Rapper Eminem, a Detroit native, said last week that Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford owed him a favor for performing in the Super Bowl LVI halftime show at SoFi Stadium, where Stafford starred in the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I rapped for you Stafford,” Eminem said in a video clip the NFL released on social media. “Bro, I rapped for you! Can you just let us have this one? Just this one?”
On Sunday night at frenzied Ford Field, Stafford lost himself in the moment. He dropped bombs — a 50-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua and a 38-yard scoring pass to Tutu Atwell.
However, it was not enough to overcome Jared Goff, who earned revenge against the team that three years ago jettisoned him to Detroit in a trade for Stafford.
Goff played error free and ended the Rams’ season by leading the Lions to a 24-23 victory in an NFC wild-card game in front of 66,637 fans starved for a postseason victory.
It ended the way it was scripted, with one of this city’s favored sons leading his team to a historic victory.
Unfortunately for the Rams, it was Goff, not Stafford.
The loss abruptly ended the run of a Rams team that rebounded from last season’s historically bad Super Bowl hangover and exceeded expectations by making a run to the playoffs for the fifth time in coach Sean McVay’s seven seasons.
“The finale of it is, it still doesn’t totally resonate,” McVay said, “But man, did I learn a lot and really appreciate this group. They helped me find my way again and how much I love this.”
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
McVay did not enjoy seeing his team fail to score touchdowns in three trips inside the 20-yard line. He was not thrilled by a first-half defensive effort that enabled the Lions to convert all three of their red-zone opportunities.
And, despite his compliments toward Goff, it had to sting losing to a player who has been reborn as a prince of the Motor City.
Goff, the top pick by the Rams in the 2016 NFL draft, had said this week that he and McVay were “good” despite McVay’s clumsy handling of the trade.
Goff had to relish winning the Lions’ first home playoff game in 30 years with a victory over the team that cast him aside — but would not say so publicly.
“It was not about them,” said Goff, who completed 22 of 27 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. “It was not about me, it was not about my history there, it wasn’t about anyone on their team or any coaches, it was about us.”
McVay said Goff was efficient and showed great command.
“There’s a lot made of it, but I’m really happy for him,” McVay said. “Obviously, we wanted to come away with the win but he does a great job, and I think the grit and the resilience and the way he’s done his thing here over the last three years, I’m happy for Jared.”
Stafford also played error free, completing 25 of 36 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns. Nacua was the beneficiary of much of that passing. He made nine catches for an NFL playoff rookie record 181 yards, topping DK Metcalf’s mark of 160 set in 2020 with Seattle.
Despite Stafford playing with an injured right hand, and after sustaining a third-quarter hit that sent him to the on-field medical tent, he pulled the Rams to within a point midway through the fourth quarter.
The Rams came up short, however, in the first playoff matchup involving the teams in more than seven decades.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) contragulates Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16).
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
When Goff came out for warmups, the crowd went crazy and chanted, “Jar-ed Go-ff” over and over. According to Detroit reporters, that was the first time that chant was heard.
Stafford might be still beloved in Detroit, where he played his first 12 NFL seasons, but he acknowledged leading up to the game that he was “the bad guy” in his return.
And the crowd did not disappoint. They booed when he ran onto the field. They booed when his image was shown on video screens for the coin flip.
Still, Stafford never wavered — not after his right hand, which he injured earlier this season, again hit a defender’s helmet on a 19-yard completion to receiver Demarcus Robinson on a third-and-15 play in the second quarter; not after he was sent to the medical tent in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton tries to tackle Rams running back Kyren Williams during the second half Sunday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Rams trailed 21-17 at halftime after Goff led three scoring drives, including one that he finished with a fourth-down touchdown pass to tight end Sam LaPorta.
The Lions extended the lead with a field goal, and the Rams answered with another to again pull to within four. The Rams’ drive proved costly, however, with Stafford going to the tent after he was hit by Aidan Hutchinson on a third-down pass.
Stafford returned and directed a drive that stalled at the Lions’ 11-yard line, again bringing on Brett Maher for a field goal that trimmed the lead to 24-23 with just more than 8 minutes left.
The Rams forced the Lions to go three and out, giving Stafford the ball at the Rams’ nine-yard line with 7:18 remaining. They were forced to punt, however, with just more than 4 minutes left.
Goff did not let the Rams get the ball back.
“I thought we were going to win the game — there was no doubt in my mind,” Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald said. “From the start to the end, I thought we were going to find a way to win it.
“But we didn’t.”
Stafford said he planned to return for his 16th NFL season.
What will he remember most about his Detroit homecoming?
“Honestly, probably opportunity missed,” he said. “That’s kind of the way it goes when you don’t get the result that you want. …
“Nobody gave us a chance to even be sniffing where we are right now, and gave a really good football team a run for their money. … It was a fun year, a hell of a year and something to be proud of.”