Rams vs. Lions wild card playoff highlights: Detroit wins first ...

Party like it’s 1992, Detroit. The Lions have won a playoff game.

The No. 3-seeded Detroit Lions defeated the No. 6 Los Angeles Rams, 24-23, Sunday in the NFC wild-card round at Ford Field. The Lions' first playoff win since Jan. 5, 1992 ended the NFL's longest postseason victory drought.

The first half featured offensive fireworks, with both teams trading blows. The scoring exchanges were in the form of field goals in the second half. And in the end, it was the Lions who made the plays to move on. They will host the winner of Monday’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Philadelphia Eagles wild-card matchup in next weekend’s divisional round.

With the victory, the Lions spoiled the return of Matthew Stafford. Now quarterbacking the Rams, Stafford returned to the confines in which he spent the first 12 seasons of his career. The Lions drafted him No. 1 overall in 2009. The Lions traded Stafford for Jared Goff and a bevy of draft selections in January 2020. He won the Rams a Super Bowl in his first season with his new team. Another regime change had befallen the Lions. Said new regime agreed to part with a city’s favorite adopted son. It’s complicated.

So in the end, it was Goff who knelt and raised his arms in the air as the seconds ticket off the clock and the sellout crowd — many of whom arrived an hour prior to kickoff. Goff was the one who had revenge, knocking out his former team, as he was 22 of 27 for 277 yards and a touchdown.

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Detroit scored touchdowns on its first three possessions of the game — drives of 75, 70 and 69 yards — and racked up 16 first downs on the way.

Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, a week removed from suffering an MCL injury that appeared serious, not only played. He scored a touchdown and finished with three catches for 14 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the No. 1 receiver he has proven to be, as he caught seven balls for 110 yards. Both running backs — free agent signee David Montgomery and 2023 first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs — found the end zone.

The defense stood up a trio of Rams drives that reached the end zone.

All of that to snap a nine-game losing streak in the playoffs. The Motor City Exaltation. — Chris Bumbaca

Lions vs. Rams highlights

Jared Goff threw for a touchdown and completed a game-sealing first down against the team that cast him away, and the Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 32 years, beating Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

WINNERS

The long-suffering city of Detroit: It was their first playoff win since 1992, more than 30 years ago. It was their second since 1957. In fact, the Lions are no longer the NFL franchise with the longest postseason drought, handing that distinction over to the Miami Dolphins, who are now at 23 seasons.

The NBC broadcast cameras showed fans in tears as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Lions fans deserve this victory. And while the Lions may have wanted a rematch with Dallas after the controversial Week 17 loss, Detroit will actually get the chance to host another postseason game because the Cowboys lost to the Packers. So gear up, Detroit, you have another one coming up, against the victor of Monday night’s game between the Eagles and Buccaneers.

Aidan Hutchinson: A solid second season continued for Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a player who may be blossoming into a star before our eyes. After receiving a Pro Bowl nomination for an 11.5-sack season with three forced fumbled, Hutchinson was a force against the Rams, generating six tackles, two sacks and five quarterback hits.

And if his spin move wasn’t already on scouting reports, it should be now.

LOSERS

The Rams in the red zone: This was the difference in the game. The L.A. Rams moved the ball at will, churning out 425 yards of total offense and outgaining Detroit by 91 yards. Matthew Stafford, playing against his old team, threw for 367 yards. But, when the Rams marched it into the red zone, they left points on the field. Los Angeles failed to convert any of their three trips inside the 20 and, as a result, kicked three field goals that were each fewer than 30 yards. The Lions, by comparison, turned all three of their red zone attempts into touchdowns.

Is the window closing for the Rams? This, more than anything, should be considered a hold. Because the Rams do have an infusion of young talent that it can ride to success. But the team also must answer difficult questions on key veterans and succession plans. Matthew Stafford turns 36 next month and has taken significant punishment over the years. The Rams must protect him but also figure out his eventual replacement. All-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald recorded another first-team All-Pro season — his eighth — but he will be 33 in May. Even receiver Cooper Kupp, who is just two years removed from one of the most prolific seasons in NFL history, looked every bit of 30 and has seen his production decline steadily over the past couple of years. — Lorenzo Reyes

Rams: 23

Lions: 24

First quarter

Lions touchdown (9:30) — David Montgomery, 1-yard run (Michael Badgley extra point)

Rams field goal (4:26) — Brett Maher, 24 yards

Lions touchdown (1:31) — Jahmyr Gibbs, 10-yard run (Michael Badgley extra point)

Second quarter

Rams touchdown (13:24) — Puka Nacua, 50-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Brett Maher extra point)

Lions touchdown (7:12) — Sam LaPorta, 2-yard pass from Jared Goff (Michael Badgley extra point)

Rams touchdown (4:02) — Tutu Atwell, 38-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Brett Maher extra point)

Third quarter

Lions field goal (8:41) — Michael Badgley, 54 yards

Rams field goal (2:33) — Brett Maher, 27 yards

Fourth quarter

Rams field goal — Brett Maher, 27 yards

Matthew Stafford, Rams miss chance to take lead as Lions defense stands

Was it pass interference or not?

It appeared Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton tugged on Rams receiver Puka Nacua’s jersey on a pivotal play on third down. But the refs let the players play.

Stafford’s pass to Nacua was too high, and the Lions defense forced the Rams to punt.

The Lions are hanging onto a 24-23 lead with 4:07 left in this game.

For a playoff game with a 21-17 halftime score, the defense from both sides has emerged in the second half. — Safid Deen

Kristin Juszczyk makes Lions jacket for Taylor Lautner

No matter who they root for, celebrity NFL fans have one thing in common: They’re all wearing jackets created by Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

A day after Taylor Swift caused a frenzy with her custom-made jacket, "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner was sporting a similar one at the Detroit Lions game Sunday night. Lautner’s featured the name and No. 97 of Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.

And like Swift’s, this jacket came with a backstory, too.

Juszczyk posted on Instagram earlier Sunday that she’d had “something so fun planned for the Lions game” but the jacket was stuck in Tennessee. She then asked if someone at FedEx could “help me pull off a miracle.” A few hours later, she posted a video of Lautner, a Michigan native and diehard Lions fan, opening the jacket on the field and putting it on before the game.

FedEx had hand-delivered the jacket, Juszczyk said.

“You are an actual mastermind and I am so here for it,” Lautner said in a comment.

“YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR,” Lautner’s wife added.

Juszczyk has been creating custom puffer jackets and vests throughout the season, but Swift put her talent on display nationally Saturday night.

Juszczyk had made a jacket for Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, featuring his name and number, and made a similar one for Swift with boyfriend Travis Kelce’s name and No. 87. Juszczyk sent both jackets to Mahomes, who passed the Kelce one on to Swift, and the two women wore them Saturday night as the wind chill dipped below zero. — Nancy Armour

Puka Nacua sets another record

Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua can add his name to another record.

The Rams wideout has nine catches for 181 receiving yards midway through the fourth quarter. Nacua’s 181 receiving yards are the most by a rookie in a playoff game.

Nacua’s had a record-breaking rookie campaign. The 2023 fifth-round pick broke NFL regular-season records for most catches (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a rookie wide receiver. — Tyler Dragon

Detroit goes three and out, punts back to Los Angeles

The Lions had a chance to march down the field and put this game on ice.

They punted back to the Rams instead.

A three-and-out by the Lions offense barely shaved a minute of the clock, and the Rams have the ball again with 7:18 left in the game.

After scoring on four of their first five possession with three touchdowns, the Lions have punted on back-to-back drives – the latter being their first three-and-out of the game. — Safid Deen

Lions 24, Rams 23: Rams settle for another field goal

Bend don’t break. That’s how the Lions offense has been operating for most of the game.

Los Angeles kicker Brett Maher kicked another short field goal – this one from 29 yards away – to cut the Lions’ lead to one, 24-23, with 8:10 to go in the game. All three of Maher’s field goals have been less than 30 yards.

The Rams have not scored upon reaching the red zone in tall three of their positions that have reached there. The drive took six minutes, 43 seconds. — Chris Bumbaca

Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua both return after injuries

Matthew Stafford’s Detroit return took an abrupt turn.

The Los Angeles Rams quarterback was hit hard after he tossed a pass to wide receiver Cooper Kupp on third down with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter. As Stafford was following through, he was hit to the ground by Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

Stafford grimaced and clutched his side as he gingerly came off the field.

The Rams settled for 27-yard field goal.

Stafford was checked out by the Rams’ medical staff in the blue tent on the sideline.

The Rams quarterback eventually checked out of the blue tent and was seen warming up on the sideline.

The veteran quarterback return in the team’s next series.

Puka Nacua was also injured during the Rams’ drive and returned to the game after being evaluated. — Tyler Dragon

Lions 24, Rams 20: Brett Maher trims Detroit's lead

Los Angeles went 66 yards all the way to the Detroit 9-yard line, but Sean McVay took the points with a field goal once again instead of tying the game. The Rams trailed 24-20 with 2:33 left in the third quarter. Rookie tight end Davis Allen had a 22-yard catch for the biggest play of the drive.

By it’s end, however, the Rams were holding their breath as Matthew Stafford walked off the field shaken up. — Chris Bumbaca

Lions 24, Rams 17: Detroit adds field goal

The second half has gotten off to a slow start, compared to the first half.

But a field goal left Lions coach Dan Campbell and Rams coach Sean McVay happy.

Lions kicker Michael Badgley connected on a 54-yard kick to give Detroit a 24-17 lead with 8:41 left in the third quarter.

Campbell was content coming away with points after a long kick, while McVay was happy to hold Detroit to three points after three touchdowns on four possessions in the first half.

It’s a one-score game in Detroit. — Safid Deen

So much for a warm welcome back.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was booed by Detroit fans on Sunday as he emerged from the tunnel before the team kicked off its NFC wild-card playoff game against the Lions.

The boo birds continued as Stafford took the field for the Rams’ opening series. They persisted as the Los Angeles offense gathered together in a hurdle before the unit's first play of the game. — Tyler Dragon

Lions head into halftime with four-point lead

The Lions have a 21-17 lead at halftime in their first home playoff game in 30 years.

Detroit scored touchdowns on its first three possessions in what was an electric first half.

Jared Goff has 194 passing yards and one touchdown. Running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have combined for 69 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

But Matthew Stafford and the Rams are keeping the game close. Stafford’s been sharp in his Detroit return. The 35-year-old delivered a few clutch throws and engineered two 70-plus touchdown drives to keep the Rams within striking distance.

Offensive rookie of the year candidate Puka Nacua tallied five receptions, 106 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

Rams safety Quentin Lake leads all players with eight tackles at the half. — Tyler Dragon

Lions 21, Rams 17: Tutu Atwell flips into end zone

The first half of trading punches continued with the Rams finding the end zone and bringing them within 21-17 4:02 until halftime.

Matthew Stafford zipped in a throw just past the outstretched arms of Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor, who dove for the pass breakup, into the hands of receiver TuTu Atwell. All Atwell had to do was turn upfield and run past the goal line, but he added a flip into the end zone for some flair.

The Rams converted a fourth down on the previous play thanks to a Stafford completion to Cooper Kupp. — Chris Bumbaca

Lions 21, Rams 10: Jared Goff finds Sam LaPorta on fourth-and-goal

Lions coach Dan Campbell saw the spot of the ball on fourth-and-1 at the 2-yard line, and offensive lineman Dan Skipper successfully reported eligible.

And the Lions cashed in the end zone again.

Jared Goff found tight end SamLaPorta on a slant near the back of the end zone for the Lions’ third touchdown of the game to take a 21-10 lead over the Rams.

The Lions were inside the 5 and did not want to settle for a field goal, especially after the Rams scored a 50-yard touchdown on the previous drive. Detroit’s aggressiveness paid off into an 11-point lead with 7:12 left until halftime. — Safid Deen

Lions 14 Rams 10: Puka Nacua, Matthew Stafford hook up for long TD

Well, that was fast.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford found rookie receiver Puka Nacua open for a 50-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to narrow the score.

It was the response Los Angeles needed after a roaring start by the Lions in this game. Stafford is 7 of 10 for 119 yards, while Nacua has 85 yards on four catches. — Safid Deen

Lions lead 14-3 after first quarter

The Detroit Lions have a 14-3 lead over the visiting Los Angeles Rams after the first quarter of their wildcard playoff game.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff is off to a 9-of-9 start with 111 yards, leading two touchdown drives – one each for running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Rams are driving to begin the second quarter, and stalled out in the red zone on their first possession, leading to a field goal.

Lions fans have also welcomed former quarterback Matthew Stafford, in his third season with the Rams, with boos in the first quarter. — Safid Deen

Lions 14, Rams 3: Jahmyr Gibbs extends Lions' lead

Two drives, and two touchdowns by the Detroit Lions.

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored on a 10-yard run to give Detroit a 14-3 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter.

Gibbs had a 14-yard run on the drive, while receiver Josh Reynolds had catches of 10 and 33 yards on the drive to fuel Detroit.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff has started the game 9 for 9 with 111 yards, while Reynolds has 75 yards on four catches. — Safid Deen

Lions 7, Rams 3: Rams get field goal, Matthew Stafford booed

Matthew Stafford started the Rams’ opening drive 4-of-4 passing, but the quarterback had three straight incompletions in the red zone as the team had to settle for a short 24-yard field goal.

Rams WR Puka Nacua had two catches for 25 yards in the team’s opening drive.

Stafford, who spent his first 12 years in Detroit, was booed by the home crowd when he entered the game for the first time. — Tyler Dragon

Lions 7, Rams 0: Detroit strikes first on opening drive

The Lions offense didn’t show any jitters in the franchise’s first home playoff game in 30 years.

Detroit moved the ball right down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard drive. Quarterback Jared Goff was a perfect 5-of-5 passing in the Lions’ opening series. Running back David Montgomery had five carries for 24 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Rams vs. Lions game time

Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET

The Rams vs. Lions wild-card playoff game is set to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET. The game will be held at Ford Field in Detroit.

How to watch Lions vs. Rams

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

Betting odds for Lions vs. Rams

The Lions are favorites to defeat the Rams, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app and the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Spread: Lions (-3)

Moneyline: Lions (-165); Rams (+140)

Over/under: 53

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Predictions for Lions vs. Rams

USA TODAY Sports' staff picks for the game:

Lorenzo Reyes: Rams 24, Lions 21 — The Lions have waited a long time to host a playoff game, but I think this is a spot where the Rams could play spoiler. Matthew Stafford finished the regular season strong, while Detroit’s offense has slowed some. And the Rams, despite having a very young core on defense, can still generate pressure through the middle of the line, thanks to, yes, Aaron Donald, but also Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Kobie Turner.

— The Lions have waited a long time to host a playoff game, but I think this is a spot where the Rams could play spoiler. Matthew Stafford finished the regular season strong, while Detroit’s offense has slowed some. And the Rams, despite having a very young core on defense, can still generate pressure through the middle of the line, thanks to, yes, Aaron Donald, but also Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Kobie Turner. Tyler Dragon: Lions 27, Rams 23 — Matthew Stafford returns to Detroit to face his former team, and Jared Goff has a chance at redemption against the club that traded him. There are a lot of storylines in this one. However, the Lions haven’t hosted a playoff game in 30 years, and they don’t have a playoff victory since Jan. 5, 1992. Detroit fans are starving for some playoff success. There’s going to be a party in Motown if they win.

— Matthew Stafford returns to Detroit to face his former team, and Jared Goff has a chance at redemption against the club that traded him. There are a lot of storylines in this one. However, the Lions haven’t hosted a playoff game in 30 years, and they don’t have a playoff victory since Jan. 5, 1992. Detroit fans are starving for some playoff success. There’s going to be a party in Motown if they win. Safid Deen: Lions 30, Rams 23 — Matt Stafford’s return to Detroit makes this matchup intriguing but the Lions will make it a rude homecoming for him. Dan Campbell’s crew has been waiting for this moment all season, and the Rams won’t know what hit them on Sunday night.

— Matt Stafford’s return to Detroit makes this matchup intriguing but the Lions will make it a rude homecoming for him. Dan Campbell’s crew has been waiting for this moment all season, and the Rams won’t know what hit them on Sunday night. Victoria Hernandez: Lions 28, Rams 24 — Despite inconsistent play in the middle of the season, Detroit proved in the end that they are a fierce force. The Rams have some playmakers, but Ford Field will be fired up with fans who need something to believe in besides the lowly Pistons. Jared Goff ultimately rains on Matthew Stafford's homecoming parade.

— Despite inconsistent play in the middle of the season, Detroit proved in the end that they are a fierce force. The Rams have some playmakers, but Ford Field will be fired up with fans who need something to believe in besides the lowly Pistons. Jared Goff ultimately rains on Matthew Stafford's homecoming parade. Jordan Mendoza: Rams 26, Lions 24 — This is going to be an emotional game with Matthew Stafford returning to Detroit. He’ll want to show out in front of his former crowd, and he has a good chance to do so against a suspect pass defense. The Lions want to end their playoff win drought, but Los Angeles pulls off the shocker on the road to end Detroit’s successful season.

Well, look who has a chance to get the last laugh now, Dallas Cowboys.

That's right, how about the Detroit Lions!

Why is that? Well, thanks to the Cowboys stunning blowout upset loss to the rival Green Bay Packers in the Sunday late afternoon game, the Lions are guaranteed to earn a second home playoff game next week, should they win their first postseason game in 32 years on Sunday night. — Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press

Rams vs. Lions inactives: Sam LaPorta active for Detroit

Breakout rookie tight end Sam LaPorta (knee), who was injured in the Lions' regular-season finale, will play in the team's first home playoff game in 30 years. LaPorta returned to practice on Friday and was listed as questionable heading into Sunday night's wild-card game.

Rams' inactive players:

DB Jordan Fuller

WR Tyler Johnson

RB Zach Evans

LB Ochaun Mathis

LB Troy Reeder

OL Warren McClendon Jr.

Lions' inactive players:

CB Steve Gilmore

DL Charles Harris

QB Hendon Hooker (third QB)

DL Brodric Martin

LB Julian Okwara

WR Kalif Raymond

When the Los Angeles Rams visit the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round Sunday night, one of the best rookies of the NFL season will be in the national spotlight in Rams receiver Puka Nacua.

The late-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft has burst onto the scene for Sean McVay's team, emerging as not only a top receiving option on the offense, but one of the best pass catchers in the league. — Jordan Mendoza

Sunday night’s Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions wild-card matchup has so many storylines it could be a Hollywood script.

Detroit hasn’t hosted a postseason game in 30 years. The Lions haven’t won a playoff game since Jan. 5, 1992. It’s the NFL’s longest active playoff win drought. Matthew Stafford is part of the Lions’ wretched playoff history. Stafford spent 12 years in Detroit and went 0-3 in the playoffs. Stafford’s postseason misfortune all changed on Jan. 30, 2021 — when the Lions agreed to ship him to Los Angeles in a blockbuster trade with the Rams that also sent Jared Goff to the Lions in exchange. In Stafford’s first season with the Rams, the quarterback reached the pinnacle of the sport. Meanwhile, Detroit’s postseason win drought continued. — Tyler Dragon

The Detroit rapper — real name Marshall Mathers — posted a video on NBC's X feed asking the former Lions quarterback to let his former team win Sunday night vs. his current team, the Rams.

"Stafford. What'd I say?," Eminem starts in the video, donning a No. 20 custom Barry Sanders king hooded sweatshirt. — Amy Huschka, Detroit Free Press

It’s already hard enough to make the NFL playoffs, but it’s even tougher to get a win in the postseason, and for some teams, it’s been awhile since they’ve tasted a playoff victory.

With one playoff win since the 1957 NFL championship game, it should come as no surprise that the Lions own the league's longest playoff win drought. — Jordan Mendoza

The Curse of Bobby Layne has been engrained in the folklore of the Detroit Lions for more than 60 years as a way to explain their unmatched ability to fail.

Layne, who helped lead the Lions to three NFL championships during his tenure from 1950-58, famously cursed the Lions with bad luck after the organization traded him one season after its last championship in 1957.

The curse was never confirmed by anyone else but as the Lions have lived up to the prophecy with only one playoff win since 1957, the story has become entrenched into the fabric of Detroit sports history. — Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press

Rams' playoff history

The Rams are 26-27 in playoff games. The franchise has appeared in five Super Bowls, winning two (Super Bowl XXXIV and Super Bowl LVI). The Super Bowl 56 win was the Rams' last playoff appearance. Prior to the Super Bowl era, the Rams won two NFL championships (1945 and 1951).

Lions' playoff history

The Lions are 7-13 in playoff games. The team is among four teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl and 12 team that have never won a Super Bowl. The Lions' playoff win came during the 1991 season, when Detroit defeated Dallas in the divisional playoff round. Prior to the Super Bowl era, the Lions won four NFL championships (1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957).

The Detroit Lions have won one NFL playoff game in the Super Bowl era.

I was there at the Silverdome 32 years ago, covering the game for the Lansing State Journal as a sidebar and notebook reporter – just a 21-year-old college student.

Looking back 30-plus years, receiving the responsibility to cover Lions games at the Silverdome was as surreal as it was motivational as it was educational as it was preposterous. — Jeff Zillgitt

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Jared Goff leads Lions to first playoff win in 32 years, 24-23 over ...

LARRY LAGE

AP

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff lifted his arms in the air, encouraging Ford Field fans to get even louder, before taking the final snap to end his long-suffering franchise's skid in the playoffs.

The crowd delivered, approaching the decibel level of a siren.

Goff came through, too.

Goff threw for a touchdown and completed a pass for a victory-sealing first down against the team that cast him away, and the Detroit Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 32 years, beating Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 on Sunday night.

The Lions (13-5) ended a nine-game postseason losing streak — the longest in NFL history — that dated to a victory over Dallas on Jan. 5, 1992. They lost a home playoff game two years later and hadn’t hosted one since.

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“It means a whole lot to this city,” Goff said. “We knew what it meant when this season started to get into the playoffs and then to get this win. And, you know, it’s just the beginning for us. We’ve got some run left.”

Detroit, the NFC's No. 3 seed, will have two home playoff games for the first time in franchise history, hosting either Tampa Bay or Philadelphia in the divisional round next Sunday. Second-seeded Dallas was routed by Green Bay.

The Rams (10-8) had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Detroit’s defense denied them. A holding penalty pushed Los Angeles out of field goal range, and Stafford — the Lions’ longtime quarterback who won a Super Bowl after he was traded to the Rams — threw incomplete on fourth down.

On the first play after the two-minute warning, Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for 11 yards, allowing the Lions to run out the clock — much to the delight of long-suffering fans who witnessed the franchise’s second postseason victory since winning the 1957 NFL title.

“That’s the best home atmosphere I’ve ever played in, and I expect next week will top that,” Goff said.

Against the franchise he once led to the Super Bowl, Goff was 22 of 27 for 277 yards and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta that put Detroit ahead 21-10 midway through the second quarter.

The Lions acquired Goff and a pair of first-round picks for Stafford three years ago.

“Jared was really efficient. You could see the command that he has,” said Rams coach Sean McVay, whose relationship with Goff soured before the trade. “There's a lot made of it, but I'm really happy for him. We wanted to come away with a win, but he's done a great job.”

Stafford, who played most of the game with a bandaged and bloody hand after he slammed it into a defender's helmet, finished 25 of 36 for 367 yards with two touchdowns.

“I wouldn't want anyone else as our quarterback other than Matthew Stafford,” McVay said. “He was outstanding. He was gritty. He was gutsy and made tough throw after tough throw. The rush was barreling down on him, and he stood in there and was dropping dimes all day.”

Detroit drafted Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009 and while he put up gaudy statistics, he didn't win a playoff game in his 12 seasons. Stafford hugged dozens of Detroit's players and staff members after the game.

“I’m happy for the players,” he said. “I’m happy for those guys.”

Record-breaking rookie Puka Nacua had nine receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown for the Rams.

David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs each had a rushing TD for the Lions, and St. Brown had seven receptions for 110 yards.

After trailing by 11 points, the Rams got within 21-17 at halftime thanks to Stafford’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Nacua and his 38-yarder to Tutu Atwell.

Michael Badgley’s season-long, 54-yard field goal — the longest of his postseason career, and tied for the longest in Detroit's playoff history — gave the Lions a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter.

The Rams moved the ball at will for much of the game, but had to settle for short field goals by Brett Maher to get within 24-23 with 8:10 remaining.

“The difference in the game was the red area,” McVay said.

Stafford has made a career of fourth-quarter comebacks, a fact the fans at Ford Field were well aware of. With a chance to put the Rams ahead for the first time, he led a drive to the Detroit 34, but the Lions' defense forced him backwards from there.

Detroit took over with 4:07 to go, and Los Angeles had only one timeout left after calling two earlier in the half to cope with the crowd noise. That allowed Goff to take a knee after his throw to St. Brown.

The Lions started strong and looked as fired up as their long-suffering fans, with rapper and Motor City native Eminem in the house along with Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson.

“When we came out for pregame warmups, it was already buzzing," Campbell said.

The fans showered Stafford with boos when he ran onto the field, where he posed for a pregame photo with his wife and their daughters, and chanted “Jar-ed Goff! Jar-ed Goff” for the Lions’ quarterback.

“Going into this game, I had two things I was playing for: I was playing for my teammates and I was playing for the city,” said Hutchinson, who grew up in suburban Detroit and starred at Michigan. "This city has been so deserving of this for so long, and we’re going to keep it up.”

INJURIES

Rams: Stafford’s right hand was taped up after it was cut in the second quarter and he walked off the field slowly after getting hit by two Lions late in the third. He said he hurt his ribs and head on the play. ... RB Kyren Williams had a hand injury in the fourth quarter. ... TE Tyler Higbee limped off the field, favoring his right leg, after taking a low hit in the fourth. ... S Jordan Fuller, the team’s second-leading tackler, was ruled out after being listed as questionable with an ankle injury.

Lions: WR/KR Kalif Raymond, TE James Mitchell and CB Jerry Jacobs were inactive.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

NFL scores, more divisional round playoffs: Changing of guard at QB

PHILADELPHIA – As much as No. 1-seeded playoff teams have struggled in recent years, the second round of this year's postseason was kinder to them. Relatively.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles won Saturday, ending what had been a four-game losing streak for top seeds going back to the 2020 playoffs. Philly's previously battered players looked rejuvenated and should be primed for their pending visit from the San Francisco 49ers, who dispatched the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday for their 12th consecutive victory.

QB Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury obviously looms as a setback for the Chiefs, however, at least they won't travel to Atlanta for a neutral site AFC championship game and instead host the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of last year's game at Arrowhead Stadium after Cincy eliminated the Buffalo Bills. Recovering at home and avoiding an extra flight bode as well as anything for Mahomes as he desperately tries to get healthy enough to play.

Otherwise? Let's hope the NFL gives us a better script for next week after what was more or less a Super Bowl 57 quarterfinal round dud.

SATURDAY'S WINNERS, LOSERS:No. 1 seeds advance at expense of Giants, Jaguars

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

NATE DAVIS:Health improving, Eagles send message to rest of NFL with demolition of Giants

Onward ...

The 32 things we learned from the 2022 NFL season's divisional playoff round:

1. The number of NFL postseason games that have been staged at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was occupied by the Falcons in 2017.

1a. That game was Super Bowl 53, when the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. Sorry, ATL.

1b. That figure won't change after the Bengals negated the relocation of the AFC title round, a contingency created by the league after the Damar Hamlin situation eliminated Buffalo's path to the conference's top seed.

1c. The NFL announced Friday that more than 50,000 tickets were purchased in less than a day when a Bills-Chiefs playoff redux was viable. Cincinnati QB Joe Burrow advised the league "Better send them refunds" after Sunday's victory in Western New York.

2. Years in a row the Bengals and Chiefs have met with a Super Bowl spot on the line. Cincinnati prevailed 27-24 in overtime last season in one of Mahomes' worst postseason outings, which included a pair of second-half INTs.

3. The number of times the Bengals have beaten Mahomes in the three games where Burrow has opposed him as Cincinnati's QB1. Next Sunday will be the teams' fourth meeting in the past 13 months.

4. The Bengals are the only franchise among the NFL's version of the Final Four without a Super Bowl victory.

5. The number of times the Bills have come up short of the Super Bowl during five playoff trips in head coach Sean McDermott's six seasons with the team. Take social media for what it's worth, but numerous members of "Bills Mafia" stepped out Sunday and openly wondered if McDermott gets too conservative in the postseason and whether Buffalo can take the next step with him at the helm. McDermott's playoff record now stands at 4-5.

6. The Eagles are trying to win their second Super Bowl in a six-season span. Their 38-7 win Saturday occurred on the five-year anniversary of their 38-7 win against the Minnesota Vikings in the 2017 NFC championship game.

7. The Giants fell to 6-9 in the divisional round, the only layer of the playoffs in which they're below .500 during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

8. The number of times Buffalo was penalized Sunday (for 60 yards), just another area where the Bills fell short on a day when they were utterly dominated by Cincinnati.

8a. Also the number of times the Bills' Josh Allen ran the ball Sunday – most on the team and a continued indicator of what seems to be the team's over-reliance on its quarterback.

9. The number of times the 49ers and Cowboys have met in the postseason, tied for most all time (Packers-49ers, Rams-Cowboys). San Francisco improved to 4-5 against Dallas in the playoffs.

9a. Overall, the teams are 19-19-1 in 39 meetings all-time.

9b. The Niners' 36th all-time postseason victory is tied with Dallas, the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers for second most all time. Only the Patriots, with 37, have more.

10. The number of rookie quarterbacks to start in the divisional round since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the 49ers' Brock Purdy being the newest example. The most recent after Purdy? The Cowboys' Dak Prescott six years ago.

11. Prescott, 29, was the oldest quarterback to make it to this year's divisional round. The average age of the eight quarterbacks (25 years, 278 days) who started this weekend was the youngest in the divisional round since the merger, and only the second occurrence – the other being 2004 – when no QB1 north of 30 was under center.

11a. But shoutout to 37-year-old Kansas City QB2 Chad Henne, who was instrumental to the team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars – orchestrating a Chiefs playoff record 98-yard drive, capped by a TD pass to TE Travis Kelce – while Mahomes' ankle injury was medically evaluated in the second quarter.

12. The number of times Mahomes and Kelce have connected for a TD in the playoffs. Only Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have more (15) as teammates.

13. Next Sunday will be Mahomes' 13th playoff start – he's vowing to play through the high ankle sprain he suffered Saturday – and 11th at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, where he's 8-2.

14. Burrow is 3-0 in road playoff starts and hopes to improve to 2-0 at Arrowhead.

15. The number of playoff games that have been played at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium. Sunday was only the second one the Bills lost – and the first in more than 26 years.

16. The number of times since the merger that a team has gone 3-0 against one opponent in a single season, the Eagles being the most recent to do it (against the New York Giants).

17. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence's 37-game winning streak in games played on Saturday – which spanned his time at Cartersville (Georgia) High School, Clemson and the previous two weekends in Duval County – ended in Kansas City.

18. By the end of Sunday's game, the Bills were down to their fifth- and sixth-string safeties. Hamlin replaced injured Micah Hyde in September. Jordan Poyer and Dean Marlowe were hurt against the Bengals.

19. The Giants and Jaguars made this the seventh consecutive divisional round featuring at least two teams that missed the playoffs the previous season.

20. Purdy, who is one win from becoming the first rookie quarterback to start a Super Bowl, is set to become the fifth since the merger to start a championship game.

21. Dallas K Brett Maher's five missed extra points (in four playoff games and 11 attempts) are the second most in postseason history.

21a. Roy Gerela missed six of 43 attempts over the span of 15 games with the Houston Oilers and Steel Curtain Steelers.

22. San Francisco's Robbie Gould has made all 67 of his career playoff kicks, perfect on 38 extra-point attempts and 29 field goals.

23. Purdy's age.

24. Age of Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.

25. The NFC championship game will have the lowest combined age of two starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era.

26. The 49ers and Eagles have previously met just once in the postseason, a 14-0 San Francisco victory in a wild-card matchup in 1996.

26a. But Purdy and Hurts have locked horns before, Hurts' Oklahoma Sooners holding off Purdy's Iowa State Cyclones 42-41 in 2019. Each accounted for more than 330 yards of total offense and five TDs.

26b. Hurts is among nine OU alums who could be in action next weekend.

27. The number of consecutive seasons in which Dallas has failed to reach the NFC title game.

28. Last year, road teams went 3-1 in the divisional round. This year, home teams went 3-1.

29. Hurts and Giants counterpart Daniel Jones were the first opposing quarterbacks in playoff history to rush for at least 600 yards apiece in the regular season – and both eclipsed 700. They combined for 58 yards on the ground Saturday.

30. Allen and Burrow combined for 57 rushing yards Sunday.

31. Dallas' Dalton Schultz, who became the first tight end in team history with multiple TD catches in a playoff game during the wild-card round, caught another Sunday. His three TD grabs in one postseason tied the team record.

32. Your other prime-time network options Sunday – opposite Cowboys-49ers on FOX – included "Iron Man" on ABC and "Top Gun" on CBS. Tempting – "Top Gun" in particular – given the divisional round's fairly low entertainment quotient. Here's hoping "Championship Sunday" is redemptive.

32a. After all, the NFL just can't afford "Top Gun," even in all of its 36-year-old glory – yet younger than Brady and Aaron Rodgers – to be outshining its latest iteration of top guns. (Fortunately for the league, you have to pay for cable or streaming to see "Top Gun: Maverick," or else there might be real trouble afoot.)

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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.

Goff leads Lions past Stafford, Rams 24-23, Detroit's first playoff win ...

AP

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw for a touchdown and completed a game-sealing first down against the team that cast him away, and the Detroit Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 32 years, beating Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 on Sunday night.

The Lions (13-5) ended a nine-game postseason losing streak — the longest in NFL history — that dated to a victory over Dallas on Jan. 5, 1992.

Detroit will have two home playoff games for the first time in franchise history, hosting either Tampa Bay or Philadelphia in the divisional round next Sunday.

The Rams (10-8) had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Detroit’s defense held. A holding penalty pushed Los Angeles out of field goal range, and Stafford — the Lions’ longtime quarterback who won a Super Bowl after he was traded to the Rams — threw incomplete on fourth down.

On the first play after the two-minute warning, Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown for 11 yards, allowing the Lions to run out the clock. Goff was 22 of 27 for 277 yards.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Stafford, who played most of the game with a bandaged and bloody hand, finished 25 of 36 for 367 yards with two touchdowns. Record-breaking rookie Puka Nacua had nine receptions for 181 yards and a TD.

PACKERS 48, COWBOYS 32

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jordan Love threw for three touchdowns, Aaron Jones ran for three more, and Green Bay stunned Dallas in a wild-card playoff game.

Darnell Savage returned an interception 64 yards for a score for the Packers, who handed the Cowboys their first home loss since the 2022 opener.

Romeo Doubs had a career-high 151 yards receiving a week after being hospitalized with a chest injury. Love was 16 of 21 for 272 yards and had a near-perfect passer rating in his playoff debut.

Green Bay (10-8), the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game since the NFL expanded the postseason field in 2020, will visit top-seeded San Francisco in the divisional round next weekend.

Dak Prescott threw two interceptions before three mostly meaningless touchdown passes in another playoff flop for him and the No. 2 seed Cowboys (12-6).

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

NFL scores, more Week 18: 32 things we learned; NFL playoffs set

The 32 things we learned from Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season:

1. Six days removed from Buffalo Bills S Damar Hamlin's terrifying on-field collapse after he suffered cardiac arrest, how nice was it to get back to full-blown football this weekend – with an alert and recovering Hamlin watching from his hospital room?

2. Hamlin was clearly in thoughts and prayers around the league ... not to mention his No. 3 adorning T-shirts (which also read "Love For Damar") of players, coaches and staffers while getting spotlighted in blue and red on the 30-yard lines of stadiums throughout the country.

3. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans convened at midfield for a pregame prayer honoring Hamlin on Saturday night prior to kicking off their AFC South title game.

NFL SATURDAY WINNERS, LOSERS:Damar Hamlin, defense and punters loom large

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

4. But hard to imagine anything much better than the Bills returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown against the New England Patriots – Buffalo's first play since Hamlin went down midway through the first quarter of last Monday's game with the Cincinnati Bengals.

4a. Buffalo's Nyheim Hines actually took a pair of kickoffs to the house in the Bills' 35-23 win over New England, the first time a player had done that in more than 12 years.

5. After the NFL canceled the Bills-Bengals Week 17 game on Thursday night, the league went to unprecedented lengths to build in scenarios that would create some level of fairness given the massive playoff implications the Buffalo-Cincinnati contest carried. However, no coin flip will be needed to determine a host city in the wild-card round, and only one scenario remains for a potential neutral-site AFC championship game – if the Bills are matched up with the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs.

6. The league will begin exploring neutral site venues in earnest this week now that that possibility is viable. Detroit and Indianapolis have been floated as possibilities, while Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis has also offered up Sin City's Allegiant Stadium as an alternative. “We are here for the NFL if they need us,” Davis said Friday.

7. Sunday's best celebration? Had to be the one from Indianapolis Colts S Rodney Thomas II, a high school teammate of Hamlin's, after he picked off a pass against the Houston Texans.

7a. Sunday's second-best celebration? How about Cincinnati RB Joe Mixon sarcastically tossing a coin in the end zone? Not needed now as the Bengals will host the Ravens again next week ... and it remains to be seen if Baltimore will have QB Lamar Jackson once the playoffs begin.

8. Bengals QB Joe Burrow threw his 35th TD pass of the season Sunday, a new team record. He'd previously set the record Monday night in the first quarter against Buffalo ... but that TD was wiped out by the game's cancellation.

8a. Prior to that, Burrow had set the single-season franchise mark of 34 TD passes ... last year.

9. It took longer than expected, but the Philadelphia Eagles finally sewed up the NFC's top seed and the home-field advantage and first-round bye that come with it. The last time Philly won the conference's regular-season crown was 2017 ... then they went on to win Super Bowl 52, their first championship since 1960.

10. The Eagles' 14 regular-season wins are the most in franchise's 90-season history.

11. The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8) missed out on the postseason field by a tiebreaker but did avert coach Mike Tomlin's first losing season by winning six of their final seven games. Pittsburgh's 19 consecutive campaigns without a sub-.500 record are now two shy of the Dallas Cowboys' 21-year non-losing run between 1965 and '85 under Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry.

TB12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, who set single-season NFL records Sunday for pass attempts (733) and completions (490), is a member of his 19th divisional champion, and his Bucs will host the Cowboys on wild-card weekend – specifically on "Monday Night Football."

TB12a. Brady is 7-0 all-time against Dallas, including a 19-3 win to open the 2022 season.

13. TB12's former team, the Patriots, was eliminated from the playoff race and have not won the AFC East since Brady bolted following the 2019 season.

14. Congrats to Atlanta rookie QB Desmond Ridder, whose first two NFL TD passes enabled the Falcons to beat the Bucs 30-17 on Sunday.

15. In the five seasons since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018, the Chiefs have earned the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed three times and have secured a first-round bye on four occasions.

16. Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler finished with a team record 107 catches.

17. Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw his 24th and 25th TD passes on the season, allowing him to join Peyton Manning as the only players ever with at least 25 in each of their first three NFL seasons.

18. Of course, it's definitely worth wondering why Herbert, Ekeler and other key Bolts were playing in a game that had no bearing on their playoff seeding ... especially since WR Mike Williams was carted off with a back injury. Ekeler even wound up making two tackles on lost Chargers fumbles, one of them his own. Not great, Brandon Staley.

19. With rookie QB3 Skylar Thompson at the helm, the Miami Dolphins didn't score a touchdown Sunday – nor did they surrender one – but their 11-6 victory over the New York Jets was enough to secure the AFC's final playoff berth.

20. The Fins have not won a playoff game in more than 22 years, the longest drought without a postseason win in the AFC.

21. Only the Detroit Lions, who last won a playoff game following the 1991 season, have a longer dry spell.

22. Naturally, the game of the day occurred between the also-ran Texans and Colts, arguably the league's two worst teams. But credit the Texans, who clawed to a 32-31 victory, including the game-winning two-point conversion in the final minute, even though the win cost them the No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft.

22a. Wasn't enough to save Lovie Smith's job, the Texans firing their head coach late Sunday night.

23. So what will the Chicago Bears do with that No. 1 selection, the first time they've held it since 1947? There's sure to be trade chatter given they already seem to have their franchise quarterback in Justin Fields. But if they stick and pick? Get to know Georgia DT Jalen Carter and Alabama OLB Will Anderson Jr., Chicago fans.

24. In case you're counting, that's seven TD catches in the past four games for San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle. Would seem to portend good things in the postseason for the NFC's No. 2 seed.

25. In case you're counting, that's seven consecutive games with at least one interception for Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. Would seem to portend ominous things in postseason for the NFC's No. 5 seed, who must travel to Tampa next Monday.

26. The AFC South champion Jaguars are the first team since the 2008 Dolphins to win a division the season after having the league's worst record.

26a. This marks the 18th time in the past 20 seasons at least one team has won its division the season after finishing in last place or tied for last.

27. This is also the 33rd consecutive season at least four teams qualified for the playoffs the season after failing to reach them. The Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville, Chargers, Miami, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks all missed postseason in 2021.

28. RB Josh Jacobs and WR Davante Adams of the Raiders became the first teammates this century with 1,500 yards rushing and receiving, respectively.

28a. The last 1,500-yard rushing/receiving teammates were Hall of Famers Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison for the 1999 Colts.

29. Memo to the New Orleans Saints: You have great uniforms ... but you should not be wearing the all-white pants with black jerseys. Don't let us see this again.

30. Shoutout to Carolina Panthers interim HC Steve Wilks, who went 6-6 after inheriting a squad that looked like roadkill after Matt Rhule was fired following a 1-4 start.

31. Have we seen the last of Rams coach Sean McVay on LA's sideline? If the whispers are true and he opts to move on from the franchise with which he won the Lombardi Trophy last season, his final campaign would be the worst ever for a defending Super Bowl champion. The Rams' 12 losses are two more than any other team endured the year after a Super Sunday triumph.

32. Lastly, but most certainly not least, a salute to retiring Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt, who collected two sacks in his 160th (playoffs included) game. His 12½ sacks in 2022 were Watt's second most in the past seven seasons.

32a. But it must be reiterated that, even though Watt is almost a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2028, he should be remembered as a better person than football player.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.

Typical NFL also-rans surge toward playoff position in topsy-turvy ...

JOSH DUBOW

AP

Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here.

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The way this NFL season is going so far, there's a decent chance there could be a first-time Super Bowl participant for the first time since the 2008 season when Arizona became the 28th franchise to reach the big game.

That left four franchises without a Super Bowl berth and all of them currently have winning records and are off to some of their best starts in years.

Detroit (8-2), Cleveland (7-3), Jacksonville (7-3) and Houston (6-4) are all currently in playoff position with a chance to end their droughts.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

The success-starved Lions are in the best shape after winning at least eight of their first 10 games for the first time since 1962. Detroit has won just one playoff game since winning the NFL championship in 1957, nearly a decade before the first Super Bowl was played following the 1966 season.

The Browns have the longest drought without a division title having last won one in 1989 and have won only one playoff game since returning as an expansion team in 1999. Cleveland is tied for its best record after 10 games since starting 8-2 in 1994 when Bill Belichick coached the team.

The Jaguars are tied for their best record after 10 games since starting 9-1 in 1999 when they went to the AFC title game — one of three times they got knocked out a game shy of the Super Bowl.

The Texans have never made it past the divisional round since becoming an expansion team in 2002 but are looking more and more like a contender each week thanks to the play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

This season is the first time that these four star-crossed franchises all have had a winning record at the same time and there has never been a season when more than two of those franchises made the playoffs.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are in a rare second-half slump.

Kansas City has gone three straight games without scoring a point in the second half for the team’s longest drought since at least 1991. In Mahomes’ first five seasons as quarterback, the Chiefs were held scoreless in the second half only twice.

Only two teams in the past 30 seasons have made the playoffs in a season when they went scoreless in the second half in three straight games but both ended up as Super Bowl champions: the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2015 Denver Broncos.

For the season, the Chiefs have scored just 53 points in the second half for the third fewest for any team through 10 games in the past 10 seasons with only the 2016 Browns (51) and the 2019 Dolphins (37) scoring fewer.

Cleveland's Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tommy DeVito of the New York Giants are the latest rookie QBs to get into the winning column.

They raised the number of rookie quarterbacks to earn a win in a start this season to nine, the most in a non-replacement player season since starts began being tracked in 1950.

There have been a record 10 rookie QB starters this season with Arizona's Clayton Tune the only won who hasn't been credited with a win.

DeVito's victory was particularly noteworthy as he managed to throw three TD passes and post a 137.7 passer rating despite getting sacked nine times against Washington.

That was the second highest rating since the merger for a player who was sacked at least nine times, trailing only the 141.1 for Seattle's Dave Krieg against Kansas City in 1990. DeVito had the 88th game since the merger with a QB taking at least nine sacks with the first 87 combining for a 64.1 passer rating in those games.

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy is on one of the most efficient two-game stretches ever for an NFL quarterback.

Purdy is 40 for 51 for 629 yards, six TDs, no interceptions and a 157.3 passer rating the past two weeks for the highest passer rating ever in a two-start stretch.

Purdy is the seventh player to have a passer rating of at least 145 in two straight games with at least 20 attempts and the first to do it since Drew Brees in 2018.

Purdy had a perfect 158.3 passer rating on Sunday, joining Joe Montana as the only 49ers quarterbacks ever to do that in a game with at least 15 pass attempts.

Purdy had the 25th game with a perfect rating and at least 25 attempts with Josh Allen the last to do it in Week 4 against Miami.

Dallas cornerback DaRon Bland has developed into quite the scoring threat.

Bland tied an NFL record last week by returning his fourth interception for a touchdown this season. Bland joined Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972) and Hall of Famer Ken Houston (1971) as the only players in NFL history to do that in a season. Bland has seven more games to take sole possession of the record.

Bland has scored as many TDs on pass plays as several top pass catchers in the league with his four TDs the same number as Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins have scored. He has more TDs on pass plays than the entire wide receiver groups for the Jets and Browns, who have three each.

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Coach Jorge Vilda fired 2 weeks after Spain wins first World Cup title

An hour after Spain won its first World Cup title, the federation posted a triumphant tribute to its problematic coach, proclaiming "Vilda in."

Two weeks later, it's Vilda out.

Jorge Vilda is finally gone, dismissed Tuesday by interim Spain federation president Pedro Rocha as the organization tries to clean up the considerable mess of its own making. Since Rocha can't fire Luis Rubiales, who is suspended pending an investigation of his sexual harassment of all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso and overall gross behavior, getting rid of Vilda is the next-best way to quiet the worldwide chorus criticizing Spain's federation for its toxic and misogynistic culture.

Not that you would know this, however. In its statement announcing Vilda's dismissal, both as Spain's coach and its sporting director, the federation lavished him with praise. It valued his "impeccable personal and sporting conduct" — no word on if this includes his fawning applause after Rubiales' defiant defense of his behavior and refusal to resign — and said he was a "promoter of the values of respect and fair play in football."

Except when it came to his own players, of course.

Nevertheless, with Vilda out of the way and Rubiales suspended for at least 90 days, it clears the way for Spain's players, who boycotted the team after winning the World Cup, to return for all-important Nations League matches later this month.

But it still leaves many, many questions.

Who is Jorge Vilda?

He's the son of Angel Vilda, who has considerable influence in Spanish soccer and was once coach of Spain's Under-19 team. Jorge Vilda served as an assistant to his father and as coach of the U-15 team, then moved up to head coach of the U-19 team when his father retired.

Vilda was elevated to lead the senior team in 2015. (Replacing Ignacio Quereda, who'd been accused by his players of verbal abuse, homophobia and a general culture of fear. What is it with men in power in Spain's federation, anyway?) Vilda also was named sporting director, giving him power over the entire women's program.

He led Spain to the round of 16 at the 2019 World Cup, and its first-ever title with last month's 1-0 victory over England in the final of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Why is Vilda problematic?

Spain has arguably the best player pipeline in the world, but it is largely the work of the domestic clubs. Barcelona in particular. After both youth teams won World Cup titles with coaches other than Vilda, and Spain crashed out of last summer's European championship with a lackluster performance, questions were raised about how good a coach Vilda actually was and whether Spain was succeeding in spite of him.

Spain's players voiced their concerns after Euros, specifically noting Vilda's heavy handedness, overwork, treatment of injuries and roster choices. When nothing changed, 15 of the 23 sent identical emails to the federation last September, saying they would not play for the team again unless there was an improvement in conditions. Hermoso and two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas didn't send emails, but publicly expressed support for their teammates.

The federation responded by effectively blackballing the players, saying they would only be allowed back if they agreed to “accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness.” Several of the players did ask to rejoin the team, only to have Vilda use the World Cup roster to exact his revenge. He took only three of the 15 players, along with Putellas and Hermoso.

Vilda refused during the World Cup to address the players' complaints, though he did say several times how hard this year had been for him.

Is that why Vilda was fired?

Hahahahahaha, no. He was fired because Spain's federation — all of Spanish society, really — is undergoing a reckoning prompted by Rubiales' behavior after the World Cup final. And because the furor was considered a potential threat to Spain's joint bid with Morocco and Portugal for the men's World Cup in 2030.

Rubiales was seen grabbing his crotch while standing next to Spain's queen and her teenaged daughter. Then, during the victory ceremony, Rubiales grabbed Hermoso's head and kissed her without her consent, and told the team in the locker room he planned to marry Spain's all-time leading scorer. Hermoso later said she felt as if she'd been assaulted, saying, "what happened was sexist, impulsive, out of place, and non-consensual.”

While the federation has been roundly criticized for its dismissive treatment of female players — it ignored its women's program for decades, and still doesn't treat it equally to its men — the Rubiales scandal has prompted debate on whether this is the actions of a few bad actors or a reflection of Spanish society as a whole.

What's the link between Vilda and Rubiales?

Vilda and his father — he's got a lot of influence, remember? — were supporters of Rubiales' bid for the federation presidency. When Rubiales made his defiant speech to the federation convention Aug. 25, insisting he'd done nothing wrong and saying he would never resign, Vilda was seen applauding enthusiastically.

Rubiales, in turn, gave Vilda his unconditional support. He even offered Vilda a new contract during his rant.

Now what? And who is Montse Tomé?

Montse Tomé is Spain's new coach, the first woman to head the national team in its history. She'd been an assistant on Vilda's staff since 2018, but quit in protest with several other coaches and staff members last month after Rubiales refused to resign.

The question is will Tomé have a team to coach.

World Cup champions said they would not play again until "the team's leaders resign," potentially threatening Spain's chances of a first-ever Olympic appearance. Spain's next game is Sept. 21 against Sweden in the Nations League, which is being used to determine which two European teams join host France at next summer’s Paris Olympics.

The four group winners advance to the Nations League semifinals, with the finalists qualifying for Paris. If France makes the Nations League final, the team that wins the third-place game would get Europe’s last spot.

Spain is in a group with Sweden, which finished third at the World Cup, Switzerland and Italy. That would seem to make the game against Sweden critical for Spain’s hopes of qualifying for its first Olympics.

With Vilda gone and Rubiales suspended, it seems to clear the way for the players to return.

Are Vilda and Rubiales done?

Never underestimate the ability of the privileged to recover from a scandal that should be their undoing. Soccer is no different than other sports, and some desperate country is sure to see Vilda as its chance to make quick improvement in a game that's growing by the minute.

As for Rubiales, his future is murkier. The federation initially seemed ready to stand behind him, going so far as to post statements defaming Hermoso. Since FIFA and Spain's sports authorities announced separate investigations of Rubiales, however, the federation is throwing him under the bus.

In a statement before Vilda's dismissal was announced, Rocha apologized for the controversy and its overshadowing of the women's World Cup title. He also said the federation "is providing all the documentary and administrative support required by both disciplinary bodies in order to have a definitive resolution as soon as possible to repair the damage caused."

Rocha also said the regional federations, which last week asked for Rubiales' resignation, are doing a review of their policies to make sure a similar embarrassment doesn't occur in the future.

"They firmly and unanimously commit to have in the coming days a whole set of actions to improve the governance of the Spanish Football federation and to repair, as far as possible, the damage caused," Rocha said in his statement.

"Finally, we want to once more congratulate our national team for their historic win, recognizing the impact and legacy that their victory will have in the future of Spanish football," Rocha said. "We are convinced that millions of people of all ages were inspired by their spirit, and we cannot be prouder of the way they have conducted themselves, both on and off the pitch. In due course, it is our intention to give the spotlight back to them and to celebrate their achievement in the way that they deserve."

Nowhere in the two-page statement does Rocha mention Hermoso by name.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Lions host Bucs in divisional round, aiming to win 2 playoff games in ...

LARRY LAGE

AP

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions and their fans waited a long time to celebrate as they did last week after beating the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is used to being part of the party this time of year.

The Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years, taking advantage of hosting a postseason game for the first time in three decades.

Detroit has two home games in the same playoffs for the first time in franchise history, improving its chances to earn two postseason victories in a season for the first time since winning the 1957 NFL title.

The Buccaneers are the only NFC team in the playoffs for a fourth straight year and their win over Philadelphia was their sixth in the postseason during the span, a total that trails only the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs since 2020.

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NFC North champion Detroit is determined to move a step closer toward potentially reaching the Super Bowl for the first time with a win Sunday in the divisional round against NFC South champion Tampa Bay, which won it all for a second time in Super Bowl 55 with Tom Brady at quarterback.

Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker, in his eighth season with the long-suffering franchise, is simply thankful he stuck around long enough to experience the thrill of the 24-23 win over the Rams.

“That's one of the beautiful things about sports, is to be able to see things through,” Decker said. “I'm just proud that I got to be a part of something special.”

THEY'RE BOTH NO. 1

Detroit's Jared Goff and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield were No. 1 overall picks two years apart — for other teams — and have had their share of success in the playoffs.

With fans at Ford Field chanting, “Jar-ed Goff! Jar-ed Goff!” early and often in last week's win against former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams, the eighth-year pro was efficient and effective.

Goff completed his first 10 passes and finished 22 of 27 with 277 yards and a touchdown.

“He's a really good quarterback — one of the best I’ve seen on film,” Tampa Bay cornerback Zyon McCollum said.

Mayfield, drafted by Cleveland in 2018, had perhaps the best season for his fourth team in three years. He had career highs with 4,044 yards passing and 28 touchdown passes in the regular season and became the first Buccaneers quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in a postseason game.

“He looks like he’s having fun like he was in college,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “He’s going out there playing free and playing carefree. It’s really helping him, and it’s really helping us.”

Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson took a verbal swipe at Mayfield last week when he praised Tampa Bay's receivers, saying they would be a great group if they had a good quarterback.

Mayfield returned some kind words and added a shot.

“He’s a good player,” Mayfield said. "But yeah, he’s just got to do a little more film study.”

SACK DANCE

Detroit defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has a chance to join a select list of players with multiple sacks in four or more consecutive games, including the playoffs. Simeon Rice had at least two sacks in five straight games while Hall of Famers Reggie White and Kevin Greene pulled off the feat in four consecutive games.

Tampa Bay rookie YaYa Diaby, a third-round pick from Louisville, has 7 1/2 sacks to lead a defense that has seven players with at least four sacks.

UNDERDOG MENTALITY

Tampa Bay is a 6 1/2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, after dominating the Eagles as a 2 1/2-point underdog.

“It doesn’t surprise us at all," Bowles said. “We don’t even worry about it anymore. We kind of laugh when we see it.”

THE PREVIOUS MATCHUP

Goff threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns to help Detroit win 20-6 at Tampa Bay in Week 6. The Lions played the entire game without rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs and veteran running back David Montgomery was out for two-plus quarters.

Mayfield was 19 of 37 passes for 206 yards with no touchdowns and one interception against the Lions.

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AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall contributed.

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Detroit Lions are getting back at haters in NFL playoffs

Donald Trump, not so long ago, did something many politicians, and others, have done for years: he trashed the city of Detroit.

Actually, in an interview with Sean Hannity, he disparaged a number of majority-Black cities because, well, that's what he does. He said Chicago was "worse than Afghanistan." Trump added: "We have cities that are worse, in some cases far worse. Take a look at Detroit. Take a look at what's happening in Oakland. Take a look at what's happening in Baltimore."

The response from those city's defenders was swift. One was Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor, who said: "Michiganders know better."

Detroit has been a punching bag of the right for decades. Said Rush Limbaugh in 2013: "The town has been a Petri dish of everything the Democrat party stands for. You have massive welfare states where citizens are given things left and right in order to buy their votes. You have no opposition whatsoever."

The city, like many others, has definite problems, to be sure, but the attacks on Detroit are often chock full of bad faith. The fact Detroit is a majority-Black city is part of that bad faith attack. Notice that when Trump mentions problem cities he doesn't talk about high crime rates in red states.

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This brings us to the remarkable story of the Lions. The true America's Team. A legit underdog story.

One of the things you heard constantly from Lions players after the franchise won its first playoff game in 32 years by beating the Rams was how happy players were for the city. You heard it from them over and over and over again.

"It means a whole lot to this city," quarterback Jared Goff said. "We knew what it meant when this season started to get into the playoffs and then to get this win. And, you know, it’s just the beginning for us. We’ve got some run left."

You have to fully understand what's happening here. It's not just the win on the field that makes this story so incredible. It's what the win stands for. Part of it, in essence, is a middle finger to the people who have disparaged Detroit. Not just the Lions but the city. Detroit has, again, produced something special after constantly being told how incapable it was of doing that.

The franchise has felt some semblance of this type of pride before. No, not like this, but close. The Lions have historically been so downtrodden that the team late during the 1991 season celebrated being in first place in the division. Not winning the division. Just being in first place with a 9-4 record in November of that year. At that point the Lions hadn't had a winning record since 1983.

"This is a very special day in Lions history," said tackle Lomas Brown, at that point in his seventh season with the Lions, after the team beat the Bears. "It feels strange to be in first place."

"I'll tell you the difference between the Lions of the past and the Lions now," defensive lineman Jerry Ball said then. "The players have different standards. (Before) they didn't care too much. They just wanted their paychecks. But we've gotten that bad blood out of here."

NFL wild-card playoff winners, losers from Sunday: Long-suffering Lions party it up

This is how far the Lions have come. From celebrating being in first place late in the season, to celebrating a playoff win, and all the while, Detroit has never left their side. The Lions didn't leave the city's side.

Brown used to talk a great deal about his affection for the city. I always believed that a number of Lions players felt like they needed to defend it from the constant attacks. I don't think that's changed. In fact, it might be even more pronounced.

Detroit isn't without flaws but it's also not the hell people who hate majority-Black cities want it to be. It has heart and guts. It beats the odds and will surprise you when you least expect it. It has beautiful qualities that people like Trump can't, or won't, see. In other words, it's just like the team it loves.

Jared Goff vs. Baker Mayfield matchup of No. 1 picks who teams quit ...

This Sunday, two former No. 1 overall picks in the NFL draft will meet at Ford Field, fresh off career-defining wins.

They just won't be playing for the teams who drafted them.

Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield — both cast off in dramatic fashion by the franchises who once viewed them as the saviors — just led their new teams to playoff wins. Goff, the Detroit Lions QB, just so happened to do it against the team that gave up on him, and led the team to its first playoff win in 32 years.

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