Matthew Stafford tied a team record with five TD passes, the last one with no time left, as the Lions beat the Browns, 38-37, today at Ford Field.
“That was wild,” Stafford said with ice strapped around his shoulder.
The Lions began their final drive with no timeouts and 1:46 left on the clock down, 37-31. They got down to the 31-yard line with 8 seconds remaining when Stafford scrambled and threw to the end zone for Calvin Johnson. Hank Poteat was called for pass interference in the end zone with no time left on the clock, so the Lions got an untimed play from the 1.
“Once the quarterback rotated out of the pocket and they were in the end zone, you try to force the receiver out of bounds,” Poteat said. “That’s what I tried to do.”
Stafford was hit and hurt his left shoulder on the play and initially came out, which summoned Daunte Culpepper. But the Browns called time-out.
“He just said, ‘I’m ready,’” Detroit coach Jim Schwartz recalled. “He could walk.
“There was no one who was going to stop him from going back on the field. He had come way too far in that game to not finish it.”
Stafford came back in the game to throw a scoring pass to fellow rookie Brandon Pettigrew to tie the game. Jason Hanson's extra point gave the Lions the win.
The rookie quarterback was 26-for-43 for 422 yards and two interceptions.
The Browns (1-9) jumped to a 24-3 lead in the first quarter. After both teams kicked field goals, Brady Quinn hit Mohammed Massaquoi for a 59-yard score. Quinn then found Chansi Stuckey (40 yards) and Josh Cribbs (4 yards) for touchdown passes.
The Lions responded to tie the game at 24 with touchdown receptions by Aaron Brown (26 yards), Kevin Smith (25) and Calvin Johnson (75).
Cleveland led, 27-24, at halftime after a Phil Dawson field goal with 2 second remaining.
The Lions took the lead in the third on a Will Heller TD catch in the third. Near the end of the quarter, Detroit surrendered a safety when called for a penalty in the end zone.
The Browns took their final lead in the fourth on a touchdown catch by former Lion Michael Gaines.
“We had plenty opportunities and at the end we just couldn’t close it out,” Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said. “I’m disappointed for them and I’m sick about the outcome.”
Brady Quinn was 21-for-33 for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Mohammed had 115 receiving yards.
“I was praying and hoping that our defense could get a stop for us,” Quinn said.
Johnson had seven catches for 161 yards. Smith had 104 yards receiving.
Stafford's five touchdown passes ties a record set by Gary Danielson.
“I almost wanted to cry seeing how tough Matt was at the end,” Smith said. “No one knew what his injury was, or how bad he was hurt, but he still came back out there and made a play. No one would have complained if he had let Daunte take that play, but he wanted to be out there for his teammates.”
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