DETROIT (AP) — Dan Campbell didn't need long to sum up when things went wrong for the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The coach pointed to the third quarter of the 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford led the Rams to 17 points while the Lions didn't score and a seven-point lead turned into a 10-point deficit.
“We had three series in the third quarter, offensively and defensively, and that's what bit us,” Campbell said Monday. "We basically
gave up three scores in 12 plays on defense, and we had nine (offensive) plays for 6 yards total in that stretch.
“That was tough.”
The Rams gained 179 yards in the quarter, averaging 8.5 per play, while the Lions were under a yard per play. The biggest difference came in yards passing yards: Los Angeles had an edge of 135 to minus-8. But Campbell was focused on the running game.
After the Rams started the quarter with a field goal, Campbell called three running plays to start Detroit's drive. Jahmyr Gibbs carried the ball for 5, 7 and 6 yards, but a holding penalty wiped out the middle play. Instead of a first down and a second-and-4, the Lions were looking at third-and-9.
“I wanted to get the running game going, so we got a solid run and do it again and get the holding penalty,” Campbell said. “You try to overcome that by running again, but I probably should have thrown on that play.”
Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown on the third-down play, but he was short of the first down and Detroit punted. The Rams scored a touchdown to take a 27-24 lead, and Campbell gave up on the run.
On first down, Goff went deep to Jameson Williams, but he couldn't hold on and Goff was sacked on the next play.
“That was going to be huge, but he just couldn't come up with it,” Campbell said. “Now it is second-and-10 and we take the sack to get third-and-22.”
After another punt, the Rams only needed two plays to score and take the 10-point lead.
Gibbs started the third drive with a 2-yard run to end the quarter, and the Lions went three-and-out for the third straight drive.
“We just weren't able to overcome our mistakes,” Campbell said. “The penalty, the play we don't make on the first-down pass and the sack. We have to be able to overcome those.”
Jared Goff had another outstanding game against his former team. He finished 25 of 41 for 338 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Twenty of those completions went to St. Brown and Williams for a combined 298 yards and all three scores.
“I thought Goff, Saint and J-Mo played their tails off,” Campbell said after the game. “They gave us a chance, but we just had too many mistakes against a team that doesn't make them.”
Gibbs and David Montgomery finished with 70 yards on 20 carries and didn't have a rush longer than 10 yards. They also didn't get much in the passing game, picking up 20 yards on four catches.
“We never got our run game going, and that was always going to be important,” Campbell said. “They were running the ball all night and that just flips the field every time.”
Aidan Hutchinson still hasn't recovered the dominant form he was in before last season's broken leg, but he had an interception, a sack, three quarterback hits and three tackles.
Detroit's secondary is missing three starters, including their top cornerback and both safeties, but they needed someone to step up against Puka Nacua. He caught nine passes for 181 yards despite dealing with cramps late in the game.
CB Amik Robertson, who has played well during the injury crisis, left with a hand injury. He underwent tests on Monday, and Campbell expects to have more information in the next few days.
1,812 — The number of yards the Lions have allowed in the last four games, including more than 500 yards to the New York Giants and Los Angeles. Detroit has gone 2-2 in that stretch, but needed a 59-yard field goal from Jake Bates to avoid a loss to the Giants.
The Lions need to win out to have a strong chance at the playoffs, but they haven't won back-to-back games since winning four straight to get to 4-1. That needs to change Sunday in their final home game of the season — a date with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers.
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