He is the first Lions rookie defensive tackle to record two sacks in a game since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
The two sacks pushed his season total to 6.5, which ties Edwards (2002) rookie for the second most sacks by a Lions rookie since 1982. The record is 7.5 by LB Tracy Hayworth in 1992. Suh has the most by a Lions rookie defensive tackles since 1992.
Suh became the first Lions defensive lineman to return a fumble for a touchdown since Bob Bell (25 yards) at Green Bay November 1, 1971
Defensive Pressure Up Front
The Lions 37-25 win today was highlighted by a very aggressive attack by the defensive line to get to the quarterback. As a team, the Lions garnered 7 sacks (59 yards), including 6 by three defensive linemen.
DE Cliff Avril, DT Ndamukong Suh and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch each registered 2.0 sacks each.
With three Lions defenders garnering 2.0 sacks today, it marked the first time since 1986 that the defense accomplished the feat (DE Keith Ferguson 4.0, DE William Gay 2.5 and DT Eric Williams 2.0; at Philadelphia 11/16/86).
Avril’s 2.0 sacks is a career high.
Vanden Bosch’s 2.0 sacks are the most he has garnered in his first season with the Lions. The last time he has 2.0 sacks in a game was against the New York Jets December 23, 2007 while he was with the Tennessee Titans.
On the season, the Lions defense now has 23 sacks.
Logan Goes Long on Punt Return
WR Stefan Logan set up the Lions first score of the game when he returned a Redskins punt for career-high 71 yards. He gave the ball to the Lions offense at the Redskins 19-yard line.
Logan has now returned a kick for more than 50 yards in each of the past three games. He returned a kickoff for a 105-yard touchdown vs. St. Louis 10/10 and a kickoff return for 58 yards at New York Giants 10/17).
The 71-yarder is the longest by a Lions returner since WR Eddie Drummond returned an 83-yard touchdown at Jacksonville November 14, 2004.
Logan becomes the first player in Lions history to return a 100-yard kickoff return and a punt return for at least 70 yards in the same season.
Smith’s Pick-Four
Second-year CB Alphonso Smith picked off his fourth pass of the season when he recorded a fourth quarter interception (returned for 4 yards).
With a fourth pick of the year, he became the first player for the Lions to record 4 interceptions in a season since CB Dre’ Bly registered 6 interceptions in 2005.
For Starters
K Jason Hanson has now played in 294 career games, the most in franchise history. Hanson is third all-time in games played with one team, currently at 294, and is now one game behind Washington CB Darrell Green (295) for second place on that list.
Among active players, Hanson ranks second with 294 career games, and he is 11th overall in League history.
T Jeff Backus made his 151st consecutive start today at left tackle.He has started every game since he was drafted in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Backus currently holds the mark for the most consecutive starts among active interior (offense and defense) linemen and is currently tied for fifth among all active players with 151 straight starts.
He is second in Lions history for most consecutive games started behind Hall of Fame CB Dick LeBeau (171).
