After rushing out to a 21-0 lead in the first seven minutes of Sunday’s game at New Orleans, things were starting to get a bit dicey for the Lions.
That lead was cut to just 24-21 late in the third quarter, and Detroit settled for a field goal after stalling out in the red zone to close out the quarter, making it 27-21.
But the tide turned on the first play of the fourth when Tracey Walker recovered a fumble, setting the Lions up in the red zone.
Two plays later offensive coordinator Ben Johnson turned to the speed of Jameson Williams, who scored from 19 yards out — but ran closer to 30 yards in about :04 seconds – on a reverse and flew into the end zone a la Superman.
A missed two-point conversion left the Lions only up 12. While the Saints cut that lead to just five on the next drive, the defense would do just enough down the stretch to hold on for a 33-28 win.
The victory makes the Lions 9-3 for the first time since 1962 and gives them a three-game lead over the Vikings in the NFC North with five games to play.
Jared Goff made a pair of huge throws on the final drive to salt away the win, including a drive-extending third down conversion to rookie Sam LaPorta, who finished the day with a TE franchise record nine catches for 140 yards.
Goff iced the game with another third down conversion after being flushed out of the pocket and delivering a dart to Josh Reynolds.
Detroit stays on the road next Sunday, paying a visit to the Bears at Soldier Field, before returning home for a Saturday night primetime game against the Broncos the following week.
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