Rams (at) Lions: The Liveblog

11:05am: We’ve been here for a little less than an hour (I do like to beat the traffic; arriving 3 hours before game time ALWAYS works) and I notice the first fans coming into Ford Field. Actually I noticed loud rap music coming over the loudspeakers and that’s what tipped me off that the gates were open. Game Operations are underway. A moment ago it was still and quiet in the Stadium. The sound will continue now, unabated, for the next four hours or so.

Let’s talk MSU-UM while we have a moment. The Spartans, as you know, DOMINATED Michigan 34-17 yesterday at Michigan Stadium. I was on the record with this before the game so it counts: I thought MSU would win for the simple reason that Michigan came into the game ranked 102nd out of 120 FBS* teams in Total Team Defense and it remains—as far as I know—axiomatic in football that you win with defense and if you are 102 out of 120 it means you don’t have a defense with which you can win. So it was not a surprise that the Spartans moved the ball as often and as far as they wanted to against the Wolverines: MSU gained more yards against Michigan (536) than they did against Northern Colorado (533). I had never heard of Northern Colorado prior to their game against MSU (really, it’s true) and it turns out they have a better defense than the University of Michigan.

* I still don’t know what an FBS team is, and, I know, I should do a little research. That won’t happen until I get home though. Ford Field wants $30 for internet access and there is nothing going on in the world so important that I’d be willing to spend that kind of money to connect to the net for 3 hours.

12:15pm: I look up and see the Lions have taken the field for pre-game warm-ups. The Rams have not as yet except for their long snapper and punter. There’s a catchy little number being played about something being “up in here, all up in here.” I like it.

12:17: Referee mic check. It works and that’s good. We want to be able to hear distinctly why yet another call is going against Detroit. The “Inactive” list has just been distributed. No Matthew Stafford again for the Lions. He’ll be lucky to be back by Halloween after having his shoulder separated in the first half of the first game in Chicago when the Lions staff decided—even though they were blocking 5 and the Bears were rushing 4—not to double-team Julius Peppers and Peppers came untouched from the blind-side to hit Stafford and knock him out which I am pretty sure is the reason Chicago signed him for 90 million in the off-season in the first place. You’d be surprised at how often Lions left tackle Jeff Backus gets help from a guard or a tight end or a running back these days in order to stop the other teams defensive end.

12:25 Back to the Wolverines. Who would have thought that the most irrelevant position in college football would be tailback at the University of Michigan? Do you know who had the second-most carries for UM behind Denard Robinson yesterday? Me either. I had to look it up: Vincent Smith—7 carries for 34 yards. MSU meanwhile had five plays of 40-plus yards in the game, more yards in a single play in other words than any pure UM running back had in the whole game. (Michigan had 1 play of more than 40 yards: the 49 yard pass to Martavious Odoms with 3 seconds left in the first half which resulted in a 42-yard field goal miss by Seth Broekhuizen.)

12:37 I have to use my watch for these time hacks. There is not, as near as I can tell, a single time-of-day clock in this place. The Stadium is a quarter full, if that. The biggest surprise of my week was learning that this game sold out. St. Louis is 2-2, Detroit 0-4. This is not what you might call a stellar match-up.
12:40 The most interesting thing I heard all week was Jim Miller, speaking at a luncheon with former MSU coach George Perles, saying that Perles’ famous Stack 4-3 defense had been designed specifically to stop O.J. Simpson. I’d asked Perles how, if he were still coaching MSU, he’d defense Robinson. He said he go with his Stack 4-3 to close down the gaps up the middle and force Robinson to the edges. Miller jumped in to add the note about Simpson being the inspiration for that great Steel Curtain defense in Pittsburgh when Perles was running the defense for Chuck Noll. The thing is, I checked it out and it turns out that while the Stack 4-3 may have been invented to stop Simpson, it pretty much didn’t. Simpson lit it up for 189 yards the first time he ever saw it in 1972 and rang up 227 yards—the 3rd highest single-game total in his career—in 1975. In fact, Simpson's per-carry average was higher versus Perles' Steelers than it was against any other team he faced in his NFL career. Now, Perles may have been thinking of the 1974 playoff game between the Steelers and Buffalo in which Simpson carried 15 times for only 49 yards, 3.3 yards per carry. Curiously, it was OJ's one-and-only NFL playoff game, ever.
12:48 A drum line is on the field percussioning (not a word, by the way) their little hearts out. We are getting close to kick-off so I think the thing to do is take a little break and prepare for the arduous task ahead…

12:57: I totally missed the coin toss. I know, right? What kind of reporting is THAT? I think Detroit will get the ball first—they introduced the Detroit offense in the usual over-the-top pre-game ceremony. They did however thoughtfully put the words to the National Anthem up on the scoreboard in case any of the fans here wishing to sing along forgot the words.
1:00 I didn’t miss the coin toss at all. They are having it now, with about 30 people out there in the middle of the field to make sure nothing goes wrong. Detroit won the toss and will receive, leading me to believe that the fix was, in fact, in. (I’m about 99% certain they hold the real coin toss half an hour or so before the game and then stage a re-enactment and it was that re-enactment that we just saw.)

1:02 Kickoff. Sort of, that is. The Rams tried an on-sides kick and the Lions were not fooled with Amari Spievey recovering. So, Detroit starts at the St. Louis 40! St. Louis jumps offside to make it 1st and 5 and then they are called for defensive holding and its 1st and ten from the Rams 31 before the Lions have even run a play. Jahvid Best runs for a dozen and the Lions are in the red zone at the 19 and the game isn’t even a minute old. Nate Burleson catches what would have been a 19-yard TD pass had he gotten both feet down in bounds but he didn’t. And now it’s 3rd and 3 from the Rams 12. Shaun Hill throws it out of the end zone again so Jason Hanson comes in to kick a 30-yard field goal and that’s how the Lions take advantage of the short field, they drive 29 yards in 5 plays and go up 3-0. It only took 1:16…so we have a LONG WAY to go.

1:08 13:44 remains in the 1st quarter as Hanson kicks off and now we get our first look at Sam Bradford. Three and out for the Rams as Bradford—the top pick in the NFL Draft last April as you know—misfires on a short third down pass. Bradford, the notes say, has thrown 6 touchdown passes already this season, including at least one in every St. Louis game so far. He had 2 last week when the Rams whipped Seattle 20-3.

1:16 The Lions have the ball back at their own 34. Only 3 minutes have run off the game clock. We are off to a slow start. Virtually all of the club seats on the other side of the field are empty. There are something like 21 Upper Level Luxury Boxes across the way and I think they are all empty. There are a couple of people sitting in one of them, but they may be Ford Field employees. All those boxes and all of them empty. It says something about the economy around here, don’t you think? There are a ton of empty seats at this sold-out game, by the way. And, by the way, the Lions just went three-and-out.

1:22 Time out. MSU’s win yesterday marked the first time MSU beat nationally-ranked teams on consecutive Saturday’s since 1974. The second of those games in ’74 remains the best game I’ve ever been at. I was a student at Michigan State that day when we beat #1 Ohio State—with 2-time Heisman winner Archie Griffith running for them and Woody Hayes coaching ‘em—16-13. Levi Jackson had an 88-yard TD run with 3:12 left in the game to put MSU ahead and then the Spartans put on a goal line stand as time ran out. It took 45 minutes or so after the game until the final score was announced as one of the officials had signaled an Ohio State TD on the last play of the game while another had waved the play off due to a penalty on the offense. I will never, ever see a better game.
1:27 The Rams are first and goal after a 30-yard Bradford pass which featured three—count ‘em—three missed tackles by the Lions who must think we are playing touch this afternoon.
1:30 It looks like the Lions have the ball back on a play in which there were two fumbles, both recovered by Detroit and run out to the 26, but the replay looks like the runner was down in which case it will be goal-to-goal for the Rams. The referee is under the hood and we await the decision…
1:34 The Lions have the fumble recovery and go first and ten from their own 27. There were 2 fumbles (one by a Ram and one by a Lion on the play) and two fumble recoveries both by Detroit. The Lions can’t take advantage. It’s three and out and Nick Harris punts.

1:39 Bradford’s 4/6 for 51 yards with 5:00 left in the 1st. Make it 5/7 for 69 yards as Bradford converts 3rd and 11 with an 18 yard completion. The Lions still can’t stop them. The Rams are 1st and ten from the Detroit 25. Steven Jackson picks up 13 on 1st down and it’s another 1st down for the Rams—now back deep in Detroit territory again, 1st and ten the Detroit 12. Bradford can’t connect on 3rd and 7, so Josh Brown kicks a 28-yard field goal and we are tied. Tie runs out in the quarter during the kick and it’s 3-3 after 1. St. Louis outgained and outplayed Detroit, but we are tied. We’ll have the official numbers with respect to who gained what in the quarter shortly.

1:47 St. Louis passed for 81 yards in the first quarter, Detroit for 11. Srsly: 11 yards in toto (not the dog, the Latin word) through the air! St. Louis rushed for 47 yards in the first quarter, Detroit for 20—all by Jahvid Best.

1:49 It’s a 105-yard kickoff return by Stefan Logan!!! Might be the longest return in Lions history! The Lions have taken the lead 10-3. When Logan took his first step, being that he was five yards deep in the end zone and all, I said, out loud, “What, are you kidding me.” I didn’t think he’d get back out to the 20, but Logan busted right up the middle and cut right at about the 30 and he was gone. The crowd is appropriately pumped. The return ties the all-time Lions record of 105 yards set by Terry Fair in 1998 versus Tampa Bay. That the Lions were so badly outgained in the first quarter doesn’t matter anymore.

1:56 I forgot. With their win yesterday, Michigan State improved to 6-0 and more importantly became one of 6 teams in the nation to be Bowl-Eligible. What a relief it is to know that the Spartans could lose out and still not miss out on the Meinicke Car Care Bowl!

2:12 While I was doing a live update with Ron Cameron on WDFN, the Lions complete a long drive (13 plays, 81 yards ) with a Hill to Calvin Johnson TD pass and the lead is 17-3. The momentum in this game, it is safe to say, has swung in Detroit’s favor. It’s Hill’s 6th TD pass of the season, 4 have them have been caught by Johnson who I think goes by the name “Megatron” or something. I can’t remember and I don’t really care anyway.

2:15 The Rams get a drive going and have it at the Detroit 33. The big play just happened, a 14 yard catch with a 15-yard personal foul tacked on. They get it down to the 15 and its 3rd and 4 at the two-minute warning. Pass interference on Jonathan Wade give St Louis a 1st at the Lions 12. Only a 2 yard penalty, but the automatic first down kills ‘ya. The Rams should have been forced to kick a field goal that would have made it 17-6, but now their drive remains alive. Julian Peterman all-most intercepts a pass at the goal line…and it’s 3rd down. C.C. Brown breaks up a pass in the end zone and Josh Brown kicks that field goal, a 28-yarder, and indeed it is Detroit, 17, St. 6. Still 1:37 left in the half and the Lions have all of their time-outs.

2:26 Stefan Logan just took a knee on a kick-off 6 yards deep in the end zone. What is he thinking?

2:30 The Lions are moving smartly, and have 1st down at the Rams 36. They call their first time-out with

2:31 Wow! Just wow. Hill laid it up into double coverage and Johnson caught it in the end zone for a 26 yard TD with 0:40 left in the half! An unbelievable throw and catch and it is under review. Did Calvin get the second foot down in bounds? A heck of a play either way, but it would be better if it’s a catch because otherwise it is in reality not a play; just an incomplete pass. The ruling: Incomplete Forward Pass. Soooo close.

2:34 Hill tries to hit Johnson again and this time the result is Pass Interference (they call it “Illegal Contact” which just doesn’t sound right to me) and it’s first down Detroit at the 21 as a result. Half a minute left in the half.

2:37 Somebody named Alphonso Smith catches a 17-yard pass from Hill and the Lions use timeout #2 with first and goal to go from the 3. On 2nd down, Hill hits Brandon Pettigrew for the 3-yard touchdown. Hill had no pressure and must have held the ball for 7 or 8 seconds—an eternity in football time—before finding Pettigrew open in the middle of the end zone. 0:10 left in the half and the Lions—who are going to win this game—just drove 80 yards in 12 plays in 1:27 to take a 24-6 lead. The Rams have it at the Detroit 49 after a pooch kickoff and may just try a Hail Mary instead of the Taking of the Knee with 0:07 left on the clock. Bradford completes a 27-yard pass but it doesn’t matter as time runs out and the Lions lead by 18 at the half. When was the last time that happened? We do not know.

2:53 Dick Lebeau, who played for the Lions when I was growing up, is being honored on the field after having been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. Lebeau played here for 14 years and a few dozen old-time Lions—some of whom were Lions back in the 1950’s—are down there on the field with him. It was very well-done as ceremonies go.

2:58 Detroit kicks off to St. Louis. After being outgained 126 yards to 26 by the Rams in the first quarter, the Lions outgained the Rams 166 yards to 73 in the second quarter. Shaun Hill is out-passing Sam Bradford at the half: 155 yards to 136.

3:00 3-and-out for the Rams and they punt. Logan, who is having some kind of a day out there returning kicks and punts , returns this one, a 42-yard punt, 17 yards and the Lions start in St. Louis territory at the 41. When the Rams started the game with that ill-fated on-side kickoff, the Lions started at the Rams 41—just where they are for their first drive of the second half. The first time the Lions drove 29 yards and settled for a field goal. Can they do better than that now?

3:04 Yes. Yes they can. It’s a 26-yard TD pass from Hill to Nate Burleson who promptly breaks that rule about behaving like you’ve been there before when it comes to being in the end zone as he kicks the ball into the stands by way of celebration and they’ll walk the 15 yard penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct off prior to the kick-off which is sure to ensue. The Lions drove those 41 yards in a short field drive which took plays and 1:53. It’s 31-6 Lions with still a long way to go here: 10:54 left in the 3rd quarter.

3:07 If you like to beat the traffic now might be a good time to leave, just saying. This ballgame is out of reach with Detroit up by 25. Heck, I’d leave myself except I am contractually obligated to remain here in my seat.

3:21 The Rams are forced to go for it on 4th and ten with a little over 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter because they are so far behind and they can’t convert and the Lions take over. The job for Detroit right now is oh so simple: run clock. Hey! Kevin Smith gets in the game and tears off a 15-yard run for a first down. It’s only Smith’s 4th carry of the year, and his longest gain of the season. Smith led the Lions with 747 rush yards last year but missed the last three games due to injury. And with all his injuries 2009 must feel like a long time ago to him. Smith was the Lions 3rd pick in the 2008 Draft. Who’d Detroit take ahead of him? The answer in a moment….Okay, it was Tackle Gosder Cherilus in the first round and LB Jordan Dizon in the second. Dizon is not on the Lions Active Roster today.

3:42 Detroit’s victory—now 11:37 away, will snap a ten-game Lions losing streak and will be Detroit’s first win since they beat Cleveland 38-37 here last November 22. I remember being upset that Detroit won that game, as they came back from way behind (Detroit trailed 24-3 in the first quarter) to win on a Matthew Stafford TD pass on a penalty do-over on the last play of regulation because it was that play and that victory which cost the Lions the first pick in the draft.

3:48 Hanson just kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it 34-6, but, of greater importance they just announced here in the press box that Calvin Johnson—the Franchise, currently—has an injured shoulder. No further details and I’ll bet you a dollar all they say after the game is they’ll know more after tomorrow’s MRI.

3:53 Ndamukong Suh of all people intercepts a pass and returns it 20. Detroit came into the game 5th in the NFL in sacks. They have only 1 today, but that play by Suh is better than a sack anyway. It results in another Hanson FG—he has 3, now—(47 yards this time) and its 37-6, Detroit with less than 8 minutes left.

4:00 Still half a quarter to go (7:07) and the game is 3 hours old. The Lions may or may not have just recovered a Rams fumble; review procedures have once again been initiated. No turnover. They have decided the pass which preceded the fumble was incomplete.

4:03 Alphonso Smith intercepts Bradford and returns it 42 yards for a Touchdown and now its 44-6 Lions. Detroit hasn’t beaten anybody like this since Denver was here in 2007 and the Lions beat ‘em 44-7. That win left the Lions with a 6-2 record in ‘07. They went 1-7 in the second half, missed the playoffs and then went 0-16 in 2008 and 2-14 last year. They started 0-4 this season and so are 3-41 since that game against Denver in ’07. 3-41!!! Your percentage on that—for those of you who like and appreciate math is (.068). Or, to be even more precise, YIKES!

4:22 Drew Stanton mops up, takes a knee and the Lions have won a football game. This is definitely going t0 be in all the papers. 44-6, Detroit is the final score and now we have to go home to file.