Lions out gained the Bolts 305-93 in the 1st half.

Stafford's 1st half numbers: 21-26-260 yards-3 TD-146.8 rating.

Remember when this was Matthew Stafford?

I think Stafford has matured in the last few games....

Chargers will start the 2nd half with the ball at their own 20.

2nd and short, Rivers throws the deep ball, Houston with tight coverage...incomplete.

3rd and 2...Creighton converts, 1st down at the 40. Crap.

Bolts face 3rd and 7...Lions rush 5, force Rivers to roll right and throw the ball away! Lions get the ball back...time to step on the Chargers' throats.

UGH. Stafford is sacked at the 7 on an unblocked blitz. Loss of 10. That was ugly.

3rd and 12...screen to Morris...makes a couple of nice moves...but is a yard short of the sticks. Lions will punt for the 1st time today.

Bolts start at their own 42. 

The News' Chris McCoskey on Twitter:

Kevin Smith is sitting on the bench. Helmet behind him. Morris has been RB last few series. No report of injury

Not cool. Hopefully he's not hurt.

Tim Twentyman is reporting Cliff Avril may be banged up as well.

Rivers to Jackson at the Lions' 39. BAH. 

Gates with a great one handed catch...THAT WAS A HOLD!  And there's the flag! Holding on the Chargers, as the Lions' DE was tackled on the pass rush!

But the Bolts get it back on a juggling catch by Brown inside the 20. Wright nearly had the knock down.

Wright stumbles on coverage, leaves Floyd open in the end zone for the easy Chargers TD. 

24-7 Lions. Time to counter with points...

NOOOOO....Chargers recover the onside kick...GOD DAMMIT. Lions were caught completely off guard.

This Lions team never makes it easy.

The Lions' D has to step up.

3rd and 3 from the Lions' 40...Rivers finds McMichael for the 1st down.

Tolbert on the outside hand off....wants to throw it back...Lions have it covered, Bolts take a 2 yard loss.

3rd and 12 from the 33...BLITZ! But Floyd is open in a middle seam, brought down inside the 5. 

Tolbert loses 2, 3rd and goal at the 5. Chargers take a TO with 5:02 left in the quarter.

Rivers to throw....Houston breaks up the pass! Great play!

Bolts will take the chip shot FG over going for it on 4thand goal, making it 24-10 Lions.

Could have been worse. Though the Lions have to be kicking themselves for being caught flat footed by the Chargers on the onside kick.

Lions cannot take their foot off the gas. Points are needed.

That's more like it! Burleson takes a swing pass, breaks a tackle, is out to the 37!

Stafford is over 300 yards on the game, tying Mitchell for most career 300 yard games with 8.

YEAH! MEAGATRON! Stafford finds him down the middle at the Bolts 41! He's over 100 yards on ther afternoon!

Lions offense has the hop back in their step...

Stafford to Burleson, who jukes his way inside the 30.

Smith makes an appearance after a long absence, gains 3 off tackle. Clock running, 1:50 left in the 3rd quarter.

Lions face 3rd and 7...Touch pass to Pettigrew at the 20, tackled at the 15! Pettigrew has 9 catches, for 80 yards adn a TD, having one of his best games of the season.

1:09 left, clock stopped for a Charger having a cramp.

Replays show that it sure looks like Diggs was faking the "injury."

Stafford says to the Bolts, "Fake away, jackholes." Completes a pass to Scheffler at the 7.

Smith hand off...cuts inside....

TOUCHDOWN LIONS!

Hanson's PAT is good, Lions take a 31-10 lead with 0:16 left in the 3rd quarter!

The Bolts complete a pass to the 43...ending the 3rd.

Lions are 15 minutes away from the playoffs, holding a 31-10 lead!

FYI, Stafford is 10-13, 116 yards, 1 TD.

Gates with another 1st down catch near midfield. He's been damn near unstoppable so far.

2nd and 9....Rivers throws the ball to the invisible man. The pattern run was 20 yards short of the throw.

Swing pass on 3rd and 9 only gets 5...another punt on the way!

Logan holds on to this punt...WHEW.

Dammit, I still have butterflies. WHY?

I'll be like this all afternoon...

Stafford comes out firing, 12 yard pass to Scheffler starts the Lions' 3rd drive.

The Lions' tried and true end around to Burleson is good for another 1st down.

Nice looking play! Stafford fakes a hand off to to Brurleson, then throws a screen to Smith in the middle of the field...he is just short of the marker.

Stafford sneaks for the 1st...again, where has this play been?

Scheffler is WIDE OPEN at the Bolts 25! Stafford is throwing BB's!

UGH. The Bolts DE is left unblocked by Cherlius...SACK. 9 yard loss. That did not look good.

Stafford in the gun...moves up in the pocket....BURLESON at the 10! He's inside the 5....BALL....but he's ruled down.

Stafford throwing again on 1st and goal...SMITH AT THE GOAL LINE!

TOUCHDOWN LIONS!

Stafford is at 200 yards on the day, and broke Mitchell's single season yardage record on the TD pass. He's pretty damn good, huh?

I bet Stafford could throw a ball over a mountain...just like Uncle Rico.

PAT is good, 17-0 Lions! Lions have out gained the Bolts, 231-62.

Bolts 3rd and 7 at their own 35....CROWD IS LOUD! Lions blitz, Rivers has to unload early...incomplete! Bolts will be forced to punt...again.

Lions will start from their 25 with 4:53 left in the half.

Stafford to Pettigrew moves the chains, Lions 1st down at the 40! Then 8 more on a pass to Pettigrew. Stafford looks uber-confident with the ball, knowing exactly where he wants to throw it.

3rd and 1, 2:40 left...Stafford in the gun....holds it....holds it....holds it...looks at his watch....takes a sip of water...throws...PETTIGREW AT THE 35! Stafford had a ridiculous amount of time to throw!

It's the...

Morris takes an inside hand off...big hole, gets 9. 1:30 left...

Pass to Pettigrew...tries to hurdle the DB...but does get the 1st down! 

Clock running, 0:30 left.

Stafford in the gun...MEGATRON....cake.

TOUCHDOWN LIONS!

Lions are up 24-0 with 0:31 lleft in the half!

FYI, Stafford is unconscious...in the good way. He's 21-26, 260 yards, 3 TDs.

Chargers run a screen, get 8, call a TO. 0:19 left.

Complete pass at the 35, clock stops, 0:14 left.

Rivers throws a ball up for grabs, Harris with the NEAR pick. 0:07 left.

Creighton with the drop, 0:03 left. Lions take their final TO of the half to set up their D.

Bolts wave the white flag, it's Tolbert between the tackles to a couple of yards, ending what's been an AWESOME half of Detroit Lions football! 

Lions lead 24-0, and are 2 quarters away from the playoffs.

This pic is quite fitting after a dominating half of football...

ARRGH. Cardinals are in the red zone, only down 7 to the Bengals at 23-17, with 2 minutes left. They were on life support, down 23-0, at the start of the 4th. The Lions need to win, so all my angst goes to waste.

WHOA. On 4th and 5, the Cardinals receiver was WIDE OPEN in the end zone, looked like a sure TD...and he fell down. The Bengals will win, and one of the Lions' WC competitors bites the dust thanks to a turf monster.

I=Took me a moment to remember AFC team on the road means the Lions are on CBS. Well, at least I don't have to see Cleatus the robot today. 

CBS shows Dominic Raiola being an ass, getting in a pregame scuffle...

Was this really necessary?

1st and 10 from the 25, and Stafford throws DEEP! Megatron runs under the pass at the Bolts 27! YES!

Throw it to Calvin, early and often!

After Stafford escapes a big Bolts rush to avoid a major loss, only losing a yard, the Lions take a TO. 

3rd and 1 from the 8...and Stafford wedges his big body thru the line on a sneak...1st down! Why haven't we seen this all season long?

3rd and goal from the 7...Stafford finds Pettigrew...who holds on!

TOUCHDOWN LIONS!

7-0 Lions with 10:52 left in the 1st.

Stafford was 4-of-5 for 73 yards and a TD. Couldn't ask for a better start...

Lions D is fired up. Stuff a screen, stop Matthews for a short yardage. Bolts face 3rd and 7, Ford Field is LOUD.

But the Bolts quiet the crowd with a 20 yard throw to Gates for the 1st down. BAH.

Bolts with their 2nd 3rd down conversion attempt, 3rd and 1 from the 47. Chargers can't hear shit...confusion reigns on the field. Refs say they stopped the clock, no penalty.

3rd down pass to Gates is wide and high, Spivey gets a hand on it. Lions force a punt. But Logan muffs the punt at the 5...and falls on the ball. Dammit.

FLAG as well. Holding on the non-return. Christ almighty...Lions will start in the shadow of their goal line.

This was the exact look on my face after that play...

Smith takes the handoff...down...BALL! Thank the football Gods Smith was down by contact. Otherwise it would have been a Chargers TD. 

The Lions running game is one in name only.

But Stafford to Burleson bails out the Lions, getting 6 yards on 3rd and 6.

3rd and 5...Stafford to Young! 1st down! Stafford is threading a needle today.

The ground game remains God awful. Smith gets hit at the line for no gain.

Screw that, Stafford throws an absolute rifle shot to Megatron at the 47. BEAUTIFUL!

The pass sets up the run, as Smith gains 21 on a draw! By far the looking run of the day for the Lions. Smith was taken down by a shoestring, could have been much more.

ARRRGH. Lions have to burn their 2nd TO with 1:31 left in the 1st. 

FLAG. Bolts fake a blitz...Pettigrew moves. GODDAMMIT.

Lion face 3rd and 11...Stafford under HUGE pressure...ducks...rolls left...it's a jump ball in the end zone...ARRRRGH. Johnson had the ball jarred out of his hands! 

Missed 6 by that damn much...

Hanson drills the 50 yard FG, the 50th of 50+ of his career, Lions up 10-0 with 0:33 left in the 1st. w00t!

The quarter ends with the Lions 3 quarters away from a playoff spot, leading the Chargers 10-0! 

The topic du jour is playoff scenarios. Tim Twentyman at DetroitLions.com has them covered:

Win against the Chargers today and the Lions will punch their playoff ticket for the first time since 1999.

But if they lose, don’t lose hope.

In that case, the Lions can still can lock up a postseason bid this weekend in one of three ways:

1.) With losses by the Bears, Cardinals, Seahawks and Cowboys
2.) With losses by the Bears, Cardinals, Seahawks and Giants
3.) With losses by the Bears, Cardinals and Seahawks, and a win by the Falcons over the Saints

The Bears play the Packers on Christmas, so these scenarios won’t be settled until tomorrow.

At of 3:30PM EDT, the Cards are down 3 scores to the Bengals and the Giants are up 10 on the Jets. The Cowboys and Seahawks will be playing at the same time as the Lions, so prepare for some scoreboard watching. The Bears are taking on the Packers tomorrow night with Lions' QB reject Josh McCown under center. The Falcons will be playing the Saints Monday night.

At the very least, it appears one of their competitors for the wild card will be out of contention by the time the Lions kickoff today. (And just as I typed the previous sentence, the Cards score a TD, and only down 2 scores...they still have a slight pulse)

But I'd rather not worry about watching scoreboards, what other teams do and "scenarios." Just win and everything else is moot.

Today's inactives have been announced:

Lions:
CB Aaron Berry
RB Aaron Brown
CB Don Carey
OG Leonard Davis
S Louis Delmas
DT Andre Fluellen
QB Drew Stanton.

Chargers:
OLB Everette Brown
DE Jacques Cesaire
OLB Travis LaLaBoy
OG Tony Moll
LB Nate Triplett
WR Bryan Walters
CB Shareece Wright

I doubt the Lions will have a completely healthy secondary the rest of the season. Not encouraging to think about with the Lions facing the prolific Phillip Rivers today and Aaron Rodgers next. The pass rush must step up, more so than we've seen the past few weeks.

Seems the Lions are feeling fiesty.

@FreepLions:

Lions sideline reporter Tony Ortiz says Mike Tolbert and Louis Delmas were jawing it up as the Lions took the field for pre-game warmups

@SideLionReport:

Raiola said pregame scuffle with Falcons was dumb. Now he's tangling with a Charger.

I'm hoping against hope the Lions keep their emotions under control and don't do too many stupid things. To say they won't do anything stupid is, well...you'd be wearing Honolulu Blue Silver glasses. I'm a fan...but a realistic one.

What are the odds Matthew Stafford breaks Scott Mitchell's season passing yarding record of 4,338 yards? As Stafford only needs 193, they are damn good. If there is one sure thing of happening this afternoon, Stafford setting the record just may be it. He has only one game of less than 193 passing yards this season, with 183 yards against the Falcons in the week 7 loss.

It's a bit ridiculous to feel nervous for this game...but I am. The thought of the Lions having to win their way into the playoffs by beating the Packers at Lambeau...I don't even want to think about it.

Let's end the drama TODAY with a win.

It's December 21st, 2011. There's still 2 weeks left in the NFL's regular season. Fans of teams in the playoff hunt shouldn't even be thinking about the 2012 NFL DRAFT. Hell, no fan should be worrying about something so utterly fluid, mercurial and over 4 months in the future.

But we live in an era with a 24/7/365 news cycle. The demand for content never, ever ceases. So I wasn't surprised to see this ESPN Insider article today:

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. ESPN is already posting mock drafts. This is eons before the college player All-Star games, the combine, school pro days or even before anyone knows exactly who will be an early entry. It's all pure, unadulterated speculation.

I only had one response...

As you already know, I think all mock drafts are patently ridiculous exercises in futility, and those done before both the NFL and college seasons have ended are a complete waste of everybody's time. I know better, but being the dedicated Lions blogger that I am, I decided to take a look at who ESPN draft guru Todd McShay had the Lions selecting.

Of course, it had to be a corner, offensive lineman or linebacker. Right?

Well, that makes sens...wait...WHAT? A running back? Seriously?

You know what's coming...

Sure, anything is possible. GM Martin Mayhew is well known for his proclivity to select the best available player, regardless of position...WITHIN REASON.

After taking Javid Best and Mikel Leshoure in the 1st and 2nd rounds of the last 2 drafts, and both should be relatively healthy going into 2012, selecting another running back in the 1st round is NOT within reason...unless you're Matt Millen, whom we all know believes taking skill position players by the dozen makes perfect sense.

Could the Lions use another running back? As the depth chart is barren after several injuries, sure. But drafting a middle-late rounds back would the sensible way to approach it, not with a day one pick. It's the equivalent of using a chain saw for surgery when a scalpel would be more appropriate. The Lions need to add depth, not more highly paid skill position players.

For giggles, I took a look back at some of the early draft speculation I bitched about back in January of this year.

1/13/11:

For example, I've already heard the drum beat for the Lions to take LSU CB Patrick Petersen and Alabama RB Mark Ingram, to name only two.

1/20/11:

Detroit Free Press: ESPN's Mel Kiper projects Lions to draft UCLA LB Akeem Ayers

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. unveiled his first NFL mock draft of the year today, projecting the Detroit Lions to pick UCLA outside linebacker Akeem Ayers at No. 13 overall.

And just how accurate was this far too early draft speculation? Petersen's stock rose, going 5th overall. Ingram dropped all the way to 28, and Ayers fell like he had an anvil attached to his pre-draft accolades, and dropped all the way to the 7th pick of the 2nd round.

So...yeah. There's the validity of early mock drafts in a nutshell.

As they say, "It's shit like this, ESPN. It's shit like this..."

Seems the ungodly amount of jack we shell out for cable TV is being put to good use. The trickle up theory is at work, with the amount of money we fans throw at the cablecos was tossed up the line, finally into the large pockets of the NFL. Paid forward, if you will. 

Thanks to the recently agreed upon new NFL TV deal, the game will stay on the old-school over the air networks thru 2022.

The NFL is going to be paid $4.9 Billion a season by CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC for the rights to broadcast games. That alone would make the NFL the 161st wealthiest country (between the rollicking economies of Liechtenstein and Sierra Leone) in the world if you go by Gross National Product. That's not including the money received from DirecTv, radio, merchandising, ticket sales and any other cash-filled pie the NFL has stuck their fat, greedy fingers. The NFL is on their way to becoming the Borg of professional sports, assimilating cash instead of Captain Picard.

FOX gets "TV everywhere" rights, meaning they can charge extra on top of your cable bill for the ability to watch NFC games on FOXSports.com, mobile devices and whatever tech ultimately rears its expensive head in the next few years. Actually, FOX doesn't have to charge....who am I kidding? Have a tablet and want to watch sports? Prepare to be bent over!

For close to 15 years, it's been pretty simple to find the game you wanted to watch. NFC = FOX, AFC = CBS. Prepare for more flex scheduling, with some NFC games possibly switching to CBS and vice versa, AFC to FOX. What will happen? Confusion. 

Hell, I had a hard enough time when FOX picked up the NFC package back in the day, after decades of CBS with the NFL then NFC and NBC carrying the AFL/AFC. The first season of the NFC network flip, I would instinctively change the channel to CBS at 1PM...then smack myself in the forehead at 1:01 when I remembered Lions games were now on FOX. You know, the crazy little network with The Simpsons and robots. Funny, as much as I hated the FOX robots back in the day, I don't even give Cleatus a second thought...and worse, I know the robot's name is Cleatus.

I don't have the energy to get worked up over the Foxbot anymore...

Fans who had planned on a mid-autumn afternoon watching football may find themselves spending a long evening instead, as NBC will have the ability to flex games into their nighttime slot earlier in the season. Great for us at home...not so much for those who bought tickets for what they thought was a 1 or 4 PM game

The NFL Network, ESPN, CBS and FOX all have a Sunday NFL pregame show. All are obnoxious. So do we really need more retired players and coaches yelling at us every Sunday? Thanks to the new deal, NBC can say, "HELLS YES! We get a pregame show too!" At least it'll be on a network no one watches, Versus...to be called NBC Sports Network as of January 2012...so it'll be easy to avoid. Small favors... 

With ESPN a big partner in the TV deal, the long-in-tooth Chris Berman will remain on our screens every weekend of the football season, crushing all  our souls in the process. No matter what, Berman is always there on Sundays. He's an untouchable at ESPN. Hell, when the apocalypse comes, all that will be left to inherit the earth are cockroaches and Chris Berman.

Boy, will the cockroaches be pissed.

I've been on the Matthew Stafford bandwagon since he was drafted in 2009. But the "Stafford is a franchise QB" bandwagon was never close to being at capacity for his first 2 seasons, for several reasons.

1. Stafford missing much of 2009 and almost all of 2010 due to shoulder and knee injuries, aka the China Doll Syndrome.

2. Matt Millen's wide receiver fetish formed a large contingent of fans who railed at the Lions for drafting ANY and ALL skill position players, regardless of need or talent, aka they've been Millenized.

3. Those who believe all any team needs is a game manager QB who keeps mistakes to a minimum, aka Trent Dilfer Syndrome.

4. Fans who have been conditioned to think any player acquisition the Lions make is the wrong one, aka they've been Lionized.

5. Losing, aka losing.

It never stops. If you heard any sports talk radio or checked out places like Mlive's Lions forum, you'll still find Stafford haters out there, lurking in the shadows.

Be that as it may, the Lions believed they had their QB of the present and future in Stafford. 2011 has proven their belief to be correct. Why?  Because the numbers never lie.

Via the irreplaceable Pro-Football-Reference.com, here's the top 10 NFL QB's in 2011 by QB rating:

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

Next, top 5 By TD passes:

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

Top 5 in total yards passing:

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

Top 10 in completion percentage:

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

One number really stands out to me. Look at the ages of the QB's listed above. Stafford is the youngest player on every spreadsheet...and it's not even close. The next youngest being the Falcons' Matt Ryan at 26 and the Niners' Alex Smith at 27. Almost every other QB is in what is said to be their prime years, late 20's to early 30's. (2 outliers: 36 year old Matt Hasselbeck sneaks in at 10th in completion percentage, and 34 year old Tom Brady is...well, he's TOM F'N BRADY)

For a kid who is only 23 with one full season as a starter, the numbers are damned impressive. The only QB to have such a good season so early in a career before Stafford is Dan Marino, who in 1984 was the youngest QB to have posted a 4000 yard-30 TD season. At age 23, Marino put up an insane 5084-48, neither of which he ever topped in his Hall of Fame career.

To put Stafford in a historical context, I went with this interesting stat, career 4th quarter comebacks and game winning drives led by QB. Just how are they determined?

4QC: Must be an offensive scoring drive in the 4th quarter, with the team trailing by one score, though not necessarily a drive to take the lead. Only games ending in a win or tie are included.

GWD: Must be an offensive scoring drive in the 4th quarter or OT that put the winning team ahead for the last time.

The player to whom all other Lions' QB's are compared is Hall of Famer Bobby Layne. Playing for one of the NFL's elite franchises (Yes, the Lions were once a team others aspired to emulate), Layne was under center from 1950 until he was traded 2 games into the 1958 season. His M.O., the biggest part of his legend, was the late game comeback win.

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

If my public school math is correct, Layne has 12 comebacks (11 W/1 T) in his 8 full seasons as Lions QB.

Here's Stafford in comparison:

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/20/2011.

Stafford already has 6 comeback victories in 3 seasons, playing for a team only 3 years removed from 0-16. Not too shabby.

Other numbers of note:

• Stafford is the first quarterback in the NFL Super Bowl era to have 2 games with five touchdown passes in his first 23 starts.
• Stafford has already broken the Lions record of most 4+ TD games with 5.
• Stafford became the first NFL QB since at least 1950 to win 3 games in a season after trailing by at least 17 points.
• With Stafford under center, the Lions have set an NFL record of 4 comeback wins after being down 13 or more points.

If Stafford doesn't make the 2012 Pro Bowl, it will be a travesty of NFL justice.

After doing the research, let alone passing the eyeball test, I have come to one conclusion.

Anyone who thinks the Lions need anther QB needs to have their head examined. As long as he stays healthy (2011 is proof he can do so) Matthew Stafford is a franchise QB.

With the Lions now at 9-5 on the season with 2 games left to play, the one question fans are asking is, "How do the Lions clinch a wild card?"

These are the only wild cards I've been dealt over the past decade...

The scenarios follow...

ESPN's NFL Nation blog:

Green Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans are headed to the playoffs. Atlanta and Detroit already have nine victories apiece, so if each goes 1-1 or better to finish the season, Arizona and Seattle are out.

Atlanta plays at New Orleans and home against Tampa Bay. It's likely the Falcons will win one of those. Detroit plays at home against San Diego and on the road against Green Bay in a game the Packers might not need to win, particularly now that an unbeaten season is out of the question.

Lots of scenarios come into play if Seattle or Arizona finish 9-7 and get some help. Tie games are another possibility to consider.

ESPN's NFC North blog:

The Chicago Bears have NOT been eliminated from the playoffs but would need a series of improbable scenarios to occur to make it.

The Detroit Lions have NOT clinched a playoff spot but are in awfully good shape to make their first appearance since 1999.

After playing with the ESPN.com Playoff Machine, it's clear there are scenarios where the Bears would beat the Lions in a tiebreaker if both teams finish 9-7. That would mean the Bears winning Sunday night at Lambeau Field, among many other things, but it remains mathematically possible.

So this is what needs to happen in weeks 16 and 17 (I think):

Lions win out, finish 2-0 at 11-5: Clinch wild card in week 16.

Lions split, finish 1-1 at 10-6: Clinch wild card in the week they get the win, be it 16 or 17.

Lions choke, finish 0-2 (God forbid) at 9-7: Need one loss each from the Bears, Cardinals and Seahawks in weeks 16 or 17, and the Lions can back in, regardless.

But to simplify things, if the Lions win at home against the Chargers next Sunday, nothing else matters. The Lions will be one of the NFC wild cards.

FYI:  Stafford is over 4K passing yards on the season.

Via Tim Twentyman on Twitter:

Stafford over 4,000 yards on season. He's 2nd youngest to have 4,000 and 30 touchdowns in same season. The youngest was Dan Marino in 1984.

I often forget Stafford is only 23. He's going to get better...and he's pretty damn good already.

Lions start the 4th by converting on 3rd down...but they'll have to do it again.

3rd and 9 from the 21. Stafford's pass is incomplete...and nearly picked. Lions D will have to step up once again. They cannot afford to fall 2 scores down.

Raiders complete a pair of passes, are near midfield. Getting nervous.

FLAG. Avil lined up offsides. I like Avril...but that's fucking dumb. 

Raiders driving, at the Lions' 40. FOX reports Houston is out with a knee. Once again, the football Gods piss injuries all over the defense.

3rd and 8...Corner blitz! Pass is completed, but short of the sticks, Janikowski out for a 51 yard FG attempt. Lions call a TO? WTF? 

It was too many men on the field, Captain.

Welcome to Dumbland. Population: 53 Lions.

The FG is good, Raiders up 6, 20-14. 

Logan tries to make something out of nothing on the KO, slips at the 14. Ugh.

Burleson drops a 1st down pass. ICK.

Stafford overthrows his WR on 2nd down. UGH.

3rd and 10, Stafford holds on to the ball far too long, trying to make something out of nothing...ball stripped. 

Uh...that's not good.

Curry scoops up Stafford's fumble, stumbles into the end zone. TD Raiders. 

27-14 Raiders, 7:47 left. I'm not happy.

Lions start over, down 13 instead of 6.

Young drops an on the money pass. 3rd and 10 from the 43.

Pettigrew converts the 3rd down, 7:10 left.

Johnson is tightly covered, pass broken up at the goal line.

Megatron with the catch at the 20, pulls a Raider DB to the 15. Where has this been?

PETTIGREW. GOAL LINE. DROP. FUCK. THAT'S 3.

Pettigrew at the goal line, gets a hand on the ball, can't haul it in for the TD.

3rd and 10. 4 down territory.

Pettigrew again, finally brings it in, but he's 2 yards short of the sticks.

Brennaman stupidly asks if the Lions should kick a FG. Uh...THEY'RE DOWN 13 WITH 5 MINUTES LEFT.

Billick shuts Brennaman down. "You gotta go for it!"

Raiders take a TO. Brennaman realizes his goof coming back from break.

It's do or die...What the? QB DRAW! Stafford gets the 1st down at the 3!

1st and goal, Young catches the back shoulder TD pass just over the goal line! 

Lions down 6, 27-21. 4:59 remaining.

FYI: Stafford just tied Mitchell for the franchise record of most TD passes in one season at 32. 

Bush breaks a couple of tackles, 12 yards and a 1st down. Clock is running.

NEED A GODDAMN STOP.

Lions burn their 2nd TO with 4:07 left.

BUSH. 1ST DOWN. FUCK.

TACKLE SOMEONE DAMMIT!

I'll be forwarding this on to Gunther Cunningham.

3rd and short...Palmer wants it all...

OVERTHROWN!

Did Hue Jackson outsmart himself with the long pass when they were running so well? We'll soon find out...in 2 minutes or so.

But the Lions are pinned down deep, have only 2:14 left and 99 yards to go.

Smith drops a 1st down pass. KILL. ME. NOW.

After a short completion, Lions face 3rd and 2, but it's...

Burleson with the catch at the 19, drive is alive...clock running.

Stafford is hit as he throws...YES! Megatron gets both feet down at the 39!

Fuck, booth review.

Whew, the call stands.

Stafford in the gun...has time....MEGATRON IS BEHIND THE SECONDARY...CAUGHT AT THE 14!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

FUCK. Holding, Backus. Moves the Lions from the 14 to the 24. ARRRRGH.

Stafford wants Megatron in the end zone...FLAG. CALL IT! They do...pass interference, RAIDERS.

Ball at the 6, 0:48 left. 1st down pass to Megatron...incomplete.

0:43...2nd and goal, Stafford throws off his back foot...

TOUCHDOWN MEGATRON!!!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! flsdkuitsernv fdgsrdifajr98we573984tvhdf!!!ONE!!!!

I'm channeling my inner Jack Buck: I don't believe what I just saw.

Lions up 1, 27-26, 0:39 left. END THIS GAME.

Excellent coverage, Raiders will start at the 15, 0:35 remaining.

Palmer to Boss at the 28, Raiders TO. 0:27 on the clock. Uh...I can't watch, yet I must.

Palmer to Boss at the 50, and out of bounds. 0:21 left. URGH, I don't feel so good.

Palmer looks...and looks...and looks....AVRIL! SACK! 0:13 left, Raiders burn their last TO. I have no idea how Palmer held onto the ball after Avril dropped an axe handle on his arm.

Incomplete pass...dropped. 0:08 left.

3rd and 13.0:04 left. Hail Mary? NO.

Janikowski is going to try a FG from 65 yards out. He's got the leg to do it. Oh, fuck me....fuck me...fuck me...I'm old enough to remember Tom Dempsey.

Snap...hold...kick...

BLOCKED! SUUUUUUUH!

THE LIONS WIN!

 THE LIONS WIN!

OH MY FUCKING GOD, THE LIONS WIN!

I think this says it all...

I watched Tom Dempsy's 63 yard kick beat the Lions as a wee lad of 8, then I sat and cried. So Dempsey's kick was in the back of my mind the entire time. I was suffering PTSD waiting for Janikowski's FG attempt. I think I had a heart attack, conniption fit and panic attack...all at the same time...on the Raiders' final play.

This is the best I've felt after a Lions win since....I don't know...the 1991 playoff win over the Cowboys? Games like this have been few and far between as a Lions fan!

Beat the Chargers at home next week, and the now 9-5 Lions are in the playoffs. They could also get in with losses by Chicago, Arizona , and Seattle.

I think I need to rest now....

The QB battle is even, almost like the 17-14 score.

Palmer: 17-21-202-1 TD-122.6 rating

Stafford: 15-25-212-2 TD-114.1 rating

But the difference is the Raiders have out gained the Lions 70-13 on the ground. Kevin Smith is playing for the Lions, but it's obvious he's not close to 100%.

Megatron: 4-98-1 TD. It's his best game in...Hell, it's been a while since Johnson has been more than a decoy.

HUGE block leads to a huge KO return for the Raiders....but it's coming back. Why?

BOOM! HEADSHOT!

Head shot on the block = personal foul.

Raiders shrug off the flag, and convert 3 straight of 1st downs. Lions' corners are giving 10 yard cushions, Raiders taking it.

FLAG. Offsides. That's six.

Harris is officially out of the remainder of the game for the Lions. It never ends.

Raiders at midfield, facing 3rd and 3...and convert. NO! Raiders flagged for the pick play, interference called. No, Nate Burleson has not changed teams.

3rd and 13 instead of 1st and 10. Raiders get 10 on a short pass, and will punt.

Lions find themselves at the 18, 3rd and 4. Young catches a short pass for 4...loses it on a move...and gets it back. The kid is going to raise every one's blood pressure with moves like that.

Smith gets 15 between the tackles, the Lions' best run of the day. 

FLAG! But it's on the Raiders, in the neutral zone. Lions moving the ball, slowly it may be.

FLAG! Holding, Raiders. Of course, Brennaman had thought it was a great defensive play.

3rd and 4 at the Raiders 48. Stafford misfires, thanks to a big rush, missed an open Megatron.

Earlier in the game Brennaman claimed Graham's punts don't bounce, but short kick hits at the 30, and bounds all the way to the 7. That showed him, huh?