David Montgomery scored on a 1-yard run in overtime to give the host Detroit Lions a 26-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.
Montgomery carried five times for 45 yards during the winning drive. He finished with 91 yards on 17 carries.
Jared Goff passed for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jameson Williams caught five passes for 121 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, who also defeated the Rams, 24-23, during the wild-card round of last season’s playoffs.
Matthew Stafford passed for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Los Angeles. Cooper Kupp caught 14 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua didn’t play in the second half due to a knee injury.
Detroit held a 10-3 halftime lead.
The Lions took the lead with two minutes remaining in the half on Jahmyr Gibbs’ 1-yard run.
Detroit prevented a Rams score when Kerby Joseph picked off Stafford’s pass in the end zone with 15 seconds left in the half.
The Lions made it 17-3 early in the third quarter on Goff’s 52-yard strike to Williams, who beat one-on-one coverage along the left side.
The Rams answered with an 11-play, 70-yard drive, capped by Kyren Williams’ 2-yard plunge to trim their deficit to 17-10 with 3:33 left in the third quarter. A pass interference penalty near the goal line prolonged the drive.
Tyler Johnson turned a short pass from Stafford into a 63-yard gain on the final play of the third quarter. After a defensive pass interference penalty placed Los Angeles at the 1-yard line, a Rams holding penalty wiped out a Jordan Whittington touchdown run. Los Angeles settled for a 26-yard field goal by Joshua Karty.
John Johnson’s interception at the Rams 20 halted Detroit’s next possession. The Rams then put together a 10-play drive, finished by Stafford’s 9-yard pass to Kupp to take a 20-17 lead with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.
The Lions forced a punt and got the ball back at their 31 with 2:11 remaining. An 18-yard reception by Sam LaPorta and a Rams personal foul penalty put Detroit in Los Angeles territory. Jake Bates made a 32-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to force overtime.
