Recap: Lions falter in fourth, fall to Broncos 27-17
Nolan Bianchi
Game summary
The Lions opened with a 10-point lead on Sunday in Denver, but the Broncos closed with 14 unanswered to hand the Lions their 11th loss of the season, 27-17.
Final leaders
Passing
DET - David Blough: 12/24, 117 yds., TD
DEN - Drew Lock: 25/33, 192 yds., TD
Rushing
DET - Kerryon Johnson: 10 atts., 42 yds.
DEN - Phillip Lindsay: 19 atts., 109 yds., TD
Receiving
DET - Kenny Golladay: 6 recs., 66 yds.
DEN - DaeSean Hamilton: 6 recs.,
Lions turn ball over on downs to end comeback hopes
David Blough throws complete to Kenny Golladay for a gain of 3 on first down. Ty Johnson goes up the middle for 8 yards on second down.
Blough throws incomplete to Chris Lacy on first-and-10. His throw to Golladay down the left sideline falls beyond the target.
Two-minute warning
Blough's throw is batted at the line. He fires to Golladay on third down for a pass that would have been enough for a first down, but it's ruled incomplete. The play is not overturned by replay, to the astonishment of all of CBS's broadcast crew. Yikes. Turnover on downs.
Broncos 27, Lions 17 (1:47 4th)
Phillip Lindsay rushes for 7 yards on first down.
Timeout #2 Detroit (1:41 4th)
Lindsay is taken down for a gain of 2 on second down.
Timeout #3 Detroit (1:35 4th)
Lindsay rushes for a yard to move the chains. Game over.
FINAL: Broncos 27, Lions 17
Lions force three-and-out, get ball back with under 3 minutes left
Royce Freeman goes for 5 yards on first down and 2 yards on second down. Drew Lock's third-down pass is caught by Devontae Booker, but he goes down a yard short of the line to gain.
Timeout #2 Denver (3:06 4th)
Dee Virgin is flagged for an illegal block in the back on Denver's punt, backing them up 10 yards to the 16.
Broncos 27, Lions 17 (2:55 4th)
Blough sacked on third down to end crucial Lions drive
Detroit starts its drive at the 25, down 10, with 6:39 to go.
Denver's Von Miller is flagged for illegal use of hands on first down, which gives Detroit a first down at the 30 to start the drive.
David Blough's first-down pass is batted at the line, and he throws incomplete to Travis Fulgham on second down.
Timeout #1 Detroit (6:00 4th)
Blough is sacked for a loss of 6 on third down. The Lions will punt.
Broncos 27, Lions 17 (5:19 4th)
Lions fall behind 27-17
Denver takes over at the 39 after the penalty.
Royce Freeman catches a 2-yard pass on first down. Drew Lock throws complete to Tim Patrick for a gain of 5 on second down.
Timeout #1 Denver (9:25 4th)
Lock throws a 5-yard completion to Patrick on third-and-3.
Injury alert: Lions S Tavon Wilson was hurt on the play.
Freeman is dropped for no gain on first down. Lock rolls to his right and finds Jeff Heuerman for a 6-yard completion on second down. Lock hits Patrick for a 16-yard completion on third down.
Lindsay rushes for a 27-yard touchdown to put the Broncos up 10.
Broncos 27, Lions 17 (6:39 4th)
Lions can't reclaim lead after Broncos go up 20-17
Detroit will get it at the 25 after a touchback.
Bo Scarbrough goes up the middle for a gain of 5 on first down. David Blough throws to Kenny Golladay on an out-route for an 8-yard gain on second down.
Kerryon Johnson rushes for 1 yard on first down. Blough's second- and third-down throws to Kenny Golladay both fall incomplete.
Sam Martin's punt is returned by Diontae Spencer, which has 15 yards added to the end of it for a brutal flag on Lions linebacker Steve Longa. Longa was blocked into Sutton as he went toward the sideline, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Broncos 20, Lions 17 (10:56 4th)
Broncos take 20-17 lead against Lions early in fourth
The Broncos take over at the 25.
Royce Freeman goes up the middle for a gain of 2 on first down. Drew Lock's second-down throw is too far for Tim Patrick, falling incomplete. Courtland Sutton and Darius Slay gets tangled up on third down, resulting in a pass interference that gives the Broncos a first down at their own 40.
Phillip Lindsay goes up the middle for a gain of 5 on first down. He's tackled for a loss of 2 on second down. Lock hits DaeSean Hamilton on third down for a pickup of 6, bringing up a fourth-and-1 situation that Denver will go for. Lock hands off to the fullback Andrew Beck, who gets the ball to Lindsay on an option play that gets 6 yards and a first down at the Detroit 45.
Lock throws a 13-yard completion to Sutton on first down.
END 3RD: Lions 17, Broncos 13
Denver opens the fourth quarter throwing; Lock rolls to his right and whips it complete to Patrick for a gain of 12 yards to the Detroit 16.
Lindsay gets a block, then gets the edge, and almost gets the end zone, as Darius Slay pushes him out at the 3.
A pitch to DaeSean Hamilton is taken for a 3-yard score.
Broncos 20, Lions 17 (13:08 4th)
Lions regain lead with Golladay touchdown
The Lions will take over at their 25.
Kerryon Johnson goes up the middle for a gain of 8 on first down. Bo Scarbrough breaks free up the middle on second down for a pickup of 18, crossing into Denver territory to the 49.
Scarbrough is wrapped up for a gain of 1 on first down. Johnson is stuffed for no gain on second down. David Blough throws complete to Danny Amendola for a pickup of 12 yards on third down to move the chains.
Ty Johnson goes up the middle on first down for a gain of 6. Kerryon Johnson hits a hole and runs over a defender on his way to an 8-yard run on second down. Really good drive for the Lions' backs. It's first-and-10 at the 22.
Blough on first down gets his throw out quickly to Kenny Golladay, who brings it down for a gain of 11 to the 11. Another first down.
Kerryon Johnson on first down gets tripped up at the Denver 4, a gain of 7. He goes for 1 more yard on second down. Blough on third down throws a screen to Golladay, who pulls it in and reaches across the plane while falling to the grass. Touchdown, Lions.
Lions 17, Broncos 13 (3:51 3rd)
Broncos open second half with field goal, Lions trail 16-13
Diontae Spencer takes the second-half kickoff to the Denver 47.
Phillip Lindsay rushes for 2 yards on first down. Drew Lock throws complete on second down to DaeSean Hamilton for a gain of 16 yards to the Detroit 35.
Lindsay is tripped up after a gain of 4 on first down. Courtland Sutton breaks a few tackles and picks up 5 yards on the next play.
Injury alert: Lions DT Frank Herron was hurt on the play and is being attended to by the training staff.
Andrew Beck rushes up the middle for a gain of 2 to move the chains.
Sutton catches a pass for 6 yards on first down. Royce Freeman rushes to the Detroit 8-yard-line for a gain of 9 on second down, setting up first-and-goal.
Lock misses on a first-down throw to Lindsay, then has his pass to Sutton in the end zone smacked away by Darius Slay. Tavon Wilson gets to the pass on third down, forcing the Broncos to settle for a 26-yard field goal.
But the Broncos have the lead.
Broncos 13, Lions 10 (10:23 3rd)
Halftime leaders
Passing
DET - David Blough: 7/11, 80 yds.
DEN - Drew Lock: 12/16, 95 yds.
Rushing
DET - Kerryon Johnson: 4 atts., 17 yds.
DEN - Phillip Lindsay: 9 atts., 45 yds.
Receiving
DET - Kenny Golladay: 2 recs., 41 yds.
DEN - DaeSean Hamilton: 3 recs., 40 yds.
Broncos tie Lions at 10 before halftime
Phillip Lindsay rushes for 4 yards on first down. Jeff Heuerman catches a pass for 7 yards, then takes a forearm to the head from Jalen Reeves-Maybin. That'll give the Broncos some free yardage and a new set of downs at the Detroit 47.
Drew Lock scrambles for a gain of 3 yards on first down. Royce Freeman rushes for 4 on second down. Lock has DaeSean Hamilton wide open on third down and hits him for a 7-yard reception. It's first-and-10 at the Detroit 33.
Lindsay rushes for 2 yards on first down.
Two-minute warning
Lindsay spins his wheels repeatedly until eventually going down at the 20 for a gain of 11.
Lindsay gets 3 yards on the next play. Lock's second-down throw is caught for a yard.
Timeout #1 Denver (0:29 2nd)
Lock's throw on third down is forced away by Trey Flowers. Brannon McManus puts home a 34-yard field goal.
Lions 10, Broncos 10 (0:25 2nd)
Detroit gets it at the 25 after a touchback with two timeouts remaining. David Blough is sacked on first down.
END 2ND: Lions 10, Broncos 10
Lions go three-and-out after Broncos cut lead to 3
Detroit takes over at the 25.
David Blough's throw on first down is too far for Logan Thomas. Bo Scarbrough goes up the middle for a gain of 1 on second down. Blough's third-down throw to Travis Fulgham near the sideline misses the mark.
Lions 10, Broncos 7 (5:05 2nd)
Broncos cut deficit to 10-7 on Freeman's rushing touchdown
Sam Martin's kickoff goes for a touchback.
A 6-yard run on first down by Phillip Lindsay gets 5 yards tacked onto it for a defensive holding penalty by Jahlani Tavai.
Injury alert: Lions LB Tavai was hurt on the play and is being attended to by the training staff. Broncos OT Elijah Wilkinson was hurt on the play and is helped off the field.
Lindsay rushes for 3 yards on first down. Lindsay breaks free up the middle on second down and gets to the Detroit 47 for a pickup of 14 yards.
Darius Slay breaks up a throw to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on first down. Drew Lock's second-down throw is caught by DaeSean Hamilton for a gain of 13.
Lock goes back to Sutton on first down, this time for a 15-yard completion to the Detroit 19.
Royce Freeman rushes for 3 yards on first down.
Timeout #1 Detroit (7:15 2nd)
Tracy Walker is flagged for illegal use of hands on second down, which gives the Broncos a first down at the 11. Lock rolls out and hits Patrick at the 1-yard-line; Rashaan Melvin is able to guide Patrick out of bounds before he can cross the plane.
Freeman goes up the middle for a Broncos touchdown.
Lions 10, Broncos 7 (6:04 2nd)
Broncos go three-and-out, Agnew returns punt for Touchdown
A holding penalty backs the Broncos up to their own 10, first-and-20.
Royce Freeman rushes for 2 yards on first down. Courtland Sutton hauls in a 2-yard pass on the next play. Noah Fant's third-down reception goes for just 1 yard.
Jamal Agnew returns the punt 64 yards to the house for a Lions touchdown.
Lions 10, Broncos 0 (10:52 2nd)
Lions drive stalls near midfield
Kerryon Johnson takes a carry on first down for 4 yards and gets 2 on second down, which is supplemented by a 5-yard defensive holding penalty. It's first-and-10 at the 23.
Johnson pushes forward up the middle for 7 yards on first down.
Injury update: Lions OT Taylor Decker has returned for Detroit.
Johnson again goes up the middle on the next play, getting 4 to the 34 for another first down.
END 1ST: Lions 3, Broncos 0
David Blough hits Danny Amendola for a gain of 9 yards on first down. Bo Scarbrough is dropped for no gain on second down. Blough rolls out under pressure and misfires toward the sideline, incomplete.
Sam Martin's punt goes for a touchback.
Lions 3, Broncos 0 (13:32 2nd)
Lions defense holding Broncos scoreless through two drives
Phillip Lindsay rushes for a yard on first down. DaeSean Hamilton then gets open and hauls in a throw from Drew Lock that's good for 20 yards, giving the Broncos a first down at the Denver 44.
A holding penalty on the next play makes it first-and-20 at the 34.
Noah Fant catches a pass for 9 yards on first down. The Broncos then take another holding penalty, bringing up second-and-20. Lock hits Royce Freeman for a 7-yard gain. It's third-and-13. Lock scrambles for a 10-yard gain on third down, bringing out the punt unit.
Lions 3, Broncos 0 (1:49 1st)
Lions offense goes backward with 3-0 lead
David Blough is sacked on first down for a loss of 9.
Injury alert: Lions OT Tayler Decker was hurt on the play and is being attended to by the training staff.
Kerryon Johnson catches a pass out of the backfield, only gaining a yard before going out of bounds at the Detroit 19. It's third-and-18. A third-down pass to Logan Thomas is caught for an 8-yard gain.
Sam Martin's punt goes out of bounds at the Denver 23.
Lions 3, Broncos 0 (5:57 1st)
Lions defense forces three-and-out to start game
Here comes Drew Lock and the Denver offense, taking over at its 25.
Lock's first-down throw is forced incomplete by Devon Kennard. Phillip Lindsay rushes for 3 yards on second down. Lock throws to Devontae Booker on a wheel route, a perfect throw with Jahlani Tavai trailing in coverage, but the pass is dropped.
Colby Wadman's punt is returned 8 yards by Jamal Agnew to the Detroit 27.
Lions 3, Broncos 0 (7:55 1st)
Lions take 3-0 lead on solid opening drive
The Lions will start with the ball at their own 25.
David Blough throws complete to Jesse James on first down near the right sideline for a gain of 12. Nice pitch and catch.
Bo Scarbrough rushes up the middle for 5 yards on first down. His second-down carry goes for only a yard. Logan Thomas gets open on a short route over the middle and cuts ahead for a gain of 9, giving the Lions a first down at the Denver 48.
Blough has all day to throw on first down, but can't avoid a sack that loses 4 yards. Ty Johnson gets a block, picks up 6 yards on second down. Blough has Kenny Golladay down the field on third down, as the two connect for a 35-yard gain. It's first-and-10 at the Denver 11.
Oday Aboushi is flagged for a false start. It's first-and-15 at the Denver 16.
Scarbrough picks up 3 on first down. Golladay gets to the 7 with a 6-yard reception on second down. Von Miller gets into the backfield and forces Blough to toss it away. Matt Prater will be out to try a field goal.
Prater's 26-yard attempt is good.
Lions 3, Broncos 0 (8:59 1st)
Pregame
Just a few days after learning that general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia will be back next season, the Detroit Lions hit the field for a 4 p.m. game against the Denver Broncos. Follow the action here with live updates throughout the game by Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News.
Inactives
Lions: CB Michael Jackson, RB Wes Hills, CB Mike Ford, DT Jamie Meder, T Rick Wagner, G Caleb Benenoch and DT A'Shawn Robinson are inactive for Detroit.
Broncos: CB Shakial Taylor, DE DeMarcus Walker, G Ron Leary, T Ja'Wuan James, T Calvin Anderson, DL Deyon Sizer and DE Adam Gotsis are inactive for Denver.
LIONS AT BRONCOS
Kickoff: 4 p.m. Sunday, Empower Field, Denver
TV/radio: CBS/760 AM
Records: Lions 3-10-1, Broncos 5-9
Line: Broncos by 6
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