In the end, the Washington Football Team deserved to get beat.
After Alex Smith and the offense recovered from a terrible first half to erase a 24-3 second-half deficit, they had one more drive in them to get Dustin Hopkins in position for a game-tying field goal with 16 seconds left.
But there was still enough time left on the clock for Ron Rivera’s football team to leave Detroit as losers.
The Lions needed just three plays to set up a 59-yard game-winning field goal from Matt Prater to snatch a 30-27 win and send Washington to 2-7 on the season thanks to two completions and a huge rookie mistake.
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The reason the Lions got in position to win? On an incomplete pass, Chase Young committed a boneheaded roughing the passer penalty to give Detroit a free 15 yards with six seconds remaining.
It wasn’t a great deal of contact on Lions QB Mathew Stafford, but it was unnecessary, late, and an easy call by the referees.
"I was going hard,” Young explained after the game. “It was a split decision whether to go or stop, and I just went. Rookie mistake. It happens."
“He hit him too hard, I guess,” Riviera told the media after the game. "They hit our guy and knocked him to the ground. We didn’t get a penalty. So, you know, just a little inconsistent.”
"The quarterbacks are treated extra special so we have to be aware of that,” Rivera added.
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Of course, Young didn't blame the refs: “I think it was a close call, for real. But I was going hard."
“It hurt,” the rookie told the media. “But, I mean, I can’t be too down on myself, because I was going hard. Sometimes it happens.”
After a quick nine-yard completion and a timeout, the Lions brought in Prater and he had plenty of distance to get the job done.
For Washington it was another tough way to lose a football game and it spoiled a big comeback by the Washington offense.
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