LIVE BLOG: Follow Lions' Wild Card Showdown Against Rams
The long wait for playoff football in Detroit is finally over.
When the Lions take the field Sunday, it will be the first playoff game they've hosted at Ford Field and the first one hosted by the organization since Jan. 8, 1994.
It will be against the Los Angeles Rams, headlined by former Lions franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford. In 12 seasons leading the Lions, Stafford was unable to pilot the team to a division title.
Now, with Jared Goff at the helm, the Lions have achieved that goal and have their sights set on the organization's first playoff win since Jan. 5, 1992.
Goff will have to beat his former team. Though current Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris wasn't leading the defense when Goff was with the Rams, he's more than familiar with what the passer is able to do.
As a result, the coach has a high level of respect for the passer's abilities.
"Watching him right now, he's leading a franchise and he's brought a franchise back that, really, was on the down swing," Morris said. "You've got to give him and Dan Campbell and that leadership group, that ownership group, a lot of credit for what they've been able to do over the last couple of years. (Campbell)'s given us great soundbites, I'm watching my kneecaps. They've done a lot of really good things and they spew toughness.
"It's really what, really, most good coaches are about and Jared's been able to display that since he's been there. The mental toughness, the ability to bring people up and you've seen the emotion come up at the end of some of these games."
Follow along for live updates all throughout Sunday's Lions-Rams Wild Card playoff game:
11:02 p.m. -- FINAL: Lions 24, Rams 23.
10:59 p.m. -- Goff hits St. Brown for a first down. The Rams use their final time out.
10:56 p.m. -- At the two-minute warning, the Lions have a second-and-9.
10:55 p.m. -- Goff hits Montgomery for a first down.
10:51 p.m. -- Stafford throws incomplete on third down and the Rams are forced to punt. The Lions get the ball at the 17-yard line.
10:48 p.m. -- The Rams are called for holding, making it third-and-14 from the 44-yard line.
10:47 p.m. -- The Rams are facing a third-and-4 at Detroit's 34-yard line.
10:44 p.m. -- Alex Anzalone has returned to the game. Stafford hits Nacua for 36 yards for a first down.
10:40 p.m. -- The Lions go three-and-out and are forced to punt. The Rams take over on their own 9-yard line with 7:18 remaining in the game.
10:39 p.m. -- Alex Anzalone is questionable to return with a shoulder injury.
10:33 p.m. -- Brett Maher makes a 29-yard field goal. The Lions lead the Rams, 24-23, with 8:10 remaining in the game.
10:32 p.m. -- The Rams are now facing a fourth-and-8 after a pass from Stafford to Kupp is incomplete.
10:28 p.m. -- Alex Anzalone is down on the field for the Lions. Rams RB Kyron Williams is questionable to return with a hand injury.
10:27 p.m. -- Stafford hits Nacua for a big gain to put the Rams in the red zone.
10:24 p.m. -- The Rams convert third down on a screen pass from Stafford to Puka Nacua.
10:23 p.m. -- The Rams are forced to take their second time out of the half to avoid a delay of game penalty on third down.
10:19 p.m. -- The Rams have the ball at their own 10-yard line after Jack Fox's punt.
10:15 p.m. -- END Q3: Lions 24, Rams 20. The Lions will face a fourth-and-7 from their own 38-yard line when the fourth quarter begins.
10:09 p.m. -- The Rams are forced to settle for a field goal, which Brett Maher converts. The Lions lead the Rams, 24-20, with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter. Matthew Stafford is in the medical tent being evaluated.
10:06 p.m. -- The Rams are driving, as they have a first-and-10 from the Lions' 11-yard line.
9:58 p.m. -- Michael Badgley hits a 54-yard field goal. The Lions lead the Rams, 24-17, with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter.
9:54 p.m. -- Jared Goff connects with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 30 yards to move the chains. The Lions have the ball at the Rams' 46-yard line.
9:50 p.m. -- The Lions force a punt after Stafford's third down pass falls incomplete. Detroit takes over at its 20 with 13:17 remaining in the third quarter.
9:48 p.m. -- Aidan Hutchinson records a sack, his second of the game. The Rams are facing a third-and-11.
9:46 p.m. -- The second half is underway.
9:31 p.m. -- END Q2: Lions 21, Rams 17. The Rams will get the ball first in the third quarter.
9:27 p.m. -- The Lions are forced to punt after a questionable false start penalty on fourth-and-5. The Rams have the ball at their own 5-yard line.
9:23 p.m. -- Goff hits St. Brown for 23 yards to convert the third-and-long.
9:21 p.m. -- The Lions face a third-and-15 from their own 31-yard line at the two-minute warning.
9:19 p.m. -- Jared Goff is sacked and fumbles, but Sam LaPorta recovers. The Lions face a second-and-25.
9:15 p.m. -- Matthew Stafford hits TuTu Atwell for a 38-yard touchdown. The Lions lead the Rams, 21-17, with 4:02 remaining in the second quarter.
9:14 p.m. -- Matthew Stafford hits Cooper Kupp to convert a fourth-and-5. The Rams have the ball at Detroit's 38-yard line.
9:05 p.m. -- Jared Goff hits Sam LaPorta for a 2-yard touchdown. The Lions lead the Rams, 21-10, with 7:12 remaining in the second quarter.
9:04 p.m. -- The Lions are facing a fourth-and-1 from Los Angeles' 2-yard line.
9:01 p.m. -- Goff hits St. Brown to convert a third down, then connects with Gibbs. Detroit has a first down at L.A.'s 11-yard line.
8:54 p.m. -- Matthew Stafford hits Puka Nacua for a 50-yard touchdown. The Lions lead the Rams, 14-10, with 13:24 remaining in the second quarter.
8:49 p.m. -- END Q1: Lions 14, Rams 3. The Rams converted a third-and-16 on the final play of the quarter.
8:47 p.m. -- Aidan Hutchinson records a sack after Matthew Stafford slips on his drop back.
8:42 p.m. -- Jahmyr Gibbs runs 10 yards for a touchdown. The Lions lead the Rams, 10-3, with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter.
8:41 p.m. -- A roughing the passer penalty and two first down completions have the Lions at L.A's 33-yard line.
8:35 p.m. -- The Lions force an incompletion on third-and-goal, and the Rams settle for a field goal. Brett Maher converts a 24-yard attempt and the Lions lead 7-3 with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter.
8:33 p.m. -- Kerby Joseph is flagged for unnecessary roughness. The Rams have a first-and-goal at Detroit's 6-yard line.
8:28 p.m. -- A third-down incompletion is negated by a pass interference on Brian Branch. The Rams have a first down at their own 43-yard line.
8:22 p.m. -- David Montgomery scores a 1-yard touchdown. Jared Goff went 5-for-5 on the opening drive for 51 yards. The Lions lead the Rams 7-0 with 9:30 remaining in the first quarter.
8:19 p.m. -- Three first downs have the Lions in Rams territory, the latest being a completion from Jared Goff to Josh Reynolds.
8:16 p.m. -- The Lions will get the ball first.
8:15 p.m. -- Lions' All-Pro tight end Sam LaPorta is officially active. Safety Tracy Walker III is a healthy scratch among other inactives.
