Tennessee Gets First Victory Of The Season With Big Win In OT Over Detroit.
Sunday afternoon, the Tennessee Titans were back home looking for their first win of the season as they played host to the Detroit Lions. In this inter-conference match-up, the Lions were fresh from their loss last week against the San Francisco 49ers, while the Titans were fresh from…well they were fresh from nothing going into this game 0-2. Starting things off the first quarter we saw Matthew Stafford lead the Lions down two consecutive drives without reaching the red zone.
He would be bailed out by 21-year veteran Jason Hanson who chipped in a 47 and a 53 fg on his first two attempts. By the quarters end the Titans would get their first score of the game from a 31 yard fg by Rob Bironas. The Lions proceeded to have a quick three and out with a punt to Titans corner, Tommie Campbell who returned one for 65 yards to put the game at 10-6.
In the 2nd, after another three and out by the Lions, Jake Locker would link up with tight end Jared Cook for a 61 yard-td pass to put the score at 10-7. The Titans would go into half time with an 11 point lead at 20-9 as things would start to crumble initially in the 2nd half. Titans would start the quarter off with a long 12 play, five and a half minute drive that was concluded with a missed fg by Rob Bironas from 41 yards out to give the Lions more confidence the rest of the game. On the Lions next possession, Matthew Stafford would lead his team down the field on a 69 yard drive capped off with a 1-yard rush from Mikel Leshoure on a no huddle.
Heading into the 4th quarter, Lions would take the lead scoring 18 straight points (7 from the 3rd) headlined by a another fg by Jason Hanson from 26 yard then finished off with another strong by Stafford as he linked up with Nate Burleson for a touchdown pass. Detroit would take their first lead of the game since the opening quarter at 27-20 but that was before Darius Reynaud returned a 70 yard fg return to tie the game at 20 all. On the next ensuing possession, Matthew Stafford would hook up with tight end Brandon Pettigrew but he would fumble the ball as Titans corner, Alterraun Verner returned it for a 72 yard touchdown to put the game away with only minute left at 41-27 or so they thought. The Lions would start their next drive with Shaun Hill playing the role of the QB as Stafford watched from the sidelines as he was injured in the previous drive. Hill would lead the team for a quick 58 second 80 yard drive finished off with a pass to Calvin Johnson.
With Detroit now down by 7, they would attempt an onside kick in which they were successful at recovering with only 18 seconds left at the Tennessee 46. With only seconds left and their last play of intermission, Shaun Hill would throw a hail-Mary pass to the in-zone which was deflected and somehow ended up in wide-out Titus Young’s hands to tie the game. Tennessee had answered back to Detroit’s 18 straight points with 21 of their own to send the game into OT. In OT, the Titans would win the toss and score a 26-yard FG from Rob Bironas after a 13-play 51-yard drive. The Lions would have one last shot to score as they made it to the Tennessee 7 with a 4th and 1 left. Jason Hanson who was 4-4 this game was not called upon by Lions coach Jim Schwartz to tie the game as he wanted to go all in. Shaun Hill attempted a QB sneak to win the game but was stopped by Jurrell Casey and Sen’Derrick Marks as the game ended.
Tennessee now gets their first victory of the year, but they play a much solidified Texans team at Houston next week in a big AFC South rivalry game; while the Detroit heads back home to host the Minnesota Vikings who are fresh off their victory over the 49ers in a NFC North rivalry game.