Rams vs. Lions live updates: Scores, highlights as Detroit takes on ...
Updated Sept. 9, 2024, 4:08 AM UTC
David Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run in overtime propelled the Detroit Lions to a home victory against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. Montgomery finished with 91 yards, complementing his backfield partner Jahmyr Gibbs' 40 yards and a score.
The Lions move to 1-0, while the Rams drop to 0-1.
Detroit led much of the game thanks to Gibbs' rush, a 52-yard touchdown reception by receiver Jameson Williams and two field goals by Jake Bates, a rookie kicker making his NFL debut. Bates drilled a clutch 32-yarder with 17 seconds left to send his team into extra time.
See how the earlier games went
Lions quarterback Jared Goff finished 18-for-28 passing with 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. While the night was big for Williams, star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was notably quiet, with three catches for only 13 yards.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was 34-for-49 passing for 317 yards, one touchdown and a pick. His lone score came late in the fourth quarter on a 9-yard pass to Cooper Kupp that put L.A. ahead until the final seconds.
Stafford played the second half without star wideout Puka Nacua, who was ruled out with a knee injury.
A ton of mutual respect between the signal-callers who were traded for each other only a few years ago.
Detroit defeated Los Angeles 26-20 on David Montgomery's 1-yard score in overtime tonight. Montgomery finished the night with 91 yards and the score to push the Lions to 1-0.
The Lions and the Rams are tied at 20, and we're going to overtime.
A brief refresher on the rules:
Each team must possess the ball. The only exception is if the first team on offense scores a touchdown. A field goal will not end the game. Sudden death play — when the game ends on any score (safety, field goal or touchdown) — continues until a winner is decided.If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, the game will be recorded as a tie.Detroit kicker Jake Bates, a rookie making his NFL debut, just drilled a 32-yarder with seconds remaining in regulation.
The game is tied at 20.
Stafford could not find Kupp on third-and-10, and the Rams were forced to punt. The Lions have the ball at their own 36-yard line with two minutes to play down three points.
Stafford led a 10-play, 80-yard drive that finished with a Kupp 9-yard score. The Rams lead 20-17 with 4:30 in the fourth quarter.
Kupp, who was often injured last season, appears to be fully healthy once again and is having a massive game with 13 catches for 105 yards.
Goff, looking to hit St. Brown, threw it across the middle, but it was picked off by Rams safety John Johnson at the L.A. 20-yard line.
Huge opportunity for the Rams late in the matchup to take the lead.
The Rams thought they had a touchdown run by Jordan Whittington, but it was taken off the board on an offensive holding call. The Rams were pushed back 15 yards and ultimately could not find the end zone.
L.A. settled for a 26-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-13 with 12:32 left in the fourth quarter.
Stafford led an 11-play, 70-yard drive that finished with Williams scoring from 2 yards out.
Detroit leads 17-13 with 3:33 left in the third quarter.
Goff hit Jameson Williams deep for a 52-yard touchdown up the left sideline. Detroit leads 17-3 with 10:29 left in the third quarter.
Rams star receiver Puka Nacua, who went down hard after a catch, was declared out by the team early in the second half. That's a major blow to Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Expect a heavy dose of running back Kyren Williams and veteran WR Cooper Kupp.
Lions star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown was expected to have another monster season. Last year, he caught 119 passes for 1,515 yards and 10 scores en route to All-Pro honors.
Tonight, however, he was quiet in the first half. St. Brown went into the locker room at halftime with two receptions for 8 yards. Lions QB Jared Goff will surely look in his direction more in the third and fourth quarters if Detroit wants to win this game.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford was picked off in the end zone by Lions safety Kerby Joseph with 15 seconds remaining in the half.
Jared Goff was sacked in the lone play for Detroit as we head to halftime.
Lions 10, Rams 3 midway through.
Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs rushed left tackle at the goal line and got in by mere inches for a touchdown. Detroit leads 10-3 with 1:57 remaining in the first half.
Gibbs has five carries for 18 yards and a score.
The Rams' star WR hit the ground hard on the last L.A. drive and went to the medical tent. The team announced he was questionable to return to the game but he checked back in on the next drive.
Lions WR Jameson Williams is being looked at for a possible injury. Williams, a first-round pick in 2022 out of Alabama, is a speedy receiver who was expected to be a major weapon for Jared Goff this season.
He had a huge 36-yard reception earlier on the drive and another 13-yard catch before coming down awkwardly.
The Rams went for it on 4th-and-4 on Detroit's 23-yard line but Matthew Stafford's pass to Cooper Kupp was broken up by Carlton Davis for a turnover.
Davis was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason in return for a 2024 third-round draft selection.
The Lions converted on a crucial 4th-and-goal from the Rams' 27-yard line and continued marching down the field. Jared Goff, on 3rd-and-goal from the 7-yard line, could not find tight end Sam LaPorta streaking across the back of the end zone and the drive culminated in a short FG for Jake Bates.
Game is tied at 3 with 12:17 left in the second quarter.
Joshua Karty hit a 41-yard field goal to give the Rams an early 3-0 lead but the Lions are marching down the field. Detroit is currently on an 8-play, 43-yard drive that is at the Rams' 28-yard line.
After a 13-play drive, the Rams settled for a 41-yard field goal from kicker Joshua Karty to take a 3-0 lead.
Both teams went three-and-out to start the game, which goes against the pregame billing that this would be a high-scoring affair.
With more than 11 minutes left in the first quarter, the Rams get the ball for a second time on their own 10-yard line.
The Lions' star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown spoke before the game about the connection between the team and the city, noting how the energy from the fans helps the team.
The game has kicked off with the Rams getting the ball first.
We're about 15 minutes away from kickoff in the Motor City and the hometown fans are ready.
Who will win Sunday night's matchup between the Lions and Rams? Here's everyone's picks.
The Lions kept the core of a team that was among the best in the NFL last season. Both coordinators (OC Ben Johnson & DC Aaron Glenn), but also locked up QB Jared Goff, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell to new long-term contracts (all 4 years).
The Rams will have to find a way to replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, who retired this offseason. Donald wrecked havoc for years since being drafted in 2014, constantly blowing up the line to get the opposing QB. His lack of presence will be felt.
L.A. used five of its first six picks on defense, including Florida State DL teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske with their top two picks.
The Rams are entering their eighth season with Sean McVay as head coach, and he's made the playoffs five times and won the Super Bowl in 2021.
The only losing season of McVay's career was in 2022, when the Rams went 5-12.
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This is a rematch of last season’s highly anticipated wild card matchup, which Detroit won 24-23 as Rams QB Matthew Stafford made his return to Detroit. Lions QB Jared Goff, who was drafted and played multiple seasons in L.A., beat his former team by throwing for 277 yards and a touchdown.
It was Detroit's first playoff win in 32 years.
NBC’s Steve Kornacki joins TODAY to break down the NFL kickoff games happening this weekend and all the international games we’ll see this season.
Greg Rosenstein
Greg Rosenstein is the sports editor for NBC News Digital.
