Lions Lead Patriots 21-3 Through Three Quarters in Munich
The Detroit Lions held a 21-3 lead over the New England Patriots in the third quarter on Sunday, in a game played in Munich, Germany. The Guardian's live blog covered the game as it unfolded, and it is the final international game of the NFL season.
Detroit came in at 6-2. New England, at 5-4, was looking to stay near the top of a tight race. The Patriots' start went poorly from the opening snap. On their first possession, Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson sacked quarterback Drake Maye on third down at the Lions' 15-yard line. A sack is a tackle of the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, and it stalled the drive. Andy Borregales then kicked a 33-yard field goal, which is worth three points, to put New England on the board.
The bigger problem for the Patriots was their quarterback. Maye injured his right ankle and did not return. Tommy DeVito took over, and he struggled in the first half, completing 4 of 19 passes for 16 yards with an interception, which is a pass caught by the defense.
Detroit's offense did most of its damage on the ground and through the air to its receivers. Jahmyr Gibbs piled up 171 yards of total offense in the first half, counting runs and catches. His touchdown run was one of Detroit's scores, and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Isaac TeSlaa each caught a touchdown pass. Jared Goff, the Lions' quarterback, threw two interceptions in the first half, but Detroit's rushing and receiving kept it in front.
Hutchinson's day also ended early for Detroit. He grabbed his right knee while celebrating and went to the locker room for evaluation. Mike Vrabel was the Patriots' head coach for the game.
For fans who want the rest of the week, the NFL's Week 10 schedule had a full card. The Kansas City Chiefs faced the Atlanta Falcons, the Houston Texans played the Cleveland Browns, and the Minnesota Vikings hosted the Green Bay Packers. The Miami Dolphins played the Indianapolis Colts, the Buffalo Bills met the New York Jets, and the Los Angeles Rams faced the Arizona Cardinals. The San Francisco 49ers were scheduled to play the Dallas Cowboys, and the Seattle Seahawks were set to face the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals were the Sunday night game, and the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens were set for Monday night. The Washington Commanders and New York Giants had already played on Thursday night.
Some teams sat the week out. The Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos, both 7-2, had byes, as did the Philadelphia Eagles (2-7) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6). A bye is a week with no game, a chance to rest and prepare.
What the Lions' lead means for the final standings is still open, and the Patriots still have time to answer. The Munich result and the status of Maye's ankle will shape how both teams look as the season heads into its final stretch.
