The Detroit Lions led the Tennessee Titans, 35–14, at halftime of an eventual 52–14 win in Week 8. With such a big lead, NFL MVP candidate Jared Goff must have been having a great game, right?
Amazingly, no! Goff had 28 yards passing, completing 6 of 8 throws, though he had two touchdowns. However, the Lions quarterback had been sacked three times for a loss of 22 yards. That gave Detroit 9 net yards passing at the half.
Goff increased his yardage total slightly in the third quarter, finishing with 85 yards and three touchdowns on 12-for-15 passing. He was taken out of the game early in the fourth with the Lions’ big lead and an apparent ankle injury suffered in the first quarter that had him limping on the field.
Running back David Montgomery contributed to Detroit’s 61 yards passing for the day, finding tight end Sam LaPorta on a trick play for the Lions’ fifth score of the first half.
Detroit was helped by two interceptions from Titans QB Mason Rudolph, turning both of those turnovers into touchdowns. The Lions ran the ball well, with Jahmyr Gibbs gaining 99 yards on six carries in the first half. Gibbs scored on a 70-yard TD run late in the first quarter for a 14–7 lead and finished with 127 yards on 11 rushes.
Lions were 89th team to score 35+ points in 1st half since 1991 (playoffs included). Their 133 yards of offense and 9 net passing yards were fewest of all of those teams. Pvs low was Chiefs (140 yards, 34 net yds passing) vs Rams 12/8/2002
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) October 27, 2024
Since 1991, 89 NFL teams have scored 35 or more points in the first half of a game. The Lions’ 9 net passing yards and 133 yards of total offense are the fewest among those teams, according to the Associated Press. Previously, the Kansas City Chiefs had the lowest first-half totals with 34 net passing yards and 140 total yards against the then-St. Louis Rams on Dec. 8, 2002.
The Lions’ 52 points was the fourth time in franchise history that the team has scored 50+ and the first time since Nov, 27, 1997 versus the Chicago Bears, according to Detroit’s PR department.
