These are the games that make us love football.
Unless you’re a Cowboys fan. Then these are the games that break your heart.
Calvin Johnson showed once again that he’s the best receiver in the NFL, catching 14 passes for 329 yards, and in an amazing back-and-forth game, the Lions won 31-30.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford scored the game-winning touchdown on a stunning play with 12 seconds left. After hitting Johnson on a deep ball down to the 1-yard line, Stafford screamed at his teammates to get into position to let him spike the ball and stop the clock. But once the ball was snapped, instead of spiking it Stafford simply lunged forward toward the goal line and picked up a one-yard rushing touchdown.
Turnovers were a huge problem for Detroit. Johnson lost a fumble, and so did Reggie Bush (who really needs to learn to hold onto the ball properly). Stafford threw two interceptions. But a tremendous fourth quarter by the Lions’ offense turned things around.
For the Cowboys, the heartbreaking loss featured two touchdown catches by receiver Dez Bryant (who boasted last week, incorrectly, that he can do whatever Johnson can do), and also featured a sideline meltdown by Bryant, who yelled at teammates and coaches alike. The Cowboys are still in first place in the NFC East, but they have some regrouping to do.
The Lions, on the other hand, head into their bye week feeling great. At 5-3 they’re playoff contenders, and with Megatron, they have the best playmaker in football.