Seahawks wide receiver and former University of Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards signs autographs before the game. (Daniel Mears / The Detroit News)
The Lions are home today and hoping that they can turn things around following their defeat by the Bears Monday night. Matthew Stafford faces a loaded Seahawks secondary with three big defensive backs. CB Richard Sherman and S Kam Chancellor are both 6-foot-3, and CB Brandon Browner is 6-4
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By Josh Katzenstein
The Detroit News
The Lions still have a knack for late-game heroics.
Wide receiver Titus Young caught a one-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left to help the Lions (3-4) overcome a late deficit and beat the Seattle Seahawks, 28-24, Sunday afternoon at Ford Field.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford silenced some critics during the win, going 34 of 48 for 352 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Stafford also ran for a one-yard touchdown with 11:35 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Lions a 21-17 lead, but the Seahawks (4-4) quickly answered on their next drive.
After the Seahawks converted a fourth down in Lions territory, they scored on a 16-yard pass from Russell Wilson to tight end Zach Miller to grab a 24-21 lead.
But the Seahawks left 5:27 on the clock, and the Lions put together a perfect drive for the situation that took nearly the rest of the game. And with just 20 seconds left, the Seahawks couldn’t come up with a miracle.
The Lions defense struggled early and allowed 17 points on the Seahawks’ first three drives, but they allowed just seven points in the second half.
On Seattle’s first offensive drive, an illegal formation penalty by Willie Young on a punt gave the Seahawks a first down and allowed them to drive for a field goal by Steven Hauschka.
The Lions grabbed a 7-3 lead on the next drive with a six-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to rookie wide receiver Ryan Broyles. The touchdown came as the first quarter expired and was the Lions’ first touchdown in a first quarter this season.
The lead, though, didn’t last long. Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch ran for a 77-yard touchdown on the first play of their next drive. He finished with 12 carries for 105 yards.
The Lions followed with a three-and-out, but the Seahawks offense just kept cruising. On their third drive, Wilson attacked Lions rookie cornerback Jonte Green, who was flagged for a 41-yard pass interference. The call led to an eventual nine-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice to give the Seahawks a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter.
The Lions responded on the next drive with the play of the day. Wide receiver Titus Young beat two defensive backs on the right side, and Stafford threw a perfect ball that hit him in stride as he crossed the goal line, a 46-yard touchdown pass. Young finished with a game-high nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Lions safety Louis Delmas left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and didn’t return.
The Lions will try to win consecutive games for the first time this season when they go to Jacksonville next Sunday.
The Lions have grabbed a lead twice against the Seahawks today, but Seattle has answered with a touchdown after each lead change.
The Seahawks marched 87 yards on 12 plays and took a 24-21 lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Miller.
Seattle converted a fourth and 2 in Lions territory on a pass to Golden Tate that kept the drive alive.
The Lions have 5:27 left to retake the lead.
The Lions’ fourth quarter scoring habit is continuing today.
The only difference is that this week they may win.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford gave the Lions a 21-17 lead with 11:35 remaining in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson made his first catch of the day, a 25-yarder.
The Lions scored off of a Seahawks interception, which is the difference in the game so far.
Safety Ricardo Silva has pretty good timing.
Silva intercepted a Russell Wilson deep pass on the drive after quarterback Matthew Stafford threw an interception to the Seahawks.
And Silva had great timing on the play. The Seahawks receiver beat the cornerback, and Wilson thought he had an open man. Instead, Silva ran from the middle the field to make the interception.
The Lions, down 17-14, will drive again to potentially take the lead.
The Lions were driving for a potential go-ahead touchdown, but quarterback Matthew Stafford dashed that dream.
Stafford threw to a double-covered Tony Scheffler, and Seattle safety Earl Thomas made an easy interception at the Seattle 4-yard line.
Instead of tying the game at 17 or taking a lead, the Lions still trail 17-14 in the third quarter.
The Lions and Seahawks seemed to be heading toward a shootout in the first half, but both defenses stepped up at the end of the second quarter.
The Lions trail 17-14, but their offense had its best first half output of the season with 14 points on two touchdowns by quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was 17 of 24 for 197 yards.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson has yet to make a catch, but Ryan Broyles and Titus Young both have touchdowns. Young’s touchdown was a 46-yard strike from Stafford that hit him in stride as he crossed the goal line.
Tight end Brandon Pettigrew added four catches for 46 yards, and running back Mikel Leshoure had nine carries for 39 yards.
As for the defense, there were a few plays the Lions wish they could have back that resulted in Seahawks scores.
On Seattle’s first offensive drive, an illegal formation penalty by Willie Young on a punt gave the Seahawks a first down and allowed them to drive for a field goal by Steven Hauschka.
Running back Marshawn Lynch ran for a 77-yard touchdown on the first play of their next drive. Besides the big run, Lynch had just three yards on six carries.
On their third drive, quarterback Russell Wilson attacked Lions rookie cornerback Jonte Green, who was flagged for a 41-yard pass interference that led to a nine-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice.
The Lions defense stepped up the rest of the half, but the Seahawks have already scored more than their 16.6-point average.
Neither team had a turnover in the half. The Lions had five penalties for 61 yards, and the Seahawks went without a penalty.
The Seahawks will start with the ball in the third quarter.
The Lions defense allowed the Seahawks to score on its first three drives, a field goal then two touchdowns.
On the Seahawks last two drives, though, they couldn’t move the ball.
The Lions forced back-to-back three-and-outs and will have the ball for likely the last time in the first half.
Despite his struggles this season, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford still has a cannon.
He just reminded everyone with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Titus Young with the ball hitting the receiver perfectly in stride as he crossed the goal line.
Young beat two defensive backs and looked up to see the perfectly thrown ball that sent the Ford Field crowd into a frenzy.
The Lions still trail 17-14.
The Seahawks aren’t wasting any time with the ball.
Their first touchdown drive lasted just 17 seconds on a 77-yard run by Marshawn Lynch.
Their second touchdown drive took just 44 seconds off the clock.
The Seahawks benefited from a 41-yard pass interference call on Lions cornerback Jonte Green on their first play. Then, three plays later, they scored on a nine-yard pass from Russell Wilson to Sidney Rice.
The Lions now trail 17-7, but there’s still about 10 minutes left in the second quarter.
That was quick.
After the Lions grabbed a 7-3 lead, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch took it back with a 77-yard touchdown run.
Lynch took a pitch to the right side and went untouched through the Lions defense before sprinting to the end zone.
The Seahawks lead 10-7 with 14:43 left in the second quarter.
It didn’t happen until the seventh game, but the Lions finally scored a first quarter touchdown.
The Lions put together a nice drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Ryan Broyles, his second career touchdown.
The score came as the first quarter expired to give the Lions a 7-3 lead.
The Lions marched fairly easily on their second drive of the game. Running back Mikel Leshoure broke a 16-yard run to put the Lions in Seattle territory. The next two plays were a 19-yard pass to Broyles and a 20-yard pass to tight end Tony Scheffler that gave them goal-to-go.
This is the first touchdown the Lions have scored in the first half since Week 1.
The Lions can’t stopping shooting themselves in the foot.
Despite some nice defensive plays on the Seahawks’ first drive, the Lions let Seattle strike first because of penalties.
The Lions defense had three penalties on the first drive, including two that gave the Seahawks first downs.
The dagger, though, came on fourth and 5 when the Lions forced a punt. Defensive end Willie Young set up over the long snapper and was called for illegal formation to give the Seahawks a first down at the Detroit 45.
The Seahawks then marched inside the 10 before settling for a 23-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka.
The Lions offense will start their second drive momentarily after covering just 18 yards on six plays on their first drive.
It’s all about the offense.
If there was ever a game the Lions’ offense wanted to wake up from its season-long slumber, this is it.
Because if the Lions (2-4) can turn today’s game into a shootout, the Seahawks (4-3) will struggle to keep up.
In road games this year, the most Seattle has scored is 16 points. The most the Seahawks have scored this season is 27 points, and seven of those came from a blocked punt.
Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has played well at times, but on the road he’s thrown just two touchdowns compared to seven interceptions. And if the Lions defensive front plays like it did against the Bears with five sacks, Wilson could have a rough day.
The Lions’ offensive struggles have been appropriately well documented, but they still have the talent to produce. Yes, they lost wide receiver Nate Burleson, but Titus Young and rookie Ryan Broyles filled in admirably at the end of their loss to the Bears.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford will have to fit the ball into tight holes because the Seahawks secondary is among the best in the NFL. Stafford has struggled this season to the tune of a 78.4 passer rating, but he could help himself by approaching the entire game like it’s the fourth quarter.
If the Lions fall to 2-5, the rest of the season will feel like a fourth quarter.
Here is the full list of inactives for both teams:
Lions: LB DeAndre Levy (hamstring), CB Jacob Lacey (concussion), CB Bill Bentley (shoulder), S Amari Spievey (concussion), OT Jason Fox, OT Corey Hilliard, QB Kellen Moore.
Seahawks: WR Braylon Edwards, CB Danny Gorrer, CB Byron Maxwell, OG John Moffitt, WR Doug Baldwin, DE Jason Jones, Jaye Howard.
Safety Ricardo Silva will start in Speivey’s place. Linebacker Ashlee Palmer will take the spot of Levy, the team’s third-leading tackler, and rookie cornerback Jonte Green will start his second consecutive game in place of Lacey and Bentley.
Defensive tackle Corey Williams is also slated to return to his starting role, moving Nick Fairley to a reserve role after he started the past two games.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. on FOX. Keep checking this blog for updates from Ford Field.
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