Breaking Down Detroit's Stunning Comeback Win over the Saints

Sunday's 24-23 win over the visiting New Orleans Saints was not for Lions fans who are faint of heart. Detroit trailed 23-10 with five minutes, 24 seconds left on the clock, with a meek offense and the worst outing by the defense all season. 

It looked bleak. Many writers, myself included, started writing the dreaded "ugly loss" column as we waited for the clock to mercifully expire on what to that point had been a listless, sloppy affair. 

With so many injuries and so little offensive effectiveness to that point, it sure seemed like it was game over. The Lions were missing several key components on offense:

• Calvin Johnson
• Eric Ebron
• Joseph Fauria

In addition, Reggie Bush was on the sideline with an ankle injury after being largely ineffective, capped by a spectacularly egregious decision to run backwards and lose several yards:

"

Reggie Bush hasn't played this drive. Standing away from the offense with helmet on. #Lions

— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) October 19, 2014"

The last offensive play Detroit ran featured Matthew Stafford bouncing a pass off rookie tight end Jordan Thompson—a player on the practice squad as a long snapper. The game appeared done.

"

A two-interception game?! Kenny Vaccaro comes up huge with interception that should help put this game to bed for #Saints

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) October 19, 2014"

The first two plays of the ensuing drive did little to inspire confidence in a rally. Stafford misfired toward Golden Tate on first down and scrambled for no gain on second down. Third down and 10 yards to go for a team that had converted just six of its last 40 third-down attempts dating back to the Jets game in Week 4. 

Stafford found Corey Fuller with a strike for 21 yards, creating a spark of hope among the desperate denizens in Ford Field. Yet the spark appeared to be losing its oxygen when the next two plays left the Lions with another long third down.

This time it was 14 yards. They got 73 thanks to Tate, a play you can view in his highlight reel:

All of a sudden the spark found some kindling, and the flames of a comeback started to smolder. 

"

Stafford to Golden Tate for a 77-yard TD. Lions not done yet.

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) October 19, 2014"

It was time for Detroit's top-ranked defense to step up, something they had yet to do very well. Drew Brees had already thrown for over 300 yards, as he consistently exploited holes in the Lions' strangely passive zone. 

Then Glover Quin set the roof on fire. His huge interception and subsequent return with just over three minutes to go put the Lions in position to score once again, trailing by just six. 

"

Drew Brees intercepted by Glover Quin. Lions ball at the Saints' 14, 3:10 to play

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 19, 2014"

Now it was Stafford's turn to tend the fire. Unfortunately, the Saints appeared to have the hose turned on him, forcing a quick 4th-and-5 from the New Orleans 9 with just over two minutes to play. Any flames of hope appeared extinguished when Stafford's pass to Bush hit the turf. 

Game over...or not. Rafael Bush was flagged for interference, never looking back for the ball as he spun Reggie Bush's shoulder around. The fire wasn't out after all. It merely needed an unexpected gust of wind to breathe life back into the flames.

Two Joique Bell runs pushed the ball down to the 5, where the Lions once again faced a problematic 3rd-and-long. New Orleans called a timeout with 1:54 left to preserve some time just in case Detroit scored. 

With the defense firmly keying on Tate, Stafford knew he had to find another option. Tate had pretty much been the entire offense...

"

.@ShowtimeTate had himself a day. 10 rec & 154 yds are both career highs. All his highlights: http://t.co/P8wRWqpSOK pic.twitter.com/J8sMaiUSSf

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 19, 2014"

But who? No Megatron. No Ebron or Fauria. All the usual red-zone suspects were unavailable. 

Stafford opted for Fuller once again in a key spot. And once again, the youngster delivered.

"

That is the first career TD for Corey Fuller ....and boy was it a BIG one! And a beauty of a catch.

— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) October 19, 2014"

Fuller slipped behind the coverage and leapt up, cradling the ball in the back of the end zone as he very deliberately slammed both feet into the turf in front of the goal post. 

24-23 Lions. Ford Field was smoking...but there was still a lot of time for one of the best in the business in Brees.

Once again, it was time for the defense to keep the victory fire burning. The Saints only needed a field goal to win, and Brees had 1:48 on the clock and about 50 yards to get into solid field-goal range. 

Three quick incompletions ensued, all featuring tight coverage from a host of Lions. Detroit shifted to more man coverage instead of zone, and the change impacted Brees. 

Yet on 4th-and-10, Brees proved why he'll someday be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With no receivers open he took it upon his own legs to pick up 13, pulling the pin on the fire extinguisher. Detroit fans are easily forgiven for thinking "uh oh" at this point. 

The defense remained resolute. Two short passes and an incompletion set up another fourth down. Someone needed to make another play for Detroit's defense to seal the win. Enter Darius Slay, earlier torched on a long touchdown:

"

#Lions Darius Slay knocks the fourth-down pass away and they'll go into the victory formation.

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 19, 2014"

Detroit doused New Orleans' comeback and headed for the tunnel with the improbably thrilling victory. This is not how the script usually plays out for the Lions.

"

@JeffRisdon This is the exact way the #Lions have lost games for years and years.

— Jon Voss (@JonMVoss) October 19, 2014"

Coach Caldwell was more visibly animated than his usual stoic self in his postgame press conference, which I listened to on the Lions Radio Network. He couldn't help but smile as he offered two understatements about the win:

"Games in this league are crazy" and "When we needed plays at the end of the game we got 'em." 

This is the kind of victory that can spark something greater. Detroit did not play well in this game. New Orleans was the better team for over 55 of the 60 minutes. Yet somehow the Lions still found a way to win, even without so many key players.

As they head to London to face the flailing Falcons (29-7 losers in Baltimore), the Lions are flaming hot at 5-2. The last two wins have come sans Megatron. The spark from this amazing comeback can burn bright across the Atlantic and give the Lions great confidence they can return home 6-2.