Detroit Lions Wild Card Review: The Good and the Bad

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Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) call signals at the line of scrimmage against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Good

Matthew Stafford

Despite the ridiculous narratives on Matthew Stafford’s record versus opponents finishing with winning records on the road, I thought he had a great game yesterday. On the very first drive of the game, he made a huge statement.

Stafford connected with Golden Tate on one of the most beautiful throws I’ve ever seen from him, resulting in a 57-yard touchdown.

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The stats may not show it, but I thought Stafford outplayed Romo and deserved to win the game. He turned the ball over three times, but was hardly to blame. His lone interception came on a tipped ball, and you have to give him credit for playing behind an injury-ridden line.

Ndamukong Suh

You could tell this game meant a lot to Suh from the moment he stepped on the field. Despite being held on virtually every play, he still managed to sack Romo twice.

He was so determined to get to the quarterback that he was able to sack Romo with just one hand holding onto his jersey, before managing to pull him to the ground.

After the game, Suh stood before the media and showed us a side of him we’ve never seen before. Suh was very emotional at the podium yesterday, and even had to step away for a moment. It was clear this game meant a lot to Suh, and the fact that this may have been his last game as a Lion could have something to do with it as well.

Honorable Mentions:

Joique Bell, Reggie Bush, Theo Riddick, Golden Tate, Calvin Johnson, Matt Prater, Darryl Tapp, Ziggy Ansah, Darius Slay

Next: The Bad

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