DETROIT – The Detroit Lions snapped a six-game losing streak against the Seattle Seahawks with a 42-29 victory to cap off another shootout, which has become common between the two teams whenever they match up.
The victory on Monday (Sept. 30) also snapped the losing streak of three consecutive games dating back to 2021, where the Seahawks boat-raced defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s scheme 51-29.
Recommended Videos
The Seahawks racked up a 48-45 victory in 2022. In 2023, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith outdueled Jared Goff in a 37-31 defeat.
But Glenn’s defense stepped up early Monday night as Linebacker Jack Campbell forced a fumble on superstar wide receiver DK Metcalf, which set up running back Jahmyr Gibbs for the Lions’ second rushing touchdown of the game.
The first touchdown came on the Lions’ second possession of the game, after a 12-play, 93-yard drive capped off by David Montgomery that lasted 7:21 seconds.
Montgomery’s score was his seventh straight game where he produced a rushing touchdown, tying the longest streak in franchise history.
An outrageous play by Metcalf, capped off by former Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III, brought the game to 14-7, but the Lions offense capped off another long possession, running nine plays for 70 yards in 4:57 seconds as Gibbs scored his second touchdown of the game to take a 21-7 lead.
With his second touchdown, Gibbs became the fourth player in franchise history to have at least three multi-rushing touchdown games through two career seasons, becoming the first to do so since hall-of-fame running back Barry Sanders during the 1989-1990 season.
In the first half, the running back duo carried the ball 15 times for 83 yards and three touchdowns, holding the Seahawks to just seven points.
Trailing 21-7 to open the third quarter, Smith led a 10-play 75-yard drive capped off by former Michigan Wolverines tight end and College Football Playoff national champion AJ Barner, the first of his career.
Goff started the game 14-14 for 155 yards, becoming the first player since 1960 to start two games with 10 or more completions without an incompletion, as he did last week against the Arizona Cardinals.
With the Seahawks cutting the lead to 21-14, the Lions got tricky when they dialed up a wide-receiver pass where Amon-Ra St. Brown completed his first pass attempt of his career, which was also Goff’s first touchdown catch in the NFL, to take a 28-14 lead.
The outstanding play was the second wide receiver to quarterback a passing touchdown in team history. The first was Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola to David Blough in December 2019.
Goff also became the third quarterback in Lions history to record a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown since Gary Danielson and Clyde LeForce.
Goff stayed in the flames as he hit Jameson Williams on a 70-yard catch and run to the house for his fifth touchdown reception of 30 or more yards of his young career to take a 35-27.
The last Lions player to achieve such success was running back Billy Simms during the 1980-1981 season.
Goff completed his perfect day when he returned the favor to St. Brown on an eight-yard toe-drag-swag in the corner of the endzone to go up 42-27.
The go-ahead score led by Goff was seven plays and 80 yards, which took 3:34 off the clock.
Goff finished 18-18 for 292 yards, two passing touchdowns, and one reception for seven yards for another score.
The Lions’ defense made a key stop on the drive before their final scoring possession, putting them up 15 points, before eventually making a four-down stop at the 2:09 mark in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks got a safety at the two-minute to bring to a 42-29 lead with 2:01 remaining.
Although the game was a shootout, the Lions’ defense acquired three sacks, five tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, and a key interception by Kerby Joseph in the victory.
The Lions advanced to 3-1 on the season and will go into their bye week.
