David Montgomery overruns the Rams and gives the Lions the overtime win

Detroit — Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery hates overtime.

And that's how he played on Sunday night. After his team won the coin toss to start overtime against the Los Angeles Rams, Montgomery got the game going with a 21-yard run on the second play of the series and ran the ball five times for 45 yards on that run, including the kill.

After an 8-yard run that gave the Lions first-and-goal at the 1-yard line, Montgomery ran right through the chest of Rams linebacker Troy Reeder for the game-winning point in Detroit's 26-20 season-opening win on Sunday Night Football that sent Matthew Stafford home in frustration for the second time this calendar year.

It was Detroit's first overtime win since 2016.

“I'll be honest – I hate overtime,” Montgomery said. “It's a late game, I want to see my son, but we're here, coach (Dan) Campbell always says when your number is called and when you get an opportunity you have to make sure you strike when it's called. I've assured myself that when I get the opportunity I'm going to take full advantage of it.”

Montgomery is the Lions' closer. He's also the Lions' starter — Detroit gave him the ball nine times in their first two drives. He's the guy Detroit turns to when they're in an offensive slump, and the guy they give the ball to when they need to keep the good times rolling.

“He's unbelievable. I can't say enough about the guy. He runs so mad… to block for a guy like that is a blessing,” Lions center Frank Ragnow said. “Hats off to David… he took it to a whole new level in overtime.”

Ragnow and his offensive line crew did everything they could. Montgomery said he didn't feel the Rams could do anything to stop him.

“Nothing against them, but I was in the mood. I was already determined to prove myself at that point,” Montgomery said. “So (it felt good) to be able to go out there and finish it – like I said, my O-line, come on, the best O-line in the league.”

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he knew Montgomery was on his way to a special season when he showed up to training camp and aced his conditioning test as a sixth-year pro.

“He runs hard, he's tough, he's physical and I think he's a catalyst for us,” Campbell said. “He's starting to wear it and keep getting better and I think the line feeds off him and he feeds off them … that guy is a stud.”

Montgomery's performance saved the Lions (1-0) from a heartbreaking start to the 2024 season; in a thrilling rematch against the team they knocked out of the playoffs in the wild-card round last year, they gave up a 17-3 lead in the second half and almost gave the game away with a turnover in the final phase.

▶ Result: Lions 26, Rams 20 (extra time)

The Lions defended their 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jared Goff threw an interception to Rams safety John Johnson III, giving LA (0-1) a 20-17 lead with 4:30 left in the game. The 10-play, 80-yard run ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, who – since All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua left the field in the second quarter with a knee injury – totaled 110 yards on 14 catches.

Stafford finished the game completing 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards, a touchdown and an interception caught by Lions safety Kerby Joseph. Goff, meanwhile, finished the game completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Jameson Williams set a career high with 121 receiving yards and a 52-yard touchdown catch, stepping in for Detroit on a night when All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta were limited to a combined 58 yards on seven catches.

Williams launched a double tackle on Rams cornerback Tre'Davious White and had complete freedom on the sideline for an easy touchdown that gave the Lions a 17-3 lead with 10:29 left in the third quarter.

“That's just our offense,” Williams said. “We knew from the beginning that we had players. If one of them doesn't get going, we have others we can rely on.”

Despite Kupp's performance and an explosive play after a couple of missed tackles by Rams receiver Tyler Johnson, the Lions' revamped defense was in much better shape. Brian Branch intercepted three passes and Amik Robertson intercepted another. Alex Anzalone had three tackles for loss and the Lions had seven as a team, including one for Branch.

They kept the big plays to a minimum and made stops when they needed them, especially when the Rams had a chance to put the game away after Detroit's offense gave the ball away on a three-and-out with 4:10 left.

Detroit's offense took the lead with 2:11 left in the game, 20-17. Lions kicker Jake Bates kept the Lions afloat with a 32-yard field goal to tie the game with 17 seconds left. It was the most important kick of his NFL career, which lasted just one game.

“It was a tough sequence for us. We stalled a couple times after the interception, almost threw another one, and then we managed the punt, the defense got a stop, and then we went down and kicked the field goal,” Goff said. “We rebounded well. It was nice to see that. Ultimately, we did enough to win the game, and it feels good.”

The Lions' defense also limited the Rams' running game. Kyren Williams managed just 50 yards on 18 attempts (2.8 on average).

Detroit's defense showed its full strength after the Rams stormed down the field midway through the second quarter. Brian Branch broke up a pass, Marcus Davenport forced a throw with pressure and Aidan Hutchinson blasted Stafford on a third-down play before Carlton Davis broke up a pass to Kupp on fourth-and-4 to leave the field.

The Rams lost Nacua, left tackle Joe Noteboom (ankle) and left guard Steve Avila (knee) to injuries, so their third tackle, AJ Arcuri, will have to take care of Aidan Hutchinson for the rest of the game.

Although Hutchinson only recorded one sack on the day, he garnered some pressure points and provoked a crucial holding call on Arcuri that prevented the Rams from tying the game early in the fourth quarter. A pass interference penalty on Terrion Arnold – his second of the game – gave the Rams first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with the score at 17-10, but the holding call aided the Rams and the Lions defense was able to limit the Rams to a 26-yard field goal by Joshua Karty.

“Great game. Great game,” Campbell said.

On Arnold's first penalty for pass interference, the Rams got the ball at the 2-yard line and Kyren Williams promptly scurried into the end zone to equalize the score at 17-10 in the third quarter (3:33 minutes).

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 11 runs for 40 yards, including the team's first touchdown of the season from one yard out with 1:57 left in the second quarter. Bates also kicked a 25-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Anzalone had two tackles for loss on the opening drive and was able to get the Rams offense off the field in three plays, but LA's pass rush retaliated with a sack of Goff on third down – Byron Young beat Kevin Zeitler cleanly inside – to force a three-and-out of its own on the Lions' opening drive.

The Rams moved the ball methodically on their second drive and reached the red zone, but Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike stopped the drive with a sack on second down, followed by a Rams false start that forced Joshua Karty to make a 41-yard field goal that ended the 13-play drive with a 3-0 Rams lead 4:50 into the first quarter.

The Lions responded with a long field goal drive of their own (15 plays). Detroit fired the Montgomery button, which had the veteran running back touch the ball eight times for 33 yards before Bates kicked a 25-yard field goal after an incomplete pass on third down to Sam LaPorta in the end zone.

The Rams tried to tie the game in the second quarter after taking the lead with less than two minutes left, but they got lucky when Hutchinson was penalized for “unnecessary roughness on the passer,” giving LA first-and-10 at the Detroit 40-yard line instead of third-and-8 at the LA 45-yard line.

However, after the Rams entered the red zone, Hutchinson helped turn the momentum around by putting pressure on the quarterback and forcing Stafford to make a bad decision: a throw was intercepted by Joseph in the end zone with 15 seconds left in the half.

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