Johnson’s last second touchdown overcomes Oakland
Detroit Lions star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was suspended for two games, a loss to the New Orleans Saints and a close win over the Minnesota Vikings, was reinserted on the road against the Oakland Raiders.
In the most important game of the season for the Lions — every game from here on out is important — the Lions produced a heart-pounding, come-from-behind victory over the Raiders in the notorious Black Hole.
Calvin Johnson caught the game-winning touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Matthew Stafford with 39 seconds to play, and Suh blocked Sebastian Janikowski’s potential go-ahead field goal as time expired to give the Lions another breathtaking and spine-tingling 28-27 victory.
The 9-5 Lions are certain of their first winning season since 2000 and are on the verge of their first playoff appearance in 12 years. With two games to play, Detroit leads four NFC teams — the Bears, Giants, Seahawks and Cardinals — by two games for the NFC’s final wild card spot. They can clinch a playoff berth by winning one of their final two games, against the Chargers on Christmas Eve or at Green Bay on New Year’s Day.
The Lions are in a prime position, but it will not be easy. The Chaargers are playing their best football of the season and the Packers, are, well, the Packers.
Following the Lions’ improbable victory over the Raiders, many of the players told reporters that the Chargers game this weekend will be the most important game in many of their careers and it is not hyperbole to say one of the most important in recent team history.
With the Raiders (7-7) contest on the line and a kicker with the most powerful foot in the NFL set to sock the ball, Suh in his return game got a good push up the middle and deflected the kick with his right thumb.
“It probably means something a little bit extra for Ndamukong,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters. “It was good to have him back, good to have him on the field. Any time that you’re getting your hands on a field goal when it says 0:00 on the clock, I think that’s obviously a big play.”
It appeared the Raiders had the game won as the Lions started their final possession at their own 2. Stafford had been having a rough second half and who could have imagined that he would lead the team on its most important drive of the season. But the Lions got it done one play at a time until they found themselves down on the Raiders’ 6.
From there Johnson made 6-yard catch in the back of the end zone for his second touchdown.
“I’d like to think that we all knew we were going to go out there and do it,” Stafford said. “We’re a confident bunch. We’ve got some special players. We knew it was going to take a chunk here, a play there. But we’ve got the players to do it and we did it. I’m obviously extremely happy and extremely proud of our team for holding together. There were a bunch of instances in that game where we could’ve folded it in and waited till next week, but we went out and got it done.”
Stafford finished 29-for-52, passing for 391 yards and four touchdowns. He has 33 touchdowns on the season, passing Scott Mitchell for a new team record. Johnson caught nine passes for a career-high 214 yards.
“I get to see Calvin every day in practice and he’s the best,” said receiver Nate Burleson. “He’s the greatest to ever do it and he proved that today.”
With two games left, the Lions are right on the playoff doorsteps, but there are four teams nipping at their heels for a wild card spot. They are almost there but still have a mile to go.
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