Matthew Stafford threw for 368 yards, including two touchdowns to Colby Parkinson, as the host Los Angeles Rams held on for a 41-34 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Kyren Williams rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns, while Blake Corum rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown for the Rams (11-3), who totaled 159 yards on the ground. Puka Nacua caught nine passes on 11 targets for 181 yards and Davante Adams hauled in four passes for 71 yards before he left the game in the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury.
Jared Goff passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns for the Lions (8-6). Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 13 passes on 18 targets for 164 yards and two touchdowns, while Jameson Williams made seven receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown.
Detroit led 24-17 at halftime.
After defensive end Aidan Hutchinson’s 58-yard interception return, Goff hit St. Brown on a 17-yard score on the next play with 8:07 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 advantage.
The Rams responded with a 13-play, 72-yard drive, capped by Williams’ 4-yard run with 2:44 remaining in the opening quarter.
Jake Bates gave Detroit the lead again on a 24-yard field goal. Stafford’s 36-yard completion to Nacua set up the Rams’ next score, a 1-yard run by Williams midway through the second quarter.
The Lions came right back to take a 17-14 lead, as Goff and St. Brown hooked up on an 8-yard scoring pass.
Detroit scored again in the last minute of the half as Goff found Williams over the middle on a 31-yard scoring pass.
Harrison Mevis’ 37-yard field goal for the Rams completed the first-half scoring.
Mevis got the second-half scoring going with a 44-yard field goal on the opening possession for a 24-20 deficit. The Rams then took a 27-24 lead with 2:26 left in the third quarter on Stafford’s 26-yard pass to Parkinson.
Corum made an 11-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the quarter.
Bates’ 48-yard field goal with 7:54 remaining in regulation cut the Rams’ lead to 34-27.
Los Angeles followed on the next drive with Parkinson’s 11-yard touchdown reception with 4:49 remaining for a two-touchdown cushion.
David Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run brought the Lions within one score with 2:42 left. The Rams then ran down the clock to 13 seconds and their defense stopped Detroit’s desperation play.
