Buffalo Bills beat the Detroit Lions for first win
After losing their first eight games, and their last three by field goals, the Buffalo Bills have finally put themselves into the win column with a 14-12 victory over the Detroit Lions, who are now 2-7.
Buffalo held a 14-3 lead going into the fourth quarter after Fred Jackson scored a pair of touchdowns; a one-yard run in the second quarter, and a 16-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
“Holy cow, we won a game!” elated Bills’ guard Eric Wood after the game.
Detroit made it close with a fourth quarter 45-yard field goal, and a late game 20-yard touchdown catch by Calvin Johnson on what looked to be broken coverage by the Bills defence.
On fourth down, Johnson ran a seam up the middle from the slot position, drawing coverage from inside linebacker, Paul Posluszny. With both Buffalo safeties covering the corners of the end zone, and no
one covering the middle, Johnson had little trouble getting a step on Posluszny. By the time strong safety Donte Whitner identified the play it was too late, and Shaun Hill threw an easy touchdown pass to pull the Lions within two.
With overtime looming, the Lions attempted a two-point conversion, but this time the Buffalo defence was up to the task, and heavy coverage forced Hill to throw the ball away.
“It was really frustrating, especially coming here and feeling we were the better team,” Johnson said.
The win ended Buffalo’s losing streak, and continued a Detroit road losing streak that dates all the way back to 28 October 2007 when they beat the Chicago Bears 16-7 at Soldier Field.
Other than the late Lions comeback bid, the game was tight, and for the most part what you would expect from two of the worst teams in the league.
Hill ended the game with 29 completions on 50 attempts for 323 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He should have been intercepted twice. Late in the second quarter, one of Hill’s passes was tipped
into the air, and three Bills defenders jumped for the ball simultaneously, preventing each other from making the catch.
Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 12 of his 24 attempts, and had 146 yards with one touchdown for the Bills.
Jackson did manage to put up some impressive numbers, rushing for 133 yards on 25 carries, and 37 yards on six receptions, to go along with his two touchdowns.
However ugly the game was, for the Bills, a win is a win.
“Relief!” said Bills’ cornerback Leodis McKelvin. “We won. We're not going to be talking about being a 0-16 team or nothing like that. It feels great to get a win and get that off our chests.”
The Bills will head to Cincinnati to play a struggling Bengals team next week, and the Lions travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys.
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