Start and flop for Detroit
Short-handed Lions dig deep hole by giving up two early TDs
DENVER — The bad Lions started in a bad way, and the Broncos rolled to a 38-10 victory on Sunday.
Notorious slow starters, the Broncos scored touchdowns on their first two drives. Rookie Javonte Williams scored on a five-yard run in which he carried safeties Dean Marlowe and Jalen Elliott across the goal line, and Melvin Gordon scored on a one-yard run after a threeand-out by Detroit (1-11-1).
The first quarter ended with the Broncos (7-6) holding a 14-0 lead, an 11-0 advantage in first downs and a yardage disparity of 135 to minus-1.
Their fortunes also flipped when the teams switched sides, however, and Lions quarterback Jared Goff (24-for-39, 215 yards, one touchdown, one interception) quickly drove the Lions downfield and hit Kalif Raymond for a seven-year touchdown.
The Lions pulled to 14-10 on Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal, but the Broncos went into the locker room up 17-10 on Brandon McManus’ 52-yarder as the first half expired.
The Lions, coming off their first win but hit hard by COVID-19 last week — they had seven players on the virus list Sunday — coughed up the football on the second snap of the third quarter when Shelby Harris punched the ball from Godwin Igwebuike’s grasp and linebacker Jonathon Cooper recovered at the Detroit 30.
Five plays later, Williams caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Teddy Bridgewater, stretching the Broncos’ lead to 24-10.
Dre’Mont Jones had a dominant series on Detroit’s next drive, dropping Goff for a nineyard loss on his second sack, stuffing Igwebuike for a three-yard loss and batting down Goff ’s pass on fourth-and-two.
“That was probably the greatest series of my of my career, like middle school included,” Jones said. “That was sweet for me.”
The Broncos took over at the Lions’ 33 and Gordon ran it in from 14 yards out. Albert Okwuegbunam’s four-yard touchdown catch capped an 88-yard drive in the fourth quarter.
Denver’s defense also had a goal-line stand with safety Kareem Jackson breaking up Goff ’s pass to tight end Shane Zylstra on fourth-andgoal from the 4.
With running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder) still sidelined for the Lions, Craig Reynolds was among a slew of players called up from their practice squad and he ran for 83 yards on 11 carries.
The Lions host the Cardinals on Dec. 19. Detroit has the league’s worst record, and Arizona (10-2) has the NFL’s best mark entering its Monday night game against the Rams. “I believe we can play with anybody,” Goff said.