Running Back David Montgomery celebrates in end zone after game winning touchdown in overtime, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, Ford Field, Detroit. Photo courtesy Detroit Lions.

The Detroit Lions opened the season by beating the Los Angeles Rams in an overtime thriller this past Sunday at Ford Feld.

David Montgomery's touchdown in overtime lifted the lions to 26-20 over Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

In a packed stadium with some of the league's loudest fans, the Lions won with a balanced offense, chucking up yards on the ground and going to the air for vital plays just as they did in the NFC wild-card game.

“Early in the season, a lot of games come down to who makes the fewest mistakes,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We made one less than they did.”

The Lions lost a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter, but Lions rookie kicker Jake Bates tied the game with a 32-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation.

The Lions won the overtime coin toss and took advantage of getting the ball first, gaining at least 9 yards on their first four plays to set up Montgomery’s winning score.

The Rams were in a position to spoil Detroit's season-opening party when Stafford threw a go-ahead 9-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The Rams ultimately came up short on both sides of the ball late in regulation to hold on to the win.

“I'm really proud of this group,” Rams coach Sean Mcvay said. “We had a lot of guys go down and a lot of people stepped up. We just came up short.”

The Lions had a 17-3 lead in the third quarter after Jared Goff threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams. “We had that double move worked out all week and he smoked them on it,” Goff said.

The Lions lead, though, started to slip away when Stafford and the Rams picked them apart in the second half, including an interception early in the fourth quarter.

John Johnson intercepted Goff’s pass over the middle at the Rams 20, taking away Detroit’s chance to kick a field goal and restore its seven-point lead. Stafford took advantage, leading a 10-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with the scoring pass to Kupp. Stafford, however, could not complete enough passes late in the fourth to keep the ball and seal the win, leading to a punt that gave Goff another shot from his 31 with 2:11 to go.

Stafford said, “I had a chance to win it, every game there's play’s you want back.”

Stafford completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception, lobbing a ball in the middle of the end zone where Kerby Joseph was waiting early in the second quarter. He took some hits, particularly on his right ankle, and popped up each time and made more plays.

“Give Matt Stafford a lot of credit he played lights out despite taking all those hits," Campbell said.

Goff was 18 of 28 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Williams tied a career high with five catches and set a personal best with 121 yards receiving.

“I’m proud of him,” Campbell said. “He still has a lot of room for growth. That wasn’t his best ball, but he made some plays.”

Montgomery had 17 carries for 91 yards and Jahmyr Gibbs ran 11 times for 40 yards - with both scoring a TD.

Next Sunday, the Lions host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for week two and are favored to win.