Advertisement

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford's 4 TDs key rally, win over Arizona Cardinals

By Dana Gauruder, The Sports Xchange
Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions rallied to blow by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Photo by David Tulis/UPI
Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions rallied to blow by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo

DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes, two to rookie receiver Kenny Golladay, and the Detroit Lions snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Arizona Cardinals with a 35-23 season-opening victory on Sunday at Ford Field.

Stafford completed 29 of 41 passes for 292 yards. Golladay, a third-round draft choice, caught four passes for 69 yards.

Advertisement

Lions wideout Golden Tate caught 10 passes for 107 yards and safety Miles Killebrew scored on a 35-yard interception return for Detroit.

Cardinals star running back David Johnson left the game late in the third quarter with a wrist injury. He was held to 23 yards rushing on 11 carries and caught six passes for 68 yards.

Carson Palmer completed 27 of 48 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times. Cornerback Justin Bethel returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown.

Advertisement

The Cards took a 17-9 lead with 5:37 left in the third quarter on Kerwynn Williams' 3-yard run. That capped a 94-yard, 12-play drive.

Lions rookie linebacker Jarrad Davis picked up a Johnson fumble and returned it to the Cards 10, setting up Stafford's 7-yard scoring pass to Theo Riddick. The two-point conversion failed, leaving Arizona in front by two points.

Detroit took a 21-17 lead with 9:27 remaining. Golladay beat one-on-one coverage by Bethel and gathered in Stafford's 10-yard scoring toss. Once again, the two-point try failed.

Golladay beat Bethel again on his second touchdown. Golladay made a diving catch and rolled into the end zone to complete the 45-yard scoring play.

Killebrew's 35-yard interception return on a deflected pass moments later gave Detroit a 35-17 lead with 4:03 remaining.

Palmer was picked off on the Cardinals' first series, but Stafford returned the favor. Tate was shoved by former Lions linebacker Josh Bynes as he cut toward the middle, allowing Bethel to make the interception. That gave Arizona a 7-0 lead just 3:46 into the game.

The Cards tacked on a 24-yard Phil Dawson field goal after a special teams gaffe by the Lions. Punter Kasey Redfern bobbled the snap in his end zone, then got tackled shy of a first down at the 13-yard line. Redfern injured his knee on the play and did not return.

Advertisement

Safety Glover Quin picked off Palmer in the second quarter, leading to Detroit's first score. Stafford found Marvin Jones on a 6-yard play with 4:22 left in the half. The conversion attempt failed after a bobbled snap.

Matt Prater's 58-yard field goal on the final play of the half cut Arizona's lead to 10-9. Prater replaced Redfern and averaged 34.8 yards on four punts.

NOTES: LB Deone Bucannon (ankle) and DT Robert Nkemdiche (calf) were among the inactives for the Cardinals. CB Teez Tabor, a second-round pick this year, and RB Zach Zenner were healthy scratches for the Lions. ... Detroit's last victory over Arizona was a 29-21 home triumph on Nov. 13, 2005. ... Arizona LT D.J. Humphries suffered a first-quarter knee injury and did not return. ... Detroit QB Matthew Stafford started his 100th consecutive game. ... The Cards are now 2-3 in five openers under head coach Bruce Arians.

Latest Headlines