The 2015Detroit Lionsseason was the franchise's 86th season in the National Football League, their 82nd as the Detroit Lions and the second under Head CoachJim Caldwell. By Week 7 of the season, the Lions had already lost six games, more than they did in the entire 2014 season. This led to the firing of Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi and two other coaches. After falling to 1–7 the following week, the team fired President Tom Lewand and General Manager Martin Mayhew.[1] On November 19, the Lions named Rod Wood as team President.[2] The Lions were eliminated from playoff contention after their loss to St. Louis in week 14. The team had a 6–2 record in the second half of the season to finish at 7–9, good for third place in the NFC North. Also this season involved the Lions first win in Green Bay since 1991.
On March 10, the Lions traded their fourth and fifth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and a seventh-round pick.[43]
On April 15, the Lions traded defensive end George Johnson and a seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fifth-round pick.[44]
The Lions traded their fourth and fifth-round selections (Nos. 122 and 158 overall, respectively) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for defensive tackleHaloti Ngata and the Ravens' seventh-round selection (No. 231 overall).[43]
The Lions traded defensive endGeorge Johnson and their seventh-round selection (No. 231 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fifth-round selection (No. 168 overall).[44]
The Lions traded their first-round selection (No. 23 overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Denver's 2015 first and fifth-round selections (Nos. 28 and 143 overall, respectively), their fifth-round selection in the 2016 NFL draft, and guardManny Ramirez.[46]
The Lions traded their third and fifth-round selections (Nos. 88 and 143 overall, respectively) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a third-round selection (No. 80 overall).[47]
The Lions traded their third-round selection in the 2016 NFL draft to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round selection (No. 113 overall).[48]
SD - Stevie Johnson pass from Philip Rivers for 12 yards. Josh Lambo kick is good. Drive: 3 plays, 16 yards, 1:12. Lions 21–20.
Fourth quarter
SD - Ladarius Green pass from Philip Rivers for 13 yards. Josh Lambo kick is no good. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:52. Chargers 26–21.
SD - Danny Woodhead 1 yard rush. Josh Lambo kick is good. Drive: 11 plays, 86 yards, 6:18. Chargers 33–21.
DET - Theo Riddick 21 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 1:29. Chargers 33–28.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 19/30, 246 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
SD – Philip Rivers - 35/42, 404 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 7 rushes, 50 yds, 1 TD
SD – Melvin Gordon - 14 rushes, 51 yds
Top receivers
DET – Eric Ebron - 4 catches, 53 yds, 1 TD
SD – Keenan Allen - 15 catches, 166 yds
Top tacklers
DET – Rashean Mathis - 8 tackles
SD – Eric Weddle - 7 tackles
The visiting Lions opened the 2015 season at San Diego. Detroit held a 21–3 lead midway through the second quarter, only to see the Chargers reel off 30 unanswered points on their way to a 33–28 victory.
Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings[]
Week Two: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
MIN - Kyle Rudolph 5 yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater. Blair Walsh kick is good. 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:35. Vikings 7–0.
Second quarter
MIN - Teddy Bridgewater 1 yard run. Blair Walsh kick is good. 7 plays, 50 yards, 2:58. Vikings 14–0.
DET - Matt Prater 26 yard field goal. 14 plays, 72 yards, 7:14. Vikings 14–3.
MIN - Blair Walsh 28 yard field goal. 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:40. Vikings 17–3.
DET - Calvin Johnson 11 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. 8 plays, 73 yards, 1:58. Vikings 17–10.
Third quarter
MIN - Zach Line 1 yard run. Blair Walsh kick is no good. 6 plays, 34 yards, 2:31. Vikings 23–10.
Fourth quarter
MIN - Blair Walsh 23 yard field goal. 10 plays, 34 yards, 5:46. Vikings 26–10.
DET - Eric Ebron 12 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Two-point conversion attempt failed. 18 plays, 82 yards, 4:32. Vikings 26–16.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 32/53, 286 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
MIN – Teddy Bridgewater - 14/18, 153 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 4 carries, 20 yards
MIN – Adrian Peterson - 29 carries, 134 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson - 10 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD
MIN – Adrian Peterson - 2 receptions, 58 yards
Top tacklers
DET – James Ihedigbo - 7 tackles, 2 assists
MIN – Captain Munnerlyn - 7 tackles
The Vikings took an early 14–0 lead on the visiting Lions and never looked back, as Detroit struggled to find any offensive consistency, especially in the running game. (Quarterback Matthew Stafford was the leading rusher with only 20 yards.)
Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos[]
Week Three: Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions – Game summary
DEN - Ronnie Hillman 1 yard rush. Brandon McManus kick is good. 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:25. Broncos 7–0
DET - Joique Bell 1 yard rush. Matt Prater kick is blocked. 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:51. Broncos 7–6.
DEN - Demaryius Thomas pass from Peyton Manning for 45 yards. Brandon McManus kick is good. 7 plays, 80 yards, 0:58. Broncos 14–6.
Third quarter
DET -Ameer Abdullah 16 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Two-point conversion is no good. 4 plays, 29 yards, 2:09. Broncos 14–12.
Fourth quarter
DEN - Brandon McManus 48 yard field goal is good. 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:22. Broncos 17–12.
DEN - Owen Daniels 11 yard pass from Peyton Manning. Brandon McManus kick is good. 5 plays, 51 yards, 1:09. Broncos 24–12.
Top passers
DEN – Peyton Manning - 31/42, 324 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
DET – Matthew Stafford - 31/45, 282 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT's
Top rushers
DEN – C.J. Anderson - 8 carries, 18 yards
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 8 carries, 23 yards
Top receivers
DEN – Demaryius Thomas - 9 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD
DET – Calvin Johnson - 8 receptions, 77 yards
Top tacklers
DEN – Brandon Marshall - 10 tackles, 2 assists
DET – Stephen Tulloch - 7 tackles, 4 assists
Playing in their home debut, the 0–2 Lions closed the game to 14–12 in the third quarter, but a two-point conversion to tie the score failed. Denver then scored the final 10 points for a 24–12 victory.
Week 4: at Seattle Seahawks[]
Week Four: Detroit Lions at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
SEA - Doug Baldwin 24 yard pass from Russell Wilson. Steven Hauschka kick is good. Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:59. Seahawks 7–0.
DET - Matt Prater 41 yard field goal. Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 5:40. Seahawks 7–3.
SEA - Steven Hauschka 51 yard field goal. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 4:16. Seahawks 10–3.
Third quarter
SEA - Steven Hauschka 52 yard field goal. Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 3:49. Seahawks 13–3.
Fourth quarter
DET - Caraun Reid 27 yard fumble return. Matt Prater kick is good. Seahawks 13–10.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 24/35, 203 yards
SEA – Russell Wilson - 20/26, 287 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 13 carries, 33 yards
SEA – Thomas Rawls - 17 carries, 48 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson - 7 receptions, 56 yards
SEA – Jermaine Kearse - 2 receptions, 84 yards
Top tacklers
DET – James Ihedigbo - 7 tackles, 1 assist
SEA – Bobby Wagner - 4 tackles, 4 assists
Playing on Monday Night, the Lions had a chance to upset last year's NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. Late in the fourth quarter, Calvin Johnson caught a pass from Matthew Stafford and was headed for a go-ahead touchdown until Kam Chancellor punched the ball from his hands at Seattle's 1-yard line. As the ball bounded into the end zone, K. J. Wright batted the ball across the end line. By NFL rules, the intentional guiding of the ball across the end line should have resulted in a penalty, giving the ball back to the Lions at the spot of the fumble. But the back judge ruled that Wright's act was not blatant, and Seattle was given the ball at their own 20-yard line, after which they proceeded to run out the clock.
Dean Blandino, NFL VP of Officiating, stated after the game that the on-field officials made a mistake, and Detroit should have regained possession at the 1-yard line.[49]
With the loss, the Lions are 0–4, their worst start since 2010. With the Saints' win over the Cowboys on Sunday Night, the Lions are the league's only winless team.
Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals[]
Week Five: Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions – Game summary
DET - Theo Riddick pass from Matthew Stafford for 6 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 7 plays, 82 yards, 3:48. Lions 7–0.
Second quarter
ARI - Darren Fells pass from Carson Palmer for 14 yards Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 2:26. Tied 7–7.
ARI - David Johnson 4 yard rush. Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 1 play, 4 yards, 0:05. Cardinals 14–7.
ARI - David Johnson 2 yard rush. Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 5 plays, 99 yards, 2:25. Cardinals 21–7.
ARI - John Brown 18 yard pass from Carson Palmer. Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 3 plays, 22 yards, 0:47. Cardinals 28–7.
Third quarter
ARI - Larry Fitzgerald pass from Carson Palmer for 2 yards. Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 3:47. Cardinals 35–7.
Fourth quarter
DET - Matt Prater 40 yard field goal. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 2:13. Cardinals 35–10.
ARI - Andre Ellington 63 yard rush. Chandler Catanzaro kick is good. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:31. Cardinals 42–10.
DET - Lance Moore pass from Dan Orlovsky for 13 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 15 plays, 86 yards, 3:50. Cardinals 42–17.
Top passers
ARI – Carson Palmer - 11/14, 161 yards, 3 TDs
DET – Dan Orlovsky - 21/38, 1 TD, 1 INT
Top rushers
ARI – Chris Johnson - 11 carries, 103 yards
DET – Zach Zenner - 10 carries, 30 yards
Top receivers
ARI – John Brown - 4 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD
DET – Golden Tate - 8 receptions, 74 yards
Top tacklers
ARI – Jerraud Powers - 10 tackles, 2 assists
DET – James Ihedigbo - 5 tackles, 1 assist
The highlight of the game was when Calvin Johnson caught his 671st pass with the Lions, breaking Herman Moore's franchise record. Inconsistent play by Matthew Stafford, including throwing 3 interceptions, forced him to the sidelines for the game's remainder. With the blowout loss, the Lions remained winless at 0–5.
This marks the first time the Lions have started a season 0–5 since 2008 (when they went 0-16).
Week 6: vs. Chicago Bears[]
Week Six: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – Game summary
DET - Lance Moore pass from Matthew Stafford for 20 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:31. Lions 7–0.
CHI - Robbie Gould 27 yard field goal. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 4:41. Lions 7–3.
Second quarter
CHI - Jeremy Langford 1 yard rush. Robbie Gould kick is good. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:51. Bears 10–7.
DET - Timothy Wright pass from Matthew Stafford for 8 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 3:31. Lions 14–10.
CHI - Robbie Gould 23 yard field goal. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:27. Lions 14–13.
DET - Golden Tate pass from Matthew Stafford for 2 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 12 plays, 85 yards, 3:57. Lions 21–13.
Third quarter
CHI - Robbie Gould 38 yard field goal. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:30. Lions 21–16.
DET - Matt Prater 39 yard field goal. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 4:07. Lions 24–16.
Fourth quarter
CHI - Alshon Jeffery pass from Jay Cutler. Robbie Gould kick is good. Drive: 3 plays, 21 yards, 1:31. Lions 24–23.
CHI - Matt Forte 2 yard rush. Matt Forte pass from Jay Cutler two-point conversion is good. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 3:09: Bears 31–24.
DET - Matt Prater 32 yard field goal. Drive: 13 plays, 67 yards, 5:04. Bears 31–27.
DET - Calvin Johnson pass from Matthew Stafford for 6 yards. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 2:02. Lions 34–31.
CHI - Robbie Gould 29 yard field goal. Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 0:21. Tied 34–34.
Overtime
DET - Matt Prater 27 yard field goal. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 3:54. Lions 37–24.
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler - 26/41, 353 yards, 1 TD
DET – Matthew Stafford - 27/42, 405 yards, 4 TDs
Top rushers
CHI – Matt Forte - 24 carries, 69 yards
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 14 carries, 48 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Alshon Jeffery - 8 receptions, 147 yards
DET – Calvin Johnson - 6 receptions, 166 yards
Top tacklers
CHI – Kyle Fuller - 7 tackles, 1 assist
DET – Stephen Tulloch - 9 tackles, 4 assists
With an overtime victory over the visiting Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions are no longer winless, improving to 1–5. A 57-yard bomb from Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson with under three minutes to play in overtime set up Matt Prater for the game-winning 27-yard field goal.
Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings[]
Week Seven: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Despite leading 17–15 at halftime, the Lions only managed to score 2 more points the rest of the game on an intentional safety taken by the Vikings in the closing seconds, losing 28–19 and dropping to 1–6. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was hit 13 times and sacked 7 times. The next day, the Lions fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn and assistant offensive line coach Terry Heffernan. Quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter will take over as offensive coordinator, tight ends coach Ron Prince takes over for Washburn, and special teams assistant Devin Fitzsimmons takes over as the new tight ends coach.[50]
Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs[]
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See also: NFL International Series
Week Eight: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
After the blowout overseas loss, the Lions entered their bye week at 1–7, the NFL's worst record so far this season. Despite the changeover in offensive coaches, Matthew Stafford was sacked six more times. On November 5, the Lions fired President Tom Lewand and General Manager Martin Mayhew. Former vice president of pro personnel Sheldon White will serve as the team's interim general manager.[1]
Week 10: at Green Bay Packers[]
Week Ten: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
GB - Mason Crosby 44 yard field goal is good. Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 4:54. Packers 3–0.
Second quarter
DET - Matt Prater 49 yard field goal is good. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 0:33. Tied 3–3.
Third quarter
DET - Brandon Pettigrew pass from Matthew Stafford for 2 yards. Matt Prater kick is no good. Drive: 3 plays, 1 yard, 1:27. Lions 9–3.
Fourth quarter
DET - Matt Prater 51 yard field goal is good. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:39. Lions 12–3.
GB - Richard Rodgers pass from Aaron Rodgers for 4 yards. Mason Crosby kick is good. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 4:05. Lions 12–10.
DET - Lance Moore pass from Matthew Stafford for 4 yards. Matt Prater kick is no good. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:58. Lions 18–10.
GB - Justin Perillo pass from Aaron Rodgers for 11 yards. Two point conversion attempt is no good. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 1:25. Lions 18–16.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 24/38, 242 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
GB – Aaron Rodgers - 35/61, 333 yards, 2 TDs
Top rushers
DET – Joique Bell - 14 carries, 17 yards
GB – James Starks - 15 carries, 42 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson - 6 receptions, 81 yards
GB – Davante Adams - 10 receptions, 79 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Isa Abdul-Quddus - 8 tackles
GB – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - 9 tackles, 2 assists
The 1–7 Lions withstood a late rally to earn an upset win over the 6–2 Packers. This was the first Lions win over Green Bay in Wisconsin since 1991.[51] Ameer Abdullah set up the Lions first touchdown when he returned a kickoff 104 yards, and was stopped at the one-yard line. This tied the record set by Percy Harvin in 2011 for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history.[52]
Week 11: vs. Oakland Raiders[]
Week Eleven: Oakland Raiders at Detroit Lions – Game summary
The 18–13 win over the visiting Raiders gave the Lions their first back–to–back victories of the season. The Lions became the first team in NFL history to score exactly 18 points in consecutive games.[53]
DET – Calvin Johnson - 8 receptions, 93 yards, 3 TDs
Top tacklers
PHI – Walter Thurmond III - 6 tackles, 3 assists
DET – Tahir Whitehead - 4 tackles, 2 assists
Celebrating their 76th Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions routed the Eagles for their third consecutive win. Matthew Stafford threw five touchdown passes, three of them to Calvin Johnson. Having lost at Ford Field for the first time, the Eagles dropped to 6–1 when playing on Thanksgiving.
Week 13: vs. Green Bay Packers[]
Week Thirteen: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Despite the Lions leading the entire game, the Packers won the game after the official clock expired when a controversial facemask penalty against Devin Taylor gave them one extra untimed play. On that play, Aaron Rodgers threw a 61-yard Hail Mary pass to Richard Rodgers for the winning touchdown. The play was later dubbed the "Miracle in Motown".
Week 14: at St. Louis Rams[]
Week Fourteen: Detroit Lions at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
DET - Golden Tate 2 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 4:13. Rams 21–14.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 30/46, 245 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
STL – Case Keenum - 14/22, 124 yards, 1 INT
Top rushers
DET – Joique Bell - 7 carries, 50 yards
STL – Todd Gurley - 16 carries, 140 yards
Top receivers
DET – Golden Tate - 9 receptions, 60 yards
STL – Kenny Britt - 2 receptions, 35 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Josh Bynes - 7 tackles, 1 assist
STL – Mark Barron - 8 tackles, 3 assists
After a scoreless first half against the Rams in St. Louis, the Lions' attempt at a comeback in the second half fell short. The ninth loss guaranteed a losing season, the team's third in the last four years, and officially eliminated the Lions from playoff contention.
Week 15: at New Orleans Saints[]
Week Fifteen: Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
DET - Golden Tate 1 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 2:34. Lions 7–0.
NO - Kai Forbath 45 yard field goal. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 6:45. Lions 7–3.
Second quarter
DET - Michael Burton 4 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:54. Lions 14–3.
DET - Golden Tate 5 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 6:38. Lions 21–3.
Third quarter
DET - Ameer Abdullah 15 yard run. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:10. Lions 28–3.
NO - Brandin Cooks 27 yard pass from Drew Brees. Kai Forbath kick is good. Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 2:28. Lions 28–10.
Fourth quarter
NO - Kai Forbath 22 yard field goal. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 3:19. Lions 28–13.
NO - Marques Colston 11 yard pass from Drew Brees. Kai Forbath kick is good. 5 plays, 38 yards, 2:41. Lions 28–20.
DET - Joique Bell 1 yard run. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:42. Lions 35–20.
NO - Benjamin Watson 1 yard pass from Drew Brees. Kai Forbath kick is good. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 3:29. Lions 35–27.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 22/25, 254 yards, 3 TDs
NO – Drew Brees - 34/52, 341 yards, 3 TDs
Top rushers
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 9 carries, 77 yards
NO – Tim Hightower - 13 carries, 54 yards
Top receivers
DET – Eric Ebron - 4 receptions, 79 yards
NO – Brandin Cooks - 10 receptions, 124 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Stephen Tulloch - 7 tackles, 2 assists
NO – Kenny Vaccaro - 7 tackles
The Lions defeated the Saints 35–27, as Matthew Stafford posted a single-game career high in passer rating (148.6), and broke Jon Kitna's single-game franchise record with an 88.0 completion percentage (22-for-25).[54] It was the team's first road win over the Saints since 2005.
Week 16: vs. San Francisco 49ers[]
Week Sixteen: San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
49ers
7
10
0
0
17
Lions
3
17
3
9
32
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Date: December 27
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
Game attendance: 61,313
Referee: Bill Vinovich
TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa
After multiple lead changes and a close halftime score, the Lions pulled away and won their last home game of the season, keeping the 49ers scoreless for the entire second half. Theo Riddick caught 7 passes for 63 yards, giving him 668 receiving yards on the season, a Lions franchise record for a running back.[55]
Week 17: at Chicago Bears[]
Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears – Game summary
DET - Timothy Wright 9 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:46. Lions 7–0.
Second quarter
DET - Matt Prater 59 yard field goal. Drive: 3 plays, -2 yards, 0:11. Lions 10–0.
Third quarter
CHI - Robbie Gould 49 yard field goal. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 5:57. Lions 10–3.
CHI - Joshua Bellamy 34 yard pass from Jay Cutler. Robbie Gould kick is good. Drive: 3 plays, 41 yards, 1:22. Tied 10–10.
DET - Calvin Johnson 36 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 4:21. Lions 17–10.
Fourth quarter
CHI - Matt Forte 23 yard pass from Jay Cutler. Robbie Gould kick is good. Drive: 6 plays, 83 yards, 2:47. Tied 17–17.
DET - Eric Ebron 1 yard pass from Matthew Stafford. Matt Prater kick is good. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:34. Lions 24–17.
CHI - Robbie Gould 34 yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 3:07. Lions 24–20.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford - 28/39, 298 yards, 3 TDs
CHI – Jay Cutler - 17/23, 245 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
Top rushers
DET – Ameer Abdullah - 10 carries, 44 yards
CHI – Matt Forte - 17 carries, 76 yards
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson - 10 receptions, 137 yards
CHI – Marc Mariani - 6 receptions, 80 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Stephen Tulloch - 7 tackles, 1 assist
CHI – John Timu - 8 tackles
The Lions completed a season sweep of their division rival Chicago Bears with a 24–20 win. The loss sunk the Bears to last place in the NFC North, with the Lions finishing third. Matthew Stafford completed 28 of 39 passes, giving him a season completion percentage of 67.2, the best for a quarterback in franchise history. Theo Riddick caught 4 passes for 29 yards, giving him season totals of 80 receptions and 697 yards, both franchise records for a running back. The Lions finished the season with three players catching 80 passes or more – Golden Tate (90), Calvin Johnson (88) and Riddick (80) – a first for any Lions team. Matt Prater kicked a 59-yard field goal in the game, the longest in Lions franchise history and the longest ever kicked at Soldier Field.[56]
