FORD FIELD
WEEK 10: SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 2020
The following are post-game notes and quotes from the Detroit Lions’ 30-27 victory over the Washington Football
Team at Ford Field on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
POST-GAME NOTES
LIONS SCORING PLAYS
- First Quarter: Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw a 55-yard touchdown to WR Marvin Hall to take a 7-0 lead with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter. K Matt Prater made the extra point.
- Second Quarter: Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw a 27-yard touchdown to WR Marvin Jones Jr. with 11:55 remaining in the second quarter to give Detroit a 14-3 lead. K Matt Prater converted the point after.
- Second Quarter: K Matt Prater connected on a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left in the half to extend Detroit’s lead to 17-3.
- Third Quarter: Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw a 15-yard pass to RB D’Andre Swift with 7:58 remaining in the quarter. K Matt Prater made the extra point to push Detroit’s lead to 24-3.
- Fourth Quarter: K Matt Prater hit a 37-yard field goal to make the score 27-24 with 2:37 left in the game.
- Fourth Quarter: K Matt Prater hit a 59-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to give Detroit the 30-27 victory.
TEAM NOTES
The Lions… - Have now scored at least 20 points in each of the first nine games of the season, marking only the third time the team has ever done so (1951,1954).
- Won their third game of the season on a game-winning kick as time expired (FG at Arizona, PAT at Atlanta).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
P JACK FOX - Punted four times for 191 yards (47.8 avg., 47.8 net), pinning three punts inside of the 20-yard line.
DE EVERSON GRIFFEN - Recorded his first sack with the Lions, bringing his career total to 78.0.
WR MARVIN JONES JR. - Recorded eight receptions for 96 yards (12.0 avg.) and one touchdown.
- With his TD reception in the second quarter, he tied WR Cloyce Box (32) for the 6th
-most touchdown receptions in franchise history. - Recorded his 14th touchdown reception in home games since 2018, tied for the third-most in the NFL in that span.
- He now has 28 receiving touchdowns since 2017, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL in that span.
- Caught a touchdown in his third-straight game, his first three-game touchdown streak since doing so in Weeks 6-8 of the 2013 season.
DE ROMEO OKWARA - Finished the day with four tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit.
- Produced a sack for the third-straight home game, becoming the first Lions player since DE Ezekiel Ansah in 2018 to do so.
K MATT PRATER - Finished the day three-of-three on field goal attempts (59, 53, 37) and three-of-three on extra points to produce 12 points scored.
- Hit a game-winning 59-yard field goal as time expired, the longest field goal made in a home game in Lions history and tied (with himself) for the longest field goal overall in Lions history. It ranks as the fourth-longest game-winning kick as time expired in NFL history.
- Prater is now 22-of-22 on game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter with two minutes or less left in the game (16-of-16 in regulation, six-of-six in overtime).
- Produced his seventh-career game with multiple field goals made from at least 50 yards, the most such games in NFL history.
- Produced his 16th -game winning field kick with under 2:00 minutes left in the fourth quarter or overtime.
- Produced his 10th game-winning field goal with the Lions.
- Now has 57 career field goals made of 50-plus yards, only one away from tying K Sebastian Janikowski’s NFL record of 58.
- Appeared in his 100th game for the Lions.
QB MATTHEW STAFFORD - Finished 24-of-33 passing (72.7%) for 276 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 127.8 passer rating.
- Moved into a tie with QB Joe Montana (273) for the 17th
-most touchdown passes in NFL history. - Engineered his 37th
-career game-winning drive, tied with QB Eli Manning for the 10th
-most in NFL history. It ranks as the second-most in the NFL since he entered the League in 2009. - Has produced a touchdown pass in each of the team’s first nine games of a season for the third time of his career and first time since 2013.
- Has produced a passing touchdown in 12-straight games, the fourth-longest streak of his career.
- Has produced a touchdown pass in eight-straight home games.
- Logged his 40th -career game with at least three passing touchdowns, tied for the 12th -most in NFL history. It ranks as the eighth-most in the NFL since he entered the League in 2009.
RB D’ANDRE SWIFT - Rushed 16 times for 81 yards (5.1 avg.) and added five receptions for 68 yards (13.6 yards) and a touchdown, totaling a career-high 149 yards from scrimmage.
- His 149 scrimmage yards are the most by a Lions rookie since RB Jahvid Best had 232 scrimmage yards vs. Philadelphia on Sept. 19, 2010. Swift’s 149 yards are the third-most by a Lions rookie since 1980.
- Became the first Lions player with at least 80 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards in a game since RB Joique Bell did so against the New York Giants on Dec. 22, 2013. The last Lions rookie to do so was RB Billy Sims on Oct. 12, 1980 against New Orleans.
LIONS HEAD COACH MATT PATRICIA POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET (VIA ZOOM)
Opening statement: “Before we get going here, I obviously just want to thank the Norris family for letting me wear their button with their hero, Curtis Norris, who was killed in action in 2006. Just the TAPS families who we work very closely with, we’re honoring them today. It was a long week for everybody, with them, with Veteran’s Day and everything. We’re here for them, and we appreciate them, and it was great to spend time with them yesterday virtually. Just glad we got the win for them.”
On why RB D’Andre Swift earned the start today: “I think he’s done a great job continuing to build upon his repertoire of packages that he’s in and kind of expand that. We have three great backs, and a fourth in J Will (Jonathan Williams). I think for us in the game we kind of had some space plays that I thought were really good and I thought we were able to
get Swift in some space and allow him to run. I thought he ran really hard. I thought that was a great thing for us to see, just his physicality of what he was doing, breaking some tackles and just very smart and aware of some of the situations that we had. Thought that was really good. But all of those guys, they play hard. We have great backs and just good.”
On giving up a 21-point lead today in the second half: “It’s an interesting conversation, I think I’ll just stick to this game in particular because one of the things that going into halftime that I looked at was the time of possession of the game and I knew that we were out there for a lot of plays and a lot of time of possession and really through those long drives it was really getting lopsided (inaudible). We were being productive on offense, it was just happening quick. And then from that, I was getting worried that we were out there and we were trying to rotate some personnel and sub some guys just to make sure that we didn’t run into an issue there. So one thing we did know against Washington obviously watching the game last week, they did an outstanding job in the second half coming back on the Giants and making it a tight game. We know
that they have that capability. They’ve got really good players, and give credit to them for what they did in the second half.
We obviously have to be better, but obviously, just get the win.”
On his confidence in QB Matthew Stafford and K Matt Prater to win games: “I think obviously everyone just showed that again here today. Great situational football at the end, great job by offensive, Stafford, Bev (Darrell Bevell), and just organizing all of that it was very meticulous how we were going to play that. There were certain plays that we had dialed up and then used their timeouts and kind of were able to progress all the way through there. Outstanding execution, I give the players all the credit on the field and then obviously to give us a chance and get Matt Prater out there, we were waiting for it and it was awesome. Just really, really happy for everybody.”
On what the last few minutes of the game were like for him: “Well, I think I have the question here, I’ll just kind of we’ll obviously start on the defensive side of the ball. I think we had about 16 plays in that drive, I’m not even sure at the end of the game. It seemed like that drive was forever. Penalties obviously were an issue and they were moving the ball
and got it down to field goal range. Certainly we knew at that point we had to do a good job of keeping them out of the endzone. So just really trying to play the situation, the clock, the time, how much was coming off, where we were at, where they were at. And it just changed with all of the penalties and all of that stuff. They got the field goal and then we
thought they’d kick it through the endzone and then we’d have an opportunity there with some time on the clock, get a couple of plays and give ourselves a chance to either throw it in the endzone or kick a field goal. It was great that we got the field goal. Really, in that mode, you’re just in the mode. You’re in the mode of doing a lot of math and calculating and trying to figure out how much time, and plays, and yardage, and just how to do all of that stuff. Great execution by the
players.”
On if there was added meaning to winning at home for the first time in awhile: “I mean, I’m just glad to get the win today (inaudible).”
On playing situational football at the end of the game: “Yeah, I mean we were way behind the clock there, we knew that. We had to make up some yardage pretty quick. Outstanding job. We do a lot in practice, our guys do an outstanding job with it. They understand it phenomenal. I think we’re at the point where they’re telling me before I’m even telling them,
they know what the situation is. Great job by those guys, that was awesome.”
On the offensive line holding off Washington’s defensive front: “I really think they stepped up to the challenge. It was a good week of practice, we got the pressure on them in practice to make sure we were ready to go. I thought those guys, they handled it very well. It was good to see all the way through the game.”
On if he thinks this team is a playoff team right now: “We’re just happy to get the win here today. I mean, we’re just going to keep it in the world of one week at a time here right now. Really great job by our team today. The players executed when they had to at the end and we know we have another tough opponent this week. We’ll enjoy this one for just a little bit and then we have to get back to work.”
On if he feels like this team is capable of making the playoffs: “Again, I mean I think for us, we just really stayed in the moment. I think all of that is really the conversation. I think for us, good job, I’m glad for the players. We have a lot to clean up. We’re going to have a lot of work to do tomorrow, that’s for sure. And we have a big week in front of us, we have
to go back to work.”
LIONS K MATT PRATER POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET (VIA ZOOM)
On his headspace when stepping out to kick the 59-yard game winning kick: “The same as any other kick. Just go out and swing hard and hope it goes straight type thing. I don’t need any more pressure on myself or think that it’s anything more than it is. It’s just a field goal. Like I said in the past, I know I haven’t had the best year, but any time I go out, I expect to make them and coming through in those moments for the team is always big and great job by the team for getting down there to even give us a shot at it, with however many seconds were there when we got the ball after the kickoff. So it was pretty cool.”
On what this year has been like for him: “For me personally, any time you’re not making every field goal, it can be frustrating, but all you can do is do your best and keep trying and figure out what the issues are, so they don’t repeat, keep repeating. We’ve had too many misses this year already, so I’m hoping that today is a start in the right direction. And
hopefully we will come through and make all that I get the opportunities for.”
On if there is a mental aspect to the struggles and both successes of his kicking this year that can maybe swing the pendulum in his results: “Yeah, hopefully. I haven’t changed too much, it’s just after missing a few and kind of getting back to the basics, and figuring out what is going on. And I kind of addressed that, and I had a better week of practice, and it carried over to the game. So hopefully we will get on a good rhythm, the snaps and holds have been great all season. So it’s been on me not coming through. So, I’ve got to do a better job, and hopefully today is a step in the right direction and we’ll keep making them all.”
LIONS WR MARVIN JONES JR. POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET (VIA ZOOM)
On what RB D’Andre Swift gave the team today: “What we know he can give. The dude is a crazy playmaker. We’ve known that ever since he’s been here and he touches the ground. When the ball is in his hands, even like with somebody like me, I have to keep blocking. I have to keep blocking because you know somehow he’s going to come out of it by
making a move, or running somebody over, or jumping over somebody. He’s electric and he’s great to watch, but I have to do less watching and more blocking. You never know.”
On feeling another second half lead slip away: “No, see, we should never have that thought. Just the fact of the matter is when that starts to happen we have to bunker down, we have to get focused, we have to refocus, and really just do our job. If we do that, obviously you see we can drive down the field with ease at times, but we just have to do that
consistently. So that’s the problem, but we can’t say ‘Oh my gosh, it’s happening again,’ because it’s already going to put us at a disadvantage.”
On if he thought it was possible to score with 16 seconds left: “Most definitely. I mean, we had three touchdowns. If you know anything about that guy number nine (Matthew Stafford), he can literally make any throw, get there and get it to you quick. I think we might have had a 16 second one before my time me being here. I want to say it was Minnesota ’16, or something. Maybe they shouldn’t give us 16 seconds, maybe 15.”
LIONS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET (VIA ZOOM)
On the emotions of the last two minutes of the game: “Yeah, obviously an up and down game. [We] did a nice job of grabbing the lead and then they did a great job fighting back. Our defense was on the field for a lot of it. We had to do a better job maybe getting some of those drives going a little bit better in the second half, keeping our defense off the field.
But then they kicked the field goal. I thought we got a stop on fourth down. That’s a tough one, on [Desmond] Trufant (CB), honestly. I thought it was a great play. But our guys just kept battling, kept them out of the end zone, obviously gave them the field goal, and then you know, Bev (OC Darrell Bevell) and I talked through kind of the situation, what we wanted to do, trying to get it started, get it going a little bit. And then obviously took a shot there on the second oe, almost hit it,
to be a little walk-off touchdown pass, but then obviously the late hit, got us in range. Then we got it close enough for the most clutch kicker in football to come out there and do his thing. So, I was extremely happy for Matt Prater and that operation to get it up and through the uprights. I mean, 59-yarder to win it, that’s what that guy loves to do and what we
love having him for. He’s a special guy in those moments and I was really proud of him for today for that.”
On the lift RB D’Andre Swift gave the Lions offense today: “We’re just out there playing football. He did a great job when he had the opportunity to make plays today, he made some great ones. Some huge runs there in the second half, a big catch for a touchdown as well. I was really happy with the way he played. I know he had a bunch of fun out there running around and making plays. The more guys we can get doing that, I don’t care who it is, the better, but he definitely had a great day and I’m proud of him.”
On his potential hand injury: “Yeah, I don’t know. I will let you know later. I’ve got to go get it looked at. But just I don’t know what happened. It was only a play where I got sacked. They had a personal foul, so the next time I gripped the ball to throw it, it didn’t feel so hot, but I’ll let you know later.”
On the toughness of the offensive line against Washington today: “Yeah, they did an outstanding job. That’s as good of a front talent-wise as we’re going to play in the NFL. They’ve got five dudes that were drafted in the first round and all get after the quarterback. I thought our guys started the game great. That was huge for us. We were running the ball good
in the first half, they were protecting great, made some big plays. I kind of put a little air in the balloon and then obviously they just kept holding up. Guys up front, guys on the outside got open on time, and it was obviously a conscious effort to not let the defensive line try to wreck the game. So, they did an outstanding job, to block the way they did is a huge
testament to them, and just happy for those guys who stepped into that situation and played as well as they did.”
On utilizing the pump fake on his first two touchdown passes and if he was inspired by film study: “First one, a little bit, yeah. These corners know that they have a good rush. So, they play top down and are aggressive as they should be. But their guys get home more often than not. But on that play our guys did a great job with giving me protection. I was able to use my eyes and try to help stop the corner. And then MH (Marvin Hall) got behind them and made a huge play.
The second one, not really. Just trying to decipher the coverage, that was a look that they’ve shown five or six times this year and switched up the coverage on me behind it. And was able to figure it out late with Marvin Jones (Jr.) with a big one.”
On tying Joe Montana on the all-time list for passing touchdowns: “It’s obviously great. I’m just happy we got a win. If I had done that, and we lose, it doesn’t matter. I just want to win games and I will look at all of that stuff at the end of it.”
On what it means to win at home for the first time in so long: “I don’t care where we win, to be honest with you. It’s obviously great to win here, it’s nice having some family in the stands. I know they were cheering for us, so that was great.
But yeah, I just want to win. I don’t care where it is. But winning at home is great. It is a whole lot more fun when we’ve got a bunch of fans in the stands, but that is not the situation this year. So, we are just trying to win every game we can.”
On the mentality as Washington was catching up on the scoreboard in the second half: “Yeah, just try and do what we can to go out there and get points ourselves. We didn’t do a good enough job of it. We had a chance to go down there in the red-zone late and stalled out, which would have given us a chance to really ice the game. If we get a first down there, we can probably take a knee on it three times and kick a field goal and leave them barely any time, but we weren’t able to do it. It is just one of those situations where you have got to keep playing ball and see what happens. Obviously, we have got a great kicker who’s good from anywhere pretty much in the building, so it was nice to sneak a drive down there late and have him do his thing.”
On if it matters how this team wins: “No, I mean, every game we win, we’ve got to clean stuff up. This one is no different. There are definitely some things we can do better and it’ll help stretch the lead, but I’m just proud of our guys for fighting. A win is a win. It’s tough to win in this league, I’m never going to apologize for one. Could we play better? Yeah.
But we did a nice job not turning the ball over, defense did a nice job getting some stops, our special teams was nails as it always is, so that was great.
