The Detroit Lions are the most resilient team in the NFL
After a sluggish start, the Detroit Lions were able earn yet another come from behind win, this time against the Arizona Cardinals.
Only a few men on the planet know what it’s like to perform after receiving the largest contract in NFL history. Add Detroit Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford to that small list.
Stafford signed a massive five-year, $135 million contract extension late last month, making him the highest paid player in the league when he took his first snap under center on Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals.
And after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown on his very first pass play of the brand new regular season, Stafford settled down and actually had a terrific outing versus the Cardinals.
Once again, the Lions’ offense was slow out of the gate, down 17-9 until late in the second quarter. Detroit crawled their way back into the game, scoring three fourth quarter touchdowns after entering the final frame down 17-15.
It was yet another in a long line of fourth quarter comebacks Stafford and this Lions’ team is all too familiar with.
"“Yeah, you’ve got to play four quarters,” Stafford told the team’s official website. “We couldn’t get out of our own way early on, but our defense kept us in it. You know, we were able to put some points up there in the second half and then our defense added one there late, which was awesome…I mean, it took everybody. We’re a resilient group, everybody is. Just kept our head down and kept plugging.”"
Despite Stafford initial struggles, the 29-year old finished the game throwing for 292 yards, fourth touchdowns and that lone pick six. He completed 29 of his 41 passes, for a completion percentage of 70.7 and a quarterback rating of 113.1. Both of which would be career highs if the season ended today.
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The Detroit Lions, who posted a 9-7 record last season, posted an amazing eight fourth quarter comebacks last year. So it’s no real surprise that the most resilient team in the NFL would open their regular season coming from behind in the fourth quarter to grab victory out of the jaws of defeat against a quality opponent like the Arizona Cardinals.