Nov

6

NFL Week 9 Detroit Lions vs Denver Broncos - Recap

Posted by Kevin Mack

November 6, 2007 |

  • NFL Week 9 Detroit Lions vs Denver Broncos - Recap

Photos in article Source: Detroit News

In a very surprising outcome the Detroit Lions routed the Denver Broncos 44-7 in Ford Field on Sunday. The game was never close as the Lions dominated every phase of the game from beginning until end. Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger said last week that Detroit played its most impressive all around game in beating Chicago. The win on Sunday against the Broncos replaces the Bear win as the most impressive all around performance. Balance on offense with 31 passes and 29 runs for 382 total yards and 30 total offensive points. Thundering hits, see the LB Alex Lewis hit on WR Glenn Martinez, on defense. Detroit with 5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries with one returned for a TD and the 66 yard interception return for a TD by Shaun Rogers. Special Teams with 3 Field Goals by K Jason Hanson and P Nick Harris with a 48 yard punting average with 2 inside the 20. All in all a most impressive performance. According to Coach Rod Marinelli the Lions play was deserving of a day off for all the players as he gave them off until Wednesday. Detroit is now 6-2 and still 1 game behind the Green Bay Packers for the lead in the NFC North. First half of the NFL season is done and the quality of NFL opponents for the Lions in the 2nd half of the season seem to be much more difficult. Next up for the Honolulu Blue and Silver is a trip to Glendale, Arizona to take on the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.   Coach Marinelli has already started his mantra that the Broncos are in the past and all focus is now on Arizona.

Denver started the game on offense first and got nothing going and suffered a 3 and out. This possession included the 1st of 2 sacks that QB Jay Cutler suffered during his brief time on the field. Detroit’s initial time with the ball was mostly RB Kevin Jones running the ball right at the Bronco defense. Jones started the game with 4 straight runs for 30 yards. Later in the drive with Jones out for a break RB T.J. Duckett had a 19 yard run to get the Lions deep into Bronco territory. Detroit was not able to get a TD and settled for a K Jason Hanson 43 yard Field Goal for a 3-0 Lions lead. Detroit inexplicably tried an onside kick that failed miserably and allowed the Broncos to start in Lion territory this time. Denver managed one 1st down before the drive stalled and K Jason Elam attempted a 48 yard Field Goal that he missed. Now the Lions start another drive that ends in another Hanson Field Goal this one from 53 yards. Lions lead 6-0 a minute into the 2nd Quarter. Denver’s day goes from bad to worse just 2 plays into their next possession. QB Jay Cutler is sacked by DT Shaun Rogers and has to leave the game and does not return. Cutler is replaced by backup QB Patrick Ramsey, who completes a long pass on 3rd and 16 to get Denver a 1st down. The Broncos gain no more yards and punt the ball back to the Lions. Detroit starts its drive with Kevin Jones running the ball well, but the Lions have a 3rd and long and QB Jon Kitna gets sacked, but the Broncos took him down by his facemask and the Lions get a 1st down. Just three plays later Kitna hits WR Mike Furrey for a 15 yard TD and the Lions are up 13-0. Denver manages one 1st down before the Calvin Johnson against DenverLions defense holds and the Broncos punt the ball back to Detroit. Kitna led a two-minute drive with passes to WRs Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson and Shaun McDonald. When the drive stalled Hanson came on and was good on a 38 Field Goal to extend the lead to 16-0 and that is how the first half ended. Detroit won the Time of Possession game in the 1st half by controlling the ball 18:44 compared to 11:16 for Denver.   

The Lions start the 2nd half with the ball and for the 1st time during the game have to punt after a 3 and out. Denver returns the favor with a 3 and out themselves. The Lions have another 3 and out and punt back to the Broncos with the ball being downed at the 8 yard line. On the 1st play QB Patrick Ramsey fumbles, when he is sacked by DE Corey Smith about the 1 yard line, DE Dewayne White picks up the ball and dives into the endzone and a 23-0 Lion lead. Denver puts together a good drive with Ramsey hitting some passes and for the 2nd time gets into Detroit territory.  The Broncos move all the way to a 1st and goal on the Lions 5 yard line. Ramsey throws 3 incompletions after a 1 yard run on 1st down and the Broncos turn the ball over on downs to the Lions at the 4 yard line. Kitna runs just 2 plays to get the Lions in the endzone, 1st he hits TE Sean Sean McDonald TD catchMcHugh who is wide open along the sideline and runs out to midfield. Next Kitna reads a Bronco blitz and hits WR Shaun McDonald on a quick crossing route. McDonald picks up a block from WR Mike Furrey and gets to the endzone and a 30-0 Lion lead.  Denver moves the ball a little with its next possession but punts back to the Lions and then Detroit after one 1st down punts back to Denver. The 3rd Quarter ends with the Lions leading 30-0. Denver moves the ball well at the beginning of the 4th quarter with Ramsey executing an almost eight minute drive down to the Lions 28. Trying to execute a play that has hurt the Lions many times this year and past years, a screen pass under heavy pressure, Ramsey throws a blind pass that DT Shaun Rogers Shaun Rogers TD Interceptionintercepts at the Lions 34. Showing surprising speed for a defensive tackle Rogers heads for the endzone and threw in a great stiff arm of the last possible defender around the 15. Rogers ends the run by diving into the endzone and giving the Lions a 37-0 lead. The endzone celebration was remarkable that the Lions did not receive a penalty as many players left the Lions bench to pile onto Rogers laying in the endzone. On the very next Bronco play, it appeared the Lions had scored another TD. Ramsey hit TE Tony Scheffler with a short pass and Scheffler fumbled when he was hit by LB Alex Lewis. Lewis dove on the ball got up and ran untouched, it seemed, into the endzone for a TD. Denver challenged the call and it turned out the Scheffler reached out and touched Lewis while he was on the ground, so the Lions did not get a TD but got the ball on the Bronco 34. RB T.J. Duckett runs 5 straight times covering all 34 yards for a TD. One of the carries, on 3rd and 1, he is hit in the backfield causing a fumble and Duckett had the ball bounce right back to him and he ran 24 yards to the Bronco 3 for a 1st and goal. After Duckett’s TD the Lions lead 44-0 and the only thing to determine is whether the Lions can shut out the Broncos. All good things must come to an end and Ramsey leads the Broncos down the field twice in the last 5 minutes. Once to a TD and has the Broncos with a 1st and goal on the 5 when Denver fumbles again and the Lions recover. Final Score Detroit 44 - Denver 7.

Complete NFL Game Statistical Summary can be seen here.
National Football League Game Summary Source: NFL

Stats for Detroit vs Denver NFL Week 9

Passing Attempts Completions-Yds-Int TDs Rating/Sacks
Jon Kitna - Detroit 31 16 - 252 - 0 2 100.5 - 1
Patrick Ramsey - Den 46 29 - 262 - 1 1 76.5 - 3
Jay Cutler - Den 4 3 - 20 - 0 0 85.4 - 2
Receiving Catches Yards TDs Yards/Catch
Shaun McDonald - Det 5 78 1 15.6
Calvin Johnson - Det 3 47 15.7
Roy Williams - Detroit 3 44 14.7
Mike Furrey - Detroit 3 32 1 10.7
Sean McHugh - Detroit 1 46   46.0
Brandon Marshall - Den 9 96 10.7
Tony Scheffler - Den 6 46 7.7
Bandon Stokely - Den 4 32 8.0
Time of Possession 3rd Down Efficiency
Detroit 28:28 Detroit 5-10 50%
Denver 31:31 Denver 2-6 33%
Rushing Carries Yards TDs Avg Per Carry
Kevin Jones - Det 17 71   4.2
T.J. Duckett - Det 5 48 1 9.6
Travis Henry - Den 9 31 3.4

Cast your vote in this weeks Poll.

Which Team will Win the Game on Sunday November 11, 2007

  • Detroit Lions (85%, 46 Votes)
  • Arizona Cardinals (15%, 8 Votes)

Total Voters: 54

Loading ... Loading …


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. admin on November 6, 2007 10:27 am

    Great recap man!

  2. Michael Keating on November 6, 2007 1:29 pm

    admin, thanks for the comment. Hopefully the Lions can keep up the fine play this week in Arizona. Check back tomorrow when I post the weekly NFL Power Rankings. The Lions are moving on up.

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

<< Post Navigation >>

« « Detroit Lions 6-2 after Rout of Denver Broncos 44-7 | Detroit Lions Week 10 NFL Power Rankings » »



-->