Lions Get One For the Road

The Detroit Lions beat the Buccaneers 23 to 20 and for the first time in over three years the Lions have won a game on the road. For the first time in three years Detroit has won two games in a row. And they have done it with their third string quarterback.

Drew Stanton was on the mark toady in Tampa Bay as he completed 62% of his passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. In the last minutes of the game, he drove the Lions 58 yards to set up the game tying field goal as time ran out. Then in overtime, he completed his only two attempts as the Lions drove 63 more yards to finally kick the game winning field goal.

As good as Stanton was today, the more impressive thing was that it was the second week in a row that he put together a good drive with the game on the line to pull out a victory. Yet it was not Drew Stanton who was the true hero in today's victory over the Buccaneers. The biggest hero was Maurice Morris.

Morris was practically unstoppable today as he racked up 109 yards on only 15 carries. He also had a touchdown.

In 2009, Morris got a chance to play more when Kevin Smith went down with an injury and he took advantage of it. He was outstanding in all but one game as a starter last year. Yet it was not good enough. When Smith came back from his injury this year, he took over the back-up role behind Jahvid Best and Morris was pushed back to the third string. With Best struggling through two turf toes and Smith once again injured, Morris got the opportunity again this season. He has answered again with the Lions two best running games of the season.

Calvin Johnson was great again as well as he caught ten passes for 152 yards. In overtime he had a leaping grab at the sideline that he caught stretched out and came down with both feet in bounds as he fell out of bounds. It was good to see a quarterback use Johnson's height to his advantage.

Hats off to Drew Stanton and Maurice Morris, for they have moved from the third string nobodies to the starters and have led the Lions to their first two game win streak and first road game in over three years.