2014 Detroit Lions season

Last updated

2014 Detroit Lions season
Owner Martha Firestone Ford
General manager Martin Mayhew
Head coach Jim Caldwell
Home field Ford Field
Results
Record11–5
Division place2nd NFC North
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(at Cowboys) 20–24
Pro Bowlers WR Calvin Johnson
FS Glover Quin
QB Matthew Stafford
DT Ndamukong Suh
WR Golden Tate
All-Pros DT Ndamukong Suh (1st team)
S Glover Quin (2nd team)
LB DeAndre Levy (2nd team)

The 2014 season was the Detroit Lions' 85th in the National Football League (NFL), their 81st as the Detroit Lions and their first under a new coaching staff led by head coach Jim Caldwell. The Lions suffered the passing of long-time owner William Clay Ford Sr., who died on March 9, 2014, at the age of 88, and wore patches with his initials on their jerseys in his honor. [1] [2] After the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Washington Redskins in Week 16, the Lions clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Game 24–20, ending their season. It was their eighth straight playoff loss, tying the Kansas City Chiefs for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history.

Contents

The Lions defense finished second in the NFL in total defense, surrendering just 300.9 yards per game. They also finished third in points per game defense, giving up just 17.6 points a game while leading the NFL in rushing defense, yielding just 69.3 rush yards per game.

Offseason

Coaching staff

Re-signings

DatePlayerPositionContractSource
March 12 Kevin Ogletree Wide receiver 1 year / $795,000 [9]
Joique Bell Running back 3 years / $9.3 million [10]
March 14 Brandon Pettigrew Tight end 4 years / $16 million [11]
March 21 Andre Fluellen Defensive tackle 1 year / $730,000 [12]
April 14 Rashean Mathis Cornerback 1 year / $565,000 [13]

Additions

DatePlayerPositionPrevious teamContractSource
March 3 Corvey Irvin Defensive tackle Dallas Cowboys 1 year / $730,000 [14]
March 12 Golden Tate Wide receiver Seattle Seahawks 5 years / $31 million [15]
March 13 Darryl Tapp Outside linebacker Washington Redskins 1 year / $920,000 [16]
Vaughn Martin Defensive tackle Miami Dolphins 1 year / $795,000
March 19 Jed Collins Fullback New Orleans Saints 1 year / $710,000 [17]
March 25 James Ihedigbo Safety Baltimore Ravens 2 years / $3.15 million [18]
April 2 Dan Orlovsky Quarterback Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 year / $920,000 [19]
April 3 J. B. Shugarts Offensive tackle New York Jets 1 year / $420,000 [20]
April 7 Cassius Vaughn Cornerback Indianapolis Colts 1 year / $730,000 [21]
April 11 Kourtnei Brown Defensive end Buffalo Bills 1 year / $420,000 [22]
April 21 Aaron Hester Cornerback Denver Broncos 1 year / $420,000 [23]
Nate Ness Cornerback Carolina Panthers 1 year / $570,000
April 22 George Johnson Defensive end Minnesota Vikings 1 year / $730,000 [24]
April 25 Sherman Carter Center San Francisco 49ers 1 year / $420,000 [25]
Naaman Roosevelt Wide receiver Cleveland Browns 1 year / $570,000
April 28 Jordan Thompson Tight end West Virginia 1 year / $420,000 [26]
May 12 James Franklin Quarterback Missouri [27]
Cornelius Lucas Offensive tackle Kansas State
Andrew Peacock Wide receiver Appalachian State
Mohammed Seisay Cornerback Nebraska
Gabe Lynn Safety Oklahoma
Chad Abram Fullback Florida State
Alex Bullard Guard Tennessee
D.J. Morrell Guard Old Dominion
Justin Jackson Linebacker Wake Forest
Jacob Maxwell Tight end Louisiana–Lafayette
Jerome Couplin Safety William & Mary
May 16 Nate Freese Placekicker Boston College 4 years / $2,279,424 [28]
Caraun Reid Defensive tackle Princeton 4 years / $2,408,880
Larry Webster III Defensive end Bloomsburg 4 years / $2,545,050
Nevin Lawson Cornerback Utah State 4 years / $2,545,050
T. J. Jones Wide receiver Notre Dame 4 years / $2,326,200
May 19 Gregory Hickman Defensive tackle Florida International 3 years / $1,530,000 [29]
May 22 Travis Swanson Center Arkansas 4 years / $2,989,314 [30]
June 2 Kalonji Kashama Defensive end Eastern Michigan 1 year / – [31]
Cody Wilson Wide receiver Miami Dolphins 1 year / –
June 4 Kyle Van Noy Outside linebacker Brigham Young 4 years / $5.1 million [32]
June 13 Eric Ebron Tight end North Carolina 4 years / $12.2 million [33]
July 16 George Winn Running back Atlanta Falcons 1 year / – [34]
July 17 Garrett Reynolds Guard Atlanta Falcons 1 year / $745,000 [35]
July 25 Drew Butler Punter Chicago Bears 1 year / – [36]
July 31 Kris Redding Defensive end Wake Forest 1 year / – [37]
August 7 Drayton Florence Cornerback Carolina Panthers 1 year / – [38]
October 7 Matt Prater Placekicker Denver Broncos

Departures

DatePlayerPositionNoteNew teamSource
February 13 Nate Burleson Wide receiver Released Cleveland Browns [39]
Louis Delmas Safety Released Miami Dolphins [40]
March 3 Leroy Harris Offensive guard Released [41]
March 13 Willie Young Defensive end UFA Chicago Bears [42]
March 18 Israel Idonije Defensive end UFAChicago Bears [43]
April 2 Jason Curtis Fox Offensive tackle UFAMiami Dolphins [44]
May 12 Cody Wilson Wide receiver Released [45]
Jon Morgan Linebacker
Nate Ness Cornerback
Matt Veldman Tight end
John Potter Placekicker
Carlin Isles Wide receiver
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah Cornerback
May 19 Corvey Irvin Defensive tackle Released Calgary Stampeders (CFL) [29]
May 30 Kourtnei Brown Defensive end Released [46]
June 2 Vaughn Martin Defensive tackle Released [31]
June 13 Chris Houston Cornerback Released [47]
July 16 D.J. Morrell Guard Released [48]
July 17 J. B. Shugarts Offensive tackle Released [49]
July 18 Naaman Roosevelt Wide receiver Released Buffalo Bills [50]
July 25 Gabe Lynn Safety Released [51]
July 28 Kalonji Kashama Defensive end Released [52]
July 31 Cody Wilson Wide receiver Released [53]

Draft

2014 Detroit Lions draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
110 Eric Ebron  *  TE North Carolina
240 Kyle Van Noy   OLB BYU
376 Travis Swanson   C Arkansas
4133 Nevin Lawson   CB Utah St Compensatory
4136 Larry Webster   DE Bloomsburg Compensatory
5158 Caraun Reid   DT Princeton Pick from DAL
6189 T.J. Jones   WR Notre Dame
7229 Nate Freese   K Boston College Pick from DAL
      Made roster    †    Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

Final roster

2014 Detroit Lions roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 9 reserve, 9 practice squad

Staff

2014 Detroit Lions staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning


Preseason

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1August 9 Cleveland Browns W 13–121–0 Ford Field Recap
2August 15at Oakland Raiders L 26–271–1 O.co Coliseum Recap
3August 22 Jacksonville Jaguars W 13–122–1Ford Field Recap
4August 28at Buffalo Bills W 23–03–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 8 New York Giants W 35–141–0 Ford Field Recap
2September 14at Carolina Panthers L 7–241–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap
3September 21 Green Bay Packers W 19–72–1Ford Field Recap
4September 28at New York Jets W 24–173–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
5October 5 Buffalo Bills L 14–173–2Ford Field Recap
6October 12at Minnesota Vikings W 17–34–2 TCF Bank Stadium Recap
7October 19 New Orleans Saints W 24–235–2Ford Field Recap
8 October 26 at Atlanta Falcons W 22–216–2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Wembley Stadium (London) Recap
9 Bye
10November 9 Miami Dolphins W 20–167–2Ford Field Recap
11November 16at Arizona Cardinals L 6–147–3 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
12November 23at New England Patriots L 9–347–4 Gillette Stadium Recap
13 November 27 Chicago Bears W 34–178–4Ford Field Recap
14December 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 34–179–4Ford Field Recap
15December 14 Minnesota Vikings W 16–1410–4Ford Field Recap
16December 21at Chicago Bears W 20–1411–4 Soldier Field Recap
17December 28at Green Bay Packers L 20–3011–5 Lambeau Field Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. New York Giants

Week 1: New York Giants at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Giants070714
Lions14013835

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

The Lions hosted their first opening-day Monday Night Football game since 1971, rudely welcoming the New York Giants to town. Matthew Stafford connected with Calvin Johnson on TD passes of 67 and 16 yards in the first quarter, giving Detroit an early 14–0 lead. The Giants got on the board in the second quarter with a 1-yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Larry Donnell, closing the gap to 14–7. Rookie kicker Nate Freese connected on field goals of 28 and 27 yards in the third quarter to extend the Lions lead to 20–7. An interception by Glover Quin, Detroit's second pick of the game, set up the Lions next touchdown, a 5-yard run by Stafford. New York narrowed the lead to 27–14 early in the fourth quarter when Rashad Jennings plunged in from a yard out, but that was as close as the Giants would get. Joique Bell capped the scoring with a 3-yard TD run, and the ensuing two-point conversion made the final score 35–14.

Week 2: at Carolina Panthers

Week 2: Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions00707
Panthers0671124

at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Game information

Carolina's Cam Newton made a successful comeback from a rib injury that kept him out of action in Week 1, but the story of the day was the Panthers' defense. Carolina forced three Detroit turnovers, two of which led to scores. Graham Gano opened the scoring for Carolina in the second quarter with field goals of 29 and 53 yards. The Lions took a 7–6 lead in the third quarter when Matthew Stafford hit fullback Jed Collins with a 1-yard TD pass. But the rest of the game was all Carolina. Newton closed the third with a 14-yard TD pass to Jason Avant to retake the lead, 13–7. In the fourth quarter, Jonathan Stewart found the end zone on a 2-yard TD run, with the ensuing two-point conversion giving the Panthers a 21–7 lead. Gano finished the scoring with a 38-yard field goal.

Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 3: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Packers70007
Lions750719

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

The Lions faced division rival Green Bay in Week 3, with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers sporting a 9–1 record in his last 10 games against Detroit. The first two scoring plays for the Lions came courtesy of the defense. Nick Fairley forced a fumble that was scooped up by defensive back Don Carey and returned 40 yards for a touchdown to put the Lions up 7–0. After Rodgers tied the game with a 10-yard TD pass to Andrew Quarless, DeAndre Levy tackled running back Eddie Lacy in the end zone for a safety, making the score 9–7. Nate Freese closed the first half scoring with a 30-yard field goal, sending Detroit to the locker room with a 12–7 lead. The only scoring drive of the second half culminated with a Reggie Bush 26-yard TD run, to put Detroit up 19–7. The Lions defense held Green Bay scoreless for the final three quarters of the game.

Week 4: at New York Jets

Week 4: Detroit Lions at New York Jets – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions3140724
Jets307717

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

After opening the season 3-for-7 on field goal attempts, Detroit kicker Nate Freese was cut during the week and was replaced by Alex Henery. Henery made good on his first field goal attempt for his new team, a 51-yarder to tie the Jets at 3–3 in the first quarter. The Lions put together two TD drives in the second quarter to go up 17–3. First, Matthew Stafford hit Jeremy Ross on a 59-yard bomb. Stafford then connected with first-round draft pick Eric Ebron for a 16-yard TD, giving Ebron his first NFL touchdown. Jets QB Geno Smith hit Eric Decker with an 11-yard TD pass to close the gap to 17–10. Early in the fourth, Stafford found the right pylon for a 1-yard TD run, making the score 24–10. Chris Johnson rumbled 35 yards for a touchdown midway through the final quarter, pulling the Jets within a touchdown again, at 24–17. Detroit's defense was able to force a punt on New York's final possession and the Lions ran out the clock thereafter.

Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills

Week 5: Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Bills0331117
Lions770014

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: October 5
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 62,775
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information
Scoreboard showing the final score Bills at Lions 2014 Final.jpg
Scoreboard showing the final score

The Lions took a 14–0 lead by early in the second quarter, following a 9-yard touchdown reception by Golden Tate and a 41-yard interception return by Rashean Mathis. But that would end Detroit's scoring for the day. Buffalo came back on field goals of 45 and 25 yards by Dan Carpenter, making the score 14–6 by the start of the fourth quarter. Kyle Orton hit Chris Gragg with a 2-yard TD pass and the ensuing two-point conversion tied the score at 14–14. With 26 seconds left in the game, Alex Henery missed a 50-yard field goal attempt, his third miss of the day. The Bills quickly moved the ball to the Lions' 40-yard line, setting up Carpenter's game-winning 58-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining.

Week 6: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 6: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions730717
Vikings00033

at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game information

On a day when offensive stars Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush could not play due to injuries, the Lions defense had to step up and it did in a big way. Detroit sacked Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater eight times, harassed him into throwing three interceptions and held the Vikings scoreless until late in the fourth quarter. The Lions got on the board in the first quarter with a 9-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Theo Riddick. Matt Prater, acquired during the week to replace the struggling Alex Henery, made good on a 52-yard field goal near the end of the first half to give the Lions a 10–0 lead. After a scoreless third quarter, Detroit upped its lead to 17–0 on a 1-yard TD plunge by Joique Bell. Blair Walsh got the Vikings on the board with a 40-yard field goal, making the final score 17–3.

Week 7: vs. New Orleans Saints

Week 7: New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Saints0107623
Lions0371424

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: October 19
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 63,271
  • Referee: Terry McAulay
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Playing again without Calvin Johnson, the Lions fell behind the visiting New Orleans Saints by two scores on two separate occasions, before mounting a dramatic comeback in the final minutes of the game. New Orleans had three of the first four scoring plays of the game. Drew Brees hit Austin Johnson with a 14-yard TD pass, Shayne Graham made good on a 27-yard field goal and Kenny Stills caught a 46-yard TD pass from Brees. Meanwhile, the Lions could only muster a 21-yard field goal by Matt Prater, falling behind 17–3. Detroit closed the gap to 17–10 in the third quarter after a 1-yard TD run by Joique Bell. Two more Shayne Graham field goals, however, gave the Saints a seemingly comfortable 23–10 lead with 5:24 to play in the game. With under four minutes to play, Matthew Stafford connected with Golden Tate on a 73-yard catch-and-run, making the score 23–17. On the Saints' next possession, Glover Quin picked off a third-and-ten Drew Brees pass, returning it to the New Orleans 14-yard line. At the 1:48 mark, Corey Fuller made a leaping catch of a 5-yard TD pass from Stafford for the winning touchdown in a 24–23 game. The Lions' defense held off the Saints in four downs, then the offense ran out the clock for the win.

Week 8: at Atlanta Falcons

Week 8: Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions00101222
Falcons1470021

at Wembley Stadium, London, England

Game information

In week 8, the Lions flew to London, England to play in the NFL International Series against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium. The game was played at 9:30 AM EDT, the first ever NFL game in that time slot. [56] Like the previous game, the Lions were trailing by a large margin (down 21–0 at halftime) before mounting a huge comeback, scoring 22 unanswered points in the second half to win by a single point in the final minutes. The Falcons had touchdown catches of 7 and 1 yards respectively by Devonta Freeman and Bear Pascoe in the first quarter, then a 1-yard run by Steven Jackson in the second quarter. After halftime, a 22-yard Matt Prater field goal and a 59-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Golden Tate narrowed the score to 21–10 by the end of the third quarter. Detroit got the ball on the Atlanta 8-yard line early in the fourth quarter after a Cassius Vaughn interception and return, settling for a 20-yard Prater field goal. A 5-yard touchdown reception by Theo Riddick made the score 21–19, but the Lions failed to convert a two-point attempt. The Falcons had the ball in Lions territory with under two minutes to play, but a holding penalty and a dropped pass both stopped the clock, forcing Atlanta to punt. With no time outs remaining and 1:38 on the clock, Detroit drove from its own 6-yard line to the Atlanta 25 with four seconds remaining in the game. Prater missed a 43-yard field goal attempt, but the whistle had blown before the snap because of a Detroit delay-of-game penalty. Prater then nailed a 48-yarder as time expired for the win.

Calvin Johnson, still recovering from an ankle injury, missed a third straight game for the Lions, who also played without Reggie Bush and their top three tight ends (Eric Ebron, Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria). Matthew Stafford's two touchdown passes gave him a team-record 120 in his career, breaking the tie he held with Bobby Layne at 118. The Falcons blew a halftime lead of 21 points or more for the first time in team history. The Lions entered their bye week atop the NFC North with a 6–2 record.

Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 10: Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Dolphins0310316
Lions10001020

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Week 10 featured the top-ranked defenses (by yardage against) in each conference, as the Lions hosted the Dolphins. Detroit got off to a quick start. Matt Prater kicked a 26-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game. Later in the first quarter, Calvin Johnson, playing in his first game since Week 5, caught a 49-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford for a 10–0 lead. Miami managed a 23-yard Caleb Sturgis field goal before halftime, making the score 10–3. The Dolphins took the lead in the third, starting with a 50-yard Stugis field goal. Next, Earl Mitchell blocked Prater's 42-yard field goal attempt and Dion Jordan returned the ball to the Lions' 3-yard line. On the next play, Ryan Tannehill connected with Mike Wallace for the touchdown, putting Miami ahead, 13–10. Prater made good on a 50-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to knot the score at 13–13, but Sturgis' 20-yarder put Miami back on top by 3. As in the previous two games, the Lions had to rally on their final drive to win the game. Starting at their own 26 with 3:13 left in the game, the drive culminated with Stafford's 11-yard touchdown pass to Theo Riddick, putting the Lions ahead for good, 20–16.

This was the third straight game in which the Lions trailed at the two-minute warning, then went ahead on their final drive. It was the second time in a month that Miami had lost a game in the final seconds, following a Week 7 loss to Green Bay in which the final touchdown was scored with 3 seconds remaining. According to STATS Inc., this is the first time Detroit has started a season 7–2 since 1993.

Week 11: at Arizona Cardinals

Week 11: Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions33006
Cardinals1400014

at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

  • Date: November 16
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/2:25 p.m. MST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 62,487
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

In week 11, the 7–2, NFC North-leading Lions flew to Phoenix to face the NFC West's first place team, the 8–1 Arizona Cardinals. In the first quarter, the Cardinals picked up two touchdowns to open the game. Michael Floyd caught a pair of touchdown passes from Drew Stanton, from 42 yards and 12 yards out, giving them an early lead they never relinquished. Detroit's Matt Prater hit a pair of field goals, first a 50-yard kick in the first quarter then a 28-yarder late in the second quarter, to cut the lead to 14–6 at halftime. Neither team scored in the second half. The Lions, plagued by several penalties on both sides of the ball, saw their four-game winning streak snapped.

Week 12: at New England Patriots

Week 12: Detroit Lions at New England Patriots – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions33039
Patriots7173734

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game information

In week 12, the Lions flew east for another battle of division leaders, this time with the AFC East's 8–2 New England Patriots. The Lions failed to score a touchdown for the second consecutive week and fell to second place after a blowout loss. The Lions scored first when Matt Prater hit a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Patriots then took the lead which they kept for the rest of the game when Tim Wright caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady near the end of the first quarter. The Lions responded with a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Patriots then scored two touchdowns on a 3-yard run from LeGarrette Blount, then an 8-yard catch by Tim Wright. New England's Stephen Gostkowski then kicked a 35-yard field goal to make the score 24–6 at halftime. The only score of the third quarter was a Patriots 35-yard field goal. In the final quarter, the Lions scored their third field goal, this one from 49 yards out. The Patriots capped their large victory with a 1-yard touchdown run from LeGarrette Blount.

Week 13: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 13: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Bears1403017
Lions32101034

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

After a short week, the Lions hosted their division rivals the Chicago Bears for their 75th annual Thanksgiving Day Game. Detroit spotted Chicago a 14–3 first quarter lead, as Jay Cutler hit Alshon Jeffery with touchdown passes of 10 and 6 yards, wrapped around a Matt Prater 46-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Calvin Johnson ended his team's nine-quarter touchdown drought by catching a 25-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford. Before the half ended, Joique Bell scored on a 1-yard run and Stafford again hooked up with Johnson, this time on a 6-yard TD, putting Detroit up 24–14. Robbie Gould closed the gap to seven points with a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter. Detroit scored the game's final 10 points in the fourth quarter. Joique Bell capped a 95-yard drive with his second 1-yard TD run and Matt Prater hit a 40-yard field goal, making the final score 34–17. The Lions tallied a season-high 474 yards of offense on the day.

Week 14: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Buccaneers0100717
Lions71010734

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

After a long break, the Lions hosted the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit started the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown catch by Calvin Johnson from Matthew Stafford in the first quarter, giving them a lead they kept for the rest of the game. The Buccaneers responded with a 54-yard field goal by Patrick Murray in the second quarter. The Lions added to their lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Joique Bell, then a 46-yard field goal by Matt Prater. Tampa Bay ended the second quarter with a 5-yard touchdown catch by Mike Evans from Josh McCown, making the score 17–10 at halftime. The Lions added 10 more points to their lead in the third quarter with a 23-yard field goal from Matt Prater, then a 10-yard Joseph Fauria touchdown catch from Matthew Stafford. In the final quarter, Tampa Bay scored their only points of the second half, with a 26-yard touchdown catch by Mike Evans from Josh McCown. The Lions then capped their victory with a 5-yard touchdown catch by Joique Bell off a deflected Matthew Stafford pass. The win gave Detroit a 9–4 record, the first time for the franchise since 1991, keeping them in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. This game was Jim Caldwell's first against the Buccaneers, the team he was the quarterbacks coach for in 2001.

Week 15: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Week 15: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Vikings770014
Lions0103316

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: December 14
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 62,490
  • Referee: Pete Morelli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

In week 15, the Lions hosted a rematch with their division rival Minnesota Vikings. Detroit got off to a slow start, as Minnesota scored two touchdowns to take a 14–0 lead by early in the second quarter. Matt Asiata scored first on a 2-yard TD run and Greg Jennings followed on Minnesota's next possession, catching an 8-yard TD pass from Teddy Bridgewater. Meanwhile, the Lions offense was held without a first down on its first four possessions. The defense helped the Lions narrow the gap by halftime. Glover Quin picked off a Bridgewater pass and returned it to the Vikings 11-yard line. Two plays later, Matthew Stafford hit Golden Tate with a 7-yard TD pass. On Minnesota's next possession, Bridgewater was intercepted again, this time by Darius Slay. That led to a 29-yard Matt Prater field goal, cutting Minnesota's lead to 14–10 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Lions inched closer on a 30-yard Prater field goal, making the score 14–13. It appeared the Vikings would extend their lead when Blair Walsh lined up for a 26-yard field goal try, but Jason Jones partially blocked the kick and it sailed wide. The Lions went ahead on their next possession when Prater made good on a 33-yard field goal. The final score remained 16–14 Lions, as Minnesota failed to score on its final two possessions. The win gave the Lions a 10–4 record for the first time since 1991 (and only the third time in franchise history, the other being 1970), their fourth consecutive division win (keeping them undefeated in the NFC North), and put them back in first place since Green Bay lost to Buffalo earlier in the day.

Week 16: at Chicago Bears

Week 16: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions7031020
Bears077014

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: December 21
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 36 °F (2 °C)
  • Game attendance: 61,420
  • Referee: Gene Steratore
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

In Week 16, the Lions traveled west for a re-match with their division rival the Chicago Bears. The Lions entered the game having already clinched a playoff spot, thanks to the Washington Redskins' win over the Philadelphia Eagles the previous day. Each team scored a touchdown in the first half. First Detroit's Reggie Bush ran one in from 13 yards out in the first quarter, then Chicago's Matt Forte caught an 11-yard pass from Jimmy Clausen late in the second quarter to tie it up at halftime. The Lions took the lead in the third quarter with a 39-yard field goal by Matt Prater, but the Bears went ahead with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Clausen to Alshon Jeffery. In the final quarter, Detroit scored 10 unanswered points for the victory: first a 17-yard touchdown run by Joique Bell, then a 30-yard field goal from Matt Prater. The win was the fifth of the season in which the Lions trailed entering the fourth quarter. It made the Lions 11–4 for the first time since 1991 and kept them undefeated against divisional opponents.

Week 17: at Green Bay Packers

Week 17: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions077620
Packers777930

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: December 28
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, light snow, 27 °F (−3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 78,408
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

To end the regular season, the Lions visited their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, in a game that determined the NFC North's winner. The Packers took an early lead with a 55-yard punt return touchdown run by Micah Hyde in the opening quarter, and added more points in the second quarter, when Randall Cobb caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers. The Lions then scored their only points of the first half when Calvin Johnson caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to make the score 14–7 at halftime. After the break Johnson and Stafford hooked up again with a 4-yard pass to tie the score. Green Bay responded with a 13-yard touchdown catch from Rodgers to Cobb. In the final quarter, the Packers added to their lead when Rodgers ran in a touchdown from 1 yard out. Matthew Stafford was later flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, giving the Packers a safety. The Lions scored the game's final points when Theo Riddick caught a 6-yard pass from Stafford; they attempted a two-point conversion but failed. With the loss, the Lions finished the season 11–5, good for second place in the NFC North and a wildcard spot in the playoffs.

Standings

Division

NFC North
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(2) Green Bay Packers 1240.7505–19–3486348W2
(6) Detroit Lions 1150.6885–19–3321282L1
Minnesota Vikings 790.4381–56–6325343W1
Chicago Bears 5110.3131–54–8319442L5

Conference

NFC [57]
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division leaders
1 [a] Seattle Seahawks West1240.7505–110–2.525.513W6
2 [a] Green Bay Packers North1240.7505–19–3.482.440W2
3 [a] Dallas Cowboys East1240.7504–28–4.445.422W4
4 Carolina Panthers South781.4694–26–6.490.357W4
Wild Cards
5 [b] Arizona Cardinals West1150.6883–38–4.523.477L2
6 [b] Detroit Lions North1150.6885–19–3.471.392L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Philadelphia Eagles East1060.6254–26–6.490.416W1
8 San Francisco 49ers West880.5002–47–5.527.508W1
9 [c] New Orleans Saints South790.4383–36–6.486.415W1
10 [c] Minnesota Vikings North790.4381–56–6.475.308W1
11 [d] New York Giants East6100.3752–44–8.512.323L1
12 [d] Atlanta Falcons South6100.3755–16–6.482.380L1
13 [d] St. Louis Rams West6100.3752–44–8.531.427L3
14 Chicago Bears North5110.3131–54–8.529.338L5
15 Washington Redskins East4120.2502–42–10.496.422L1
16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers South2140.1250–61–11.486.469L6
Tiebreakers [e]
  1. 1 2 3 Seattle, Green Bay and Dallas were ranked in seeds 1–3 based on conference record.
  2. 1 2 Arizona defeated Detroit head-to-head (Week 11, 14–6).
  3. 1 2 New Orleans defeated Minnesota head-to-head (Week 3, 20–9).
  4. 1 2 3 The NY Giants defeated both Atlanta and St. Louis head-to-head (Atlanta: Week 5, 30–20; St. Louis: Week 16, 37–27), while Atlanta finished ahead of St. Louis based on conference record.
  5. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

Schedule

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueRecap
Wild CardJanuary 4, 2015at Dallas Cowboys (3)L 20–240–1 AT&T Stadium Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Game: at Dallas Cowboys

NFC Wild Card Game: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions1433020
Cowboys0771024

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Hoping to win their first playoff game since the 1991 season, the Lions visited the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit took an early lead in the first quarter with a pair of touchdowns, first on a 51-yard reception by Golden Tate, then an 18-yard run by Reggie Bush. Dallas responded in the second quarter with a 76-yard touchdown catch by Terrance Williams. The Lions added three more points with a 39-yard Matt Prater field goal just before halftime to make the score 17–7. After the break, Detroit increased their lead with another Prater field goal, this one from 37 yards. The Cowboys responded with a 1-yard touchdown run by DeMarco Murray. In the final quarter, Dallas cut the lead to three with a 51-yard field goal from Dan Bailey before going ahead with an 8-yard touchdown catch by Terrance Williams. This final touchdown capped a 59-yard drive that came after a controversially changed pass interference call against the Cowboys, which would have given the Lions a first down near the Dallas 30-yard line. The Cowboys took over and sealed a date with Green Bay.

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References

  1. ↑ Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford Sr. passes away NFL.com, March 9, 2014
  2. ↑ Lions to wear Ford Sr. jersey patch ESPN, July 21, 2014
  3. ↑ Jim Schwartz fired by Detroit Lions after five seasons NFL.com, December 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ Jim Caldwell to be hired by Detroit Lions as next coach NFL.com, January 14, 2014
  5. ↑ Detroit Lions hire defensive coordinator, linebackers coach; retain slew of assistants MLive.com, January 17, 2014
  6. ↑ Detroit Lions add Ron Prince as assistant head coach, tight end coach MLive.com, January 18, 2014
  7. ↑ Detroit Lions hiring Joe Lombardi, Saints QB coach, as offensive coordinator MLive.com, January 21, 2014
  8. ↑ Detroit Lions hire ex-Boise State offensive coordinator Robert Prince as receivers coach MLive.com, January 25, 2014
  9. ↑ Lions re-sign WR Kevin Ogletree prideofdetroit.com, March 12, 2014
  10. ↑ Lions agree with RB Joique Bell on a new three-year deal Archived 2014-03-14 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 12, 2014
  11. ↑ Lions agree to terms with TE Pettigrew on new four-year deal Archived 2014-03-14 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 14, 2014
  12. ↑ O'Hara: Lions agree to one-year deal with DT Andre Fluellen Archived 2014-03-22 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 21, 2014
  13. ↑ Twentyman: Lions agree to terms on a one-year deal with veteran cornerback Rashean Mathis Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 14, 2014
  14. ↑ Detroit Lions sign ex-Cowboys defensive tackle Corvey Irvin MLive.com, March 3, 2014
  15. ↑ Golden Tate, Detroit Lions strike five-year contract NFL.com, March 12, 2014
  16. ↑ Free Agent Notebook: Lions sign Tapp; meet with Ihedigbo; sign Martin Archived 2014-03-14 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 13, 2014
  17. ↑ Lions agree to terms with FB Jed Collins Archived 2014-03-20 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 19, 2014
  18. ↑ Safety James Ihedigbo to join Lions on two-year deal Archived 2014-03-28 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 25, 2014
  19. ↑ Twentyman: Lions find their backup quarterback in Dan Orlovsky Archived 2014-04-04 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 2, 2014
  20. ↑ Lions add tackle depth to roster Archived 2014-04-06 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 5, 2014
  21. ↑ Lions sign veteran cornerback Archived 2014-04-09 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 7, 2014
  22. ↑ Lions claim Kourtnei Brown off waivers Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 11, 2014
  23. ↑ Lions sign a pair of defensive backs Archived 2014-04-25 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 21, 2014
  24. ↑ The Daily Dish: Lions sign DE George Johnson after workout Archived 2014-05-02 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 22, 2014
  25. ↑ Lions sign Naaman Roosevelt, Sherman Carter prideofdetroit.com, April 25, 2014
  26. ↑ Lions add depth at tight end by signing Jordan Thompson Archived 2014-04-30 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, April 28, 2014
  27. ↑ Twentyman: Lions sign 11 undrafted rookie free agents Archived 2014-05-15 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, May 12, 2014
  28. ↑ Lions sign draft picks Nevin Lawson, TJ Jones prideofdetroit.com, May 16, 2014
  29. 1 2 Lions sign Greg Hickman, release Corvey Irvin prideofdetroit.com, May 19, 2014
  30. ↑ Lions sign draft pick Travis Swanson prideofdetroit.com, May 22, 2014
  31. 1 2 Twentyman: Lions adjust 90-man roster Archived 2014-06-03 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, June 2, 2014
  32. ↑ Twentyman: Lions sign second-round pick Kyle Van Noy Archived 2017-04-06 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, June 4, 2014
  33. ↑ Twentyman: Lions sign first-round pick Eric Ebron Archived 2014-06-16 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, June 13, 2014
  34. ↑ The Daily Dish: Lions sign Southfield RB George Winn Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, July 16, 2014
  35. ↑ Detroit Lions sign offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds, former Atlanta Falcon MLive.com, July 17, 2014
  36. ↑ Detroit Lions add punting depth, sign Drew Butler MLive.com, July 25, 2014
  37. ↑ Detroit Lions add DE Kris Redding, waive injured WR Cody Wilson MLive.com, July 31, 2014
  38. ↑ Detroit Lions sign veteran CB Drayton Florence before practice MLive.com, August 7, 2014
  39. ↑ Ex-Detroit Lions receiver Nate Burleson agrees to deal with Browns MLive.com, April 6, 2014
  40. ↑ Lions release Nate Burleson, Louis Delmas to clear cap room cbssports.com, February 13, 2014
  41. ↑ Lions release Leroy Harris Archived 2014-03-07 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, March 3, 2014
  42. ↑ Willie Young agrees to three-year deal with Bears prideofdetroit.com, March 13, 2014
  43. ↑ Detroit Lions lose both of their left-side DEs to the Bears MLive.com, March 18, 2014
  44. ↑ "Dolphins Sign Jason Fox". Miami Dolphins. April 2, 2014. Archived from the original on April 5, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  45. ↑ Lions sign 11 undrafted free agents, release eight players prideofdetroit.com, May 12, 2014
  46. ↑ Birkett, Dave (May 30, 2014). "Detroit Lions waive DE Kourtnei Brown". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  47. ↑ Twentyman: Lions terminate Chris Houston's contract Archived 2014-06-16 at the Wayback Machine detroitlions.com, June 13, 2014
  48. ↑ Lions release OG D.J. Morrell prideofdetroit.com, July 16, 2014
  49. ↑ Lions release OT J.B. Shugarts prideofdetroit.com, July 17, 2014
  50. ↑ Lions claim Reese Wiggins off waivers, release Naaman Roosevelt prideofdetroit.com, July 18, 2014
  51. ↑ Lions sign Drew Butler, release Gabe Lynn prideofdetroit.com, July 25, 2014
  52. ↑ Lions waive Kalonji Kashama with injured designation prideofdetroit.com, July 25, 2014
  53. ↑ Lions sign Kris Redding, waive Cody Wilson prideofdetroit.com, July 31, 2014
  54. ↑ LaCanfora, Jason (October 30, 2012). "Lions acquire WR Mike Thomas from Jaguars". CBS Sports . Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  55. ↑ Detroit Lions swap fifth-round picks with Dallas Cowboys, pick up seventh-rounder MLive.com, May 10, 2014
  56. ↑ "London game to have earlier start" . Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  57. ↑ "2014 Conference Standings". NFL.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
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