DETROIT — The game of football last for 60 minutes, and that’s a good thing for the Detroit Lions. On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints were the better team for the first 56 minutes, but in the end it was the Lions celebrating a win.
The Lions rallied from a 13-point deficit with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter to defeat the New Orleans Saints 24-23.
Golden Tate started the rally when he took a Matthew Stafford pass 73 yards, 65 of which were yards after the catch, for a touchdown to make it a 23-17 game with 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was part of a career day for Tate, who made 10 receptions for 154 yards, both career highs. The 73-yard reception was the second-longest of his career.
The Lions offense would quickly get the ball back when Glover Quin intercepted a Dree Brees’ pass and returned it 23 yards to the New Orleans 14-yard line. Both the Saints (1 interception, 1 fumble) and the Lions (2 interceptions) turned the ball over twice.
The Lions would turn the Quin interception into points but not without the help of the officials. On 4th and 5 from the Saints nine-yard line, Rafael Bush was called for defensive pass interference on Lions running back Reggie Bush, giving the Lions a new set of downs from the Saints six-yard line. Three plays later, Stafford found Cory Fuller in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown with 1:48 left to put the Lions up 24-23.
Cornerback Darius Slay broke up a fourth-down pass from Brees on the ensuing drive to seal the Lions victory.
Detroit improves to 5-2 and will travel to London, England this week to take on the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium.
