Detroit 34
 St. Louisstlouis_helmet.gif - 8989 Bytes 41

SCORING

Detroit 34St. Louis 41
 Final1234T
 Lions31410734
 Rams133141141
  
October 01, 2006Edward Jones Dome-Attendance: 65,563 (66,000) Time: 3:40
Scoring Summary
 FIRST QUARTERDETSTL
 STL FG 12:31 Jeff Wilkins 42 yard field goal attempt is good.03
 STL FG 8:21 Jeff Wilkins 19 yard field goal attempt is good.06
 DET FG 4:48 Jason Hanson 29 yard field goal attempt is good.36
 STL TD 1:08 Marc Bulger pass completion to the middle to Joe Klopfenstein for 16 yards for a touchdown.312
 STL PAT 1:08 Jeff Wilkins extra point attempt is good.313
 SECOND QUARTERDETSTL
 DET TD 8:49 Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Mike Furrey for 1 yard for a touchdown.913
 DET PAT 8:49 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.1013
 DET TD 1:12 Jon Kitna pass completion to the right to Mike Furrey for 10 yards for a touchdown.1613
 DET PAT 1:12 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.1713
 STL FG 0:04 Jeff Wilkins 46 yard field goal attempt is good.1716
 THIRD QUARTERDETSTL
 STL TD 11:18 Marc Bulger pass completion to the middle to Torry Holt for 16 yards for a touchdown.1722
 STL PAT 11:18 Jeff Wilkins extra point attempt is good.1723
 DET FG 8:08 Jason Hanson 20 yard field goal attempt is good.2023
 DET TD 4:23 Kevin Jones rush to the right for 35 yards for a touchdown.2623
 DET PAT 4:23 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.2723
 STL TD 0:44 Steven Jackson rush to the left for 1 yard for a touchdown.2729
 STL PAT 0:44 Jeff Wilkins extra point attempt is good.2730
 FOURTH QUARTERDETSTL
 DET TD 11:11 Kevin Jones rush to the right for 7 yards for a touchdown.3330
 DET PAT 11:11 Jason Hanson extra point attempt is good.3430
 STL FG 6:16 Jeff Wilkins 47 yard field goal attempt is good.3433
 STL TD 1:56 Marc Bulger pass completion to the right to Isaac Bruce for 5 yards for a touchdown.3439
 STL 2PT 1:56 Marc Bulger pass completion to Isaac Bruce. 2-pt conversion successful.3441

Statistics
 Detroit Passing
 C/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
 J. Kitna29/432806.522
 Team29/432806.522
 St. Louis Passing
 C/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
 M. Bulger26/423287.830
 Team26/423287.830
 Detroit Rushing
 CARYDSAVGTDLG
 K. Jones19934.9235
 J. Kitna100.000
 S. Bryson100.000
 Team21934.4235
 St. Louis Rushing
 CARYDSAVGTDLG
 S. Jackson22813.7127
 S. Davis4266.5012
 M. Bulger1-1-1.00-1
 Team271063.9127
 Detroit Receiving
 RECYDSAVGTDLG
 R. Williams913915.4028
 M. Furrey88210.3222
 K. Jones540.808
 A. Hakim3217.009
 S. Bryson23015.0021
 D. Campbell122.002
 M. Pollard122.002
 Team29/432806.522
 St. Louis Receiving
 RECYDSAVGTDLG
 I. Bruce710014.3133
 T. Holt610217.0133
 S. Jackson66510.8022
 K. Curtis22512.5015
 J. Klopfenstein22311.5116
 T. Fisher2126.009
 M. Hedgecock111.001
 Team26/423287.830
 Detroit Tackles
 TKLSOLASTSK-YD
 J. Fletcher9900-0
 E. Sims8710-0
 D. Bullocks8620-0
 P. Lenon6600-0
 S. Wilson4400-0
 D. Bly3300-0
 J. McGraw3300-0
 C. Redding3300-0
 M. Bell2200-0
 K. Edwards2201-7
 B. Bailey2200-0
 J. Hall2200-0
 R. Williams1100-0
 S. Rogers2110-0
 M. Furrey1100-0
 L. Woods1100-0
 A. Cannon1100-0
 C. Schlesinger1100-0
 S. Cody3120-0
 K. Smith1100-0
 D. Raiola1100-0
 Team645861-7
 St. Louis Tackles
 TKLSOLASTSK-YD
 W. Witherspoon8800-0
 C. Chavous8800-0
 T. Fisher6600-0
 F. Brown7610-0
 T. Hill5500-0
 V. Adeyanju4400-0
 O. Atogwe3300-0
 P. Tinoisamoa5321-1
 R. Smith2200-0
 L. Little2201-2
 J. Reed1100-0
 M. Hedgecock1100-0
 B. Chillar1100-0
 J. Brooks1100-0
 R. Bartell1100-0
 L. Glover1100-0
 D. Looker1100-0
 J. Fisk2110-0
 J. Kennedy3030-0
 Team625572-3
 Detroit Interceptions
 INTYDSAVGLGTD
 Team000
 St. Louis Interceptions
 INTYDSAVGLGTD
 O. Atogwe111.010
 J. Carter133.030
 Team242.030
 Detroit Punting
 TOTYDSAVG-20
 N. Harris3126421
 Team 312642.01
 St. Louis Punting
 TOTYDSAVG-20
 M. Turk417543.82
 Team 417543.82
 Detroit Punt Returns
 TOTYDSAVGLGTD
 E. Drummond12220
 Team12220
 St. Louis Punt Returns
 TOTYDSAVGLGTD
 S. McDonald15550
 Team15550
 Detroit Kickoff Returns
 TOTYDSAVGLGTD
 D. Bly12727270
 E. Drummond621035650
 Team723733.9650
 St. Louis Kickoff Returns
 TOTYDSAVGLGTD
 J. Reed47418.5240
 Team47418.5240
 Detroit Fumbles
 FUMLOSTRECYDS
 J. Kitna1100
 Team1100
 St. Louis Fumbles
 FUMLOSTRECYDS
 Team0000
 Detroit Missed Field Goals
 YDS/MFG
 NONE        -
 St. Louis Missed Field Goals
 YDS/MFG
 J. Wilkins47

Team Stat Comparison
 DETSTL
 1st Downs21 23 
   3rd down efficiency5-12 4-13 
   4th down efficiency0-1 0-0 
 Total Yards370 427 
 Passing277 321 
   Comp-Att29-43 26-42 
   Yards per pass6.2 7.5 
 Rushing93 106 
   Rushing Attempts21 27 
   Yards per rush4.4 3.9 
 Penalties4-70 8-66 
 Sacks against2-3 1-7 
   Turnovers
     Fumbles-lost1-1 0-0 
     Interceptions thrown
 Possession29:54 30:06 

RECAP:

With the architect of the ''Greatest Show'' on the other side of the turf, new St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan showed his team can win a shootout, too.

The Rams rallied from behind three times, then benefited from an overturned pass interference penalty in the waning seconds to beat Detroit 41-34 on Sunday.

''Sometimes in a game like this, it's who gets the ball last,'' Rams quarterback Marc Bulger said.

The win spoiled the return of Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was head coach in St. Louis for six seasons.

Detroit (0-4) built a 34-33 lead before the Rams (3-1) got the ball with 4:42 to play at their own 44. Seven plays later, on third down at the 5, Bulger threw to the right side and Isaac Bruce wriggled into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season with 1:56 to play.

Bulger and Bruce then connected on a 2-point conversion.

''One game you're kicking six field goals, another game you're scoring points,'' Linehan said. ''The bottom line is you've got to feel good when you win in this league.''

Lions quarterback Jon Kitna was intercepted on the first play after the Rams' score, but the Lions got the ball back with 47 seconds to play after Jeff Wilkins missed a 47-yard field goal try.

Detroit drove to the St. Louis 37, then appeared to get a break when Rams rookie Ty Hill was called for interference against Az-Zahir Hakim in the end zone with 22 seconds left. But after a huddle, the officials reversed the call because the ball was tipped, and Kitna's fourth-down pass sailed out of the end zone.

The Rams have been much more conservative in their first season under Linehan than they were under Martz, whose teams generally scored a lot, but gave up a lot, too. Though they've cut down on turnovers with just three lost fumbles and no interceptions this season, St. Louis had just two touchdowns and had not topped 18 points in their first three games.

Bulger was 26-of-42 for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Torry Holt had six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown and Bruce caught seven passes for 100 yards and a score.

Detroit has made steady progress on offense under Martz. After scoring 13 points in their first two games, the Lions have scored 58 in their last two.

''Our offense did a heck of a job,'' Lions coach Rod Marinelli said, though he lamented the two interceptions and Kitna's first-quarter fumble that set up a field goal.

''We weren't good enough on defense. It comes down to three turnovers they get and we get zero. That's the game in a nutshell.''

Martz was not made available to the media following the game.

Kitna was 29-of-43 for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Mike Furrey and Kevin Jones scored two touchdowns each for the Lions. Furrey, a former Ram, caught two touchdown passes from Kitna in the second quarter. Jones rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries, including 35- and 7-yard scoring runs in the second half.

Roy Williams caught nine passes for 139 yards, his second straight game over 100 yards receiving.

The Rams went into halftime down 17-16, then retook the lead on their first drive of the second half, with Bulger connecting with Holt on a 16-yard touchdown pass.

A 65-yard kickoff return by Eddie Drummond set up a 20-yard field goal by Jason Hanson, and Detroit went up 27-23 with 4:23 to go in the third quarter when Jones converted a third-and-1 run into a 35-yard score.

The Rams rallied again, aided by a 48-yard pass interference on Jamar Fletcher that gave St. Louis a first-and-goal at the 5, setting up Stephen Jackson's 1-yard touchdown run to make it 30-27. Jackson ran for 81 yards on 22 carries.

Detroit responded with a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended with Jones' 7-yard run on a draw play with 11:11 to play.

Wilkins' fourth field goal, a 47-yarder cut the margin to 34-33 with 6:16 to play.

Scott's Game Commentary:

I am glad the worst sports weekend of my life is over with. Nothing like the honolulu blue and silver to cap it off with blowing the lead in the 4th quarter. Between the Spartans, the Tigers and Lions - it was a week I wish would disappear forever. Unfortunately, I was in a complete daze after watching the Tigers pull one of the biggest choke jobs in Detroit sports history and could barely watch the Lions game. Nothing like getting swept to a 100 loss team for the first time in 26 years with the division on the line. After watching the ending of the Lions game, I could only laugh. It was fitting to see a pass interference call nullified by a tipped ball that would have given the Lions a chance to tie the game - that was a fitting end to their fourth straight loss and fifth to come next week in Minnesota.

Grades:

*Offense: --- B. The Offense has improved in every game thus far in the season, but they did have three turnovers which were a back breaker. Roy Williams had another great game and Kevin Jones for once looked like a first round draft pick. Mike Furey is showing how valuable he is in Martz's Offense. Still, with a chance to run out the clock, the Offense sputtered and of course the Rams marched down the field for the game winning touchdown. Looks like Mike Williams is back in Marinelli's dog house - so much for hoping to see him play.

*Defense: --- F. The Offense put the Defense in a few bad situations, but can anyone tell me what has happened to the secondary? Dre Bly should learn to keep his mouth shut until he earns a pay check. And where are all the turnovers? The Defense has yet to have one turnover in four games!!! With the game on the line, the Defense had no answer for Bulger, Holt, Jackson and company. Until this unit gets better, they will continue will be the achilles heel on the team.

*Special Teams: --- C. Eddie Drummond had a few decent kick returns but needs to show he can do it on a consistant basis.

*Coaching: --- C. Martz had the Offense ready to go and it has shown in the past few games; unfortunately, the same cannot be said with the Defense.

*Overall: --- C. I was surprised to see the Lions play competitive football for once. They had several chances to pull out a win but once again came up just short. At 0-4 the season is over which means the sixth consecutive season Millen has failed as GM. Millen signed Corey Bradford in the offseason to be the Lions 2nd WR - earlier last week, he was cut. As I have been saying for a long time - as long as Ford allows Millen to run the show, the Lions will continue to be the laughing stock of the NFL.

*Click HERE to go back to my LIONS page!!