Final
Lions QB Stafford wins pro debut against Falcons
Aug 16, 2009 - 12:51 AM By LARRY LAGE AP Sports WriterDETROIT(AP) -- Matthew Stafford took his first snap as a pro and perfectly executed a play-action pass.
The problem: Keary Colbert dropped the ball.
Welcome to the Detroit Lions, kid.
Stafford threw a touchdown, an interception and had some passes dropped in his pro debut that Detroit rallied to win 27-26 over the Atlanta Falcons on Jason Hanson's 47-yard field goal as time expired.
"They're going to drop some balls just like I'm going to miss some," he said. "I was excited. I felt like I had a good day."
Stafford, the No. 1 pick of the NFL's first 0-16 team, completed half of his 14 passes for 114 yards.
He was pressured into making a poor pass, which was intercepted and returned by Tony Gilbert for a score. He responded by leading an 80-yard drive that ended with him looking left, throwing right and taking a hit on a 25-yard TD pass to fellow rookie Derrick Williams.
Detroit coach Jim Schwartz was impressed with how Stafford bounced back quickly after making a mistake.
Schwartz plans to start Stafford in the second exhibition game, but told reporters not to read into anything regarding the QB competition.
"They don't put preseason games on your tombstone or your resume," Schwartz said.
Detroit's Daunte Culpepper was 5-of-6 for 41 yards and moved around enough to show he's healthy after a knee injury stunted his career.
"I feel like I've finally gotten back to the player I want to be," he said.
The Falcons, meanwhile, just hope Matt Ryan and Michael Turner perform as they did last year for them and 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez and veteran linebacker Mike Peterson prove to be valuable additions.
In limited chances, each looked good.
Ryan was 5-of-7 for 33 yards. Turner ran for a 40-yard TD. Gonzalez caught a pass to convert a third down on the opening drive. Peterson had a team-high three tackles in the first quarter.
"We just didn't get the outcome that we wanted," coach Mike Smith said. "But I think there were some good things, some bad things and some ugly things."
The Lions scratched 16 players, including six projected starters and two of the team's top three picks, from the lineup with injuries. Schwartz said about half of those players would've played if it was the regular season.
Culpepper and Stafford didn't have any of their top three receivers, including Calvin Johnson, and were without first-round tight end Brandon Pettigrew.
That created opportunities and Colbert failed to take advantage, dropping three of Stafford's passes.
"I feel like I could have made every one of those plays," Colbert said. "That would have made his day look better from the outside, but he had a good day anyway."
Ryan is clearly the man under center for Atlanta after being drafted No. 3 overall, starting every game last season, becoming Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading the team to the playoffs.
"We were a little bit rusty," he said. "But that's what the preseason is for."
Turner, who also had a lot to do with Atlanta's surprising season, had 63 yards rushing on six carries and ran into a hole and through a couple defenders on a long TD that put Atlanta ahead 7-3.
"It always feels good to get back into the groove of things," he said.
Detroit took an early lead on Hanson's field goal. Sixth-round pick Aaron Brown gave the Lions a chance to go ahead again with a 32-yard run for a score in the third period and a 45-yard TD reception with 2:05 left, when he was flagged for celebrating with a flip.
"I don't have the size," the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Brown said. "But I make up for it with speed."
The Lions got the ball back with no timeouts at their 27 with 1:36 remainder and third-string quarterback Drew Stanton ran for 18 yards to set up Hanson's winning kick.
"I got goosebumps when Jason hit that," Schwartz said after his first game as a head coach at any level.
Notes: Falcons CB Chris Houston (hamstring), DE Kroy Biermann (foot) and Lions LB Cody Spencer (knee) were injured during the game. ... Detroit is wearing "93" and "RS" decals on the back of its helmets this season, honoring former DT Corey Smith and director of security Ricky Sandoval, both of whom died earlier this year. Smith died in a boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico. and Sandoval passed away after a three-plus year battle with cancer.
- ** CONFIRMED **
NFL
ATLANTA 26
DETROIT 27 FINAL
Aug 15 7:53 PM - NFL
FG DET
JASON HANSON 47 YD
ATLANTA 26
DETROIT 27 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Falcons 26, Lions 27 End of Reg.Aug 15 7:11 PM - NFL
TD DET
AARON BROWN 45 YD PASS FROM DREW STANTON
(JASON HANSON KICK)
ATLANTA 26
DETROIT 24 2:05 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Falcons 26, Lions 24 4th - 2:05Aug 15 6:56 PM - NFL
FG ATL
JASON ELAM 41 YD
ATLANTA 26
DETROIT 17 2:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Falcons 26, Lions 17 4th - 2:55Aug 15 6:50 PM - NFL
ATLANTA 23
DETROIT 17 15:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
DET BALL ON ATL 48 YD LINE
2ND AND 8
Falcons 23, Lions 17 4th - 15:00Aug 15 6:28 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ATLANTA 7 3 13 23
DETROIT 3 0 14 17 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DET - FG, JASON HANSON 26 YD, 9:27. Drive: 11
plays, 45 yards in 6:01. DETROIT 3-0
ATL - TD, MICHAEL TURNER 40 YD RUN (JASON ELAM
KICK), 13:10. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards in 3:43.
ATLANTA
Falcons 10, Lions 3 End of 3rdAug 15 6:28 PM - NFL
TD DET
AARON BROWN 32 YD RUN
(JASON HANSON KICK)
ATLANTA 23
DETROIT 17 3:14 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Falcons 23, Lions 17 3rd - 3:14Aug 15 6:17 PM - NFL
TD ATL
JASON SNELLING 1 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
ATLANTA 23
DETROIT 10 7:24 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Falcons 23, Lions 10 3rd - 7:24Aug 15 6:01 PM - NFL
TD DET
DERRICK WILLIAMS 25 YD PASS FROM MATTHEW STAFFORD
(JASON HANSON KICK)
ATLANTA 16
DETROIT 10 8:44 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Falcons 16, Lions 10 3rd - 8:44Aug 15 5:52 PM - NFL
ATLANTA 16
DETROIT 3 13:26 LEFT, 3RD QTR
DET BALL ON DET 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Falcons 16, Lions 3 3rd - 13:26Aug 15 5:45 PM - NFL
ATLANTA 10
DETROIT 3 14:52 LEFT, 3RD QTR
DET BALL ON DET 35 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Falcons 10, Lions 3 3rd - 14:52Aug 15 5:40 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ATLANTA 7 3 10
DETROIT 3 0 3 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DET - FG, JASON HANSON 26 YD, 9:27. Drive: 11
plays, 45 yards in 6:01. DETROIT 3-0
ATL - TD, MICHAEL TURNER 40 YD RUN (JASON ELAM
KICK), 13:10. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards in 3:43.
ATLANTA 7-3
Falcons 7, Lions 3 HalfAug 15 5:40 PM - NFL
FG ATL
JASON ELAM 46 YD
ATLANTA 10
DETROIT 3 6:38 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Falcons 10, Lions 3 2nd - 6:38Aug 15 5:02 PM - NFL
ATLANTA 7
DETROIT 3 15:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
DET BALL ON DET 45 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Falcons 7, Lions 3 2nd - 15:00Aug 15 4:41 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ATLANTA 7 7
DETROIT 3 3 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: DET - FG, JASON HANSON 26 YD, 9:27. Drive: 11
plays, 45 yards in 6:01. DETROIT 3-0
ATL - TD, MICHAEL TURNER 40 YD RUN (JASON ELAM
KICK), 13:10. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards in 3:43.
ATLANTA
Falcons 0, Lions 0 End of 1stAug 15 4:41 PM - NFL
TD ATL
MICHAEL TURNER 40 YD RUN
(JASON ELAM KICK)
ATLANTA 7
DETROIT 3 1:50 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Falcons 7, Lions 3 1st - 1:50Aug 15 4:32 PM - NFL
FG DET
JASON HANSON 26 YD
ATLANTA 0
DETROIT 3 5:33 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Falcons 0, Lions 3 1st - 5:33Aug 15 4:22 PM
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