Resilient Lions Enter Bye Week with a Chance to Get Healthy for Stretch Run

Even William Shakespeare would have scoffed at the ridiculous, improbable set of events that went into crafting the final scene of the Detroit Lions' 22-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday morning from Wembley Stadium in London. 

A comedy of errors—provided by both teams—was ultimately required to set up Matt Prater's 48-yard kick as time expired. Down 21-0 at halftime, the Lions scored 22 unanswered points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, to escape an ugly loss at the hands of the now 2-6 Falcons.

The how won't matter much to the Lions, who are now heading into the bye week at 6-2—in first place in the NFC North and with a real chance to get healthy for the stretch run. 

"We're shorthanded in some key spots," quarterback Matthew Stafford told reporters. "We have guys stepping up all over the place."

Receiver Calvin Johnson (ankle), running back Reggie Bush (ankle), tackle LaAdrian Waddle (concussion) and tight ends Eric Ebron (hamstring), Brandon Pettigrew (foot) and Joseph Fauria (ankle) could all be back in the fold by the time the Lions welcome the Miami Dolphins to Ford Field in Week 10.

The Lions won all three games Johnson has been out, the star receiver having battled an ankle issue for most of this season.

The path to Detroit's sixth win in eight tries included several late cringe-worthy moments.

Down 21-19 after failing on a two-point conversion attempt with three minutes and 56 seconds left, the Lions needed a stop on defense. The first two efforts came up short; Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan found Harry Douglas for 13 yards on 3rd-and-5 and then hit Julio Jones on a bubble screen for 22 yards two plays later. 

With the clock reading 2:00 and the Lions possessing only one timeout, all the Falcons needed to do was get through three uneventful run plays and the game was almost certainly Atlanta's. Yet uneventful was not how this game would end. 

A holding penalty on the Falcons stopped the clock on second down, and Jones dropped another attempt at a bubble screen on third down to give the Lions the ball back with 1:38 left in the contest. Ninety-eight ticks were more than enough for Stafford to march Detroit down the field and into field-goal range. 

Stafford connected with receiver Golden Tate for 32 yards on the drive's first play and with running back Theo Riddick for 20 more two plays later. After Jeremy Ross gained 10 yards following Stafford's spike, the Falcons received a rare holding penalty along the defensive front to put Prater into field-goal position. But the flow of this game dictated that the winning kick could not come easy. 

Prater, who was signed because of the massive failings of Detroit's first two kickers, missed his first attempt from 43 yards wide right. But a delay of game penalty negated the miss, giving him another chance. He made good on the redemption opportunity, as his 48-yard kick split the uprights and made the Lions improbable winners in London. 

"That's about as high and as low and as high again as I've been on a football field," Stafford said. 

Somehow, some way, the Lions are 6-2. 

Detroit fell behind 17-3 and 23-10 to the New Orleans Saints a week ago but still found a way to win. A long touchdown from Stafford to Tate and a late pick of Drew Brees turned the game around. 

On Sunday, the Lions spotted Atlanta three touchdowns but still made enough plays in the second half to avoid the upset. Stafford made a Brett Favre-ian scramble-and-throw to Tate for a 59-yard touchdown, and Ryan threw one of the worst interceptions of the season to give Detroit three points. 

Luck has felt like a factor in both wins, but good teams create their own luck—and it's not as if luck has been all that kind to the Detroit franchise in recent years. 

"One thing I'm finding out, is that this team has a lot of heart," Tate told reporters after the game. "It's incredible to see. It motivates us to play even harder for each other."

Teams of years past might have buckled in the same situations. Without Johnson and a host of offensive contributors, the Lions were handed ready-made excuses had this team entered the bye week with an even 4-4 mark.

Instead, Jim Caldwell's bunch can get healthy and prepare for a gauntlet of a stretch over the final eight games.

	Opponent
Week 10	vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 11	at Arizona Cardinals
Week 12	at New England Patriots
Week 13	vs. Chicago Bears
Week 14	vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 15	vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 16	at Chicago Bears
Week 17	at Green Bay Packers

After hosting the Dolphins in Week 10, the Lions will go on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots in back-to-back weeks. Two division games with the Chicago Bears and a trip to Lambeau Field in Week 17 highlight the final five weeks of Detroit's schedule.

Needless to say, health will go a long way in determining how the Lions finish the season. Getting Johnson and Bush healthy is first and foremost, and the decision to sit them both Sunday—despite the chances of a loss—should provide the necessary healing time for each weapon to be close to 100 percent when the Lions return to the field Nov. 9.  

"We're getting some of our key players (back)," Tate said. "We're excited for the second half of the season."

Luckily for the Lions, ugly, improbable wins still count exactly the same in the standings. 

A team that is just a few plays removed from 4-4 and a sour start is now 6-2 and entering a much-needed bye week. The schedule heats up after the break, but the Lions should exit the off week as healthy as they've been all season. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2