Years of NFL history has shown that you shouldn't expect too much when two of the league's worst teams play each other, especially when they've managed to win just two of a combined 18 games this season. But on Sunday in Detroit, it seemed like those two teams were each trying to prove to everyone and themselves that they were the better of two have-nots. Something had to give. The result was one of the season's most dramatic matches that gave a hint of big things to (hopefully) come from two of the league's young field generals.
Brady Quinn vs. Matthew Stafford
Sure, Sunday's game was the Browns vs Lions. But it was also Brady Quinn vs Matthew Stafford. The former, now in his third season after a stellar college career at Notre Dame, is still basically auditioning for the No. 1 job in Cleveland. Entering the game with only one TD pass this season and three in his career to go alongside seven career INTs, Quinn may have helped with his cause on Sunday. Quinn went 21/33 for 304 yards and four TDs with no INTs. On the other side of the ball, this year's first overall draft pick, Stafford, broke out of a slump that had seen him intercepted 12 times by completing 26 of 43 pass attempts for career highs of 422 yards and five TDs (TD total ties a rookie record). And it was his last TD pass that justified the game worth watching.
Quinn broke a 3-3 tie a little less than halfway through the first quarter when he launched a 59-yard TD pass to a wide open Mohamed Massaquoi. He followed up that score by connecting with Chansi Stuckey and Josh Cribbs for TDs of 40 and four yards, respectively. But Stafford would not be outdone as he strung together three unanswered TD passes of his own (Aaron Brown, 26 yards; Kevin Smith, 25; Calvin Johnson, 75) before halftime. The Browns kicked through a FG just before the half to take a 27-24 lead.
Quinn and Stafford each traded a TD pass in the second half before the Lions QB began an 88-yard drive with less than two minutes remaining and his team behind by six points that would end up thus far defining his young career. Starting at his team's own 12-yard line and without any timeouts, Stafford moved with ball and chains with passes of 13, 4, 17, 11 and 11 yards, spiking the ball three times along the way to stop the clock. His final spike, at Cleveland's 32-yard line, left eight seconds on the clock - enough time for one final play. After the snap, Stafford scrambled left and then scrambled right to the middle of the field where he uncorked a prayer of a pass to the end zone before being crushed by 305-pound lineman C.J. Mosley. The Browns intercepted the pass but a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone gave Detroit the ball at Cleveland's one-yard line with no time remaining. Stafford, visibly shaken from the hit and favouring his left shoulder, was replaced by Daunte Culpepper. But a timeout by the Browns gave Stafford enough time to re-enter the game, where he connected with TE Brandon Pettigrew for the game-winning score. He then turned and ran to the sidelines, too hurt to lift his arms in celebration but still strong enough to give what appeared to be a brief fist pump with his uninjured arm.
Following the 38-37 win, Detroit coach Jim Schwartz joked about Stafford by saying, "Matt's best play of the day might have been eluding four team doctors to get back on the field."
Stafford sustained a separated left shoulder and is unlikely to start against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day.
Week 11's Best Performances (by position)
QB - Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions 38, Cleveland Browns 37): 26/43, 422 yards, 5 TDs
RB - Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins 24, Carolina Panthers 17): 22 carries, 119 yards, 2 TDs & 2 catches, 19 yards, 1 TD
WR - Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills 15, Jacksonville Jaguars 18): 9 catches, 197 yards, 1 TD
Defense - New Orleans Saints: recorded three sacks and three INTs, forced and recovered a fumble, and held the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 219 total yards (100 passing; 119 rushing) and just seven points in their 38-7 victory. The win pushed the undefeated Saints' record to 10-0.
Other Week 11 NFL Scores:
- Indianapolis Colts 17,Baltimore Ravens 15 ... the Colts (10-0) join the Saints as the NFL's only undefeated teams.
- Dallas Cowboys 7, Washington Redskins 6
- Green Bay Packers 30, San Francisco 49ers 24
- Kansas City Chiefs 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24
- Minnesota Vikings 35, Seattle Seahawks 9
- New York Giants 34, Atlanta Falcons 31
- Arizona Cardinals 21, St. Louis Rams 13
- San Diego Chargers 32, Denver Broncos 3
- New England Patriots 31, New York Jets 14
- Oakland Raiders 20, Cincinnati Bengals 17
- Philadelphia Eagles 24, Chicago Bears 20
- Tennessee Titans 20, Houston Texans 17
Stats Source:
nfl.com
Justin Harrington - I make my living as the editor of two major community newspapers in west end Toronto and further feed my appetite for writing through ...
