The Detroit Lions were hoping that a long drive to start their Sunday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs was going to end with a touchdown – and it nearly did. The Lions got the ball down to the Chiefs’ 1-yard line after running back Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped from scoring on third down. The team decided to try for a touchdown on 4th-and-goal.
With quarterback Jared Goff under center and running back David Montgomery behind him, Goff executed a trick play by breaking out to the left as Montgomery received the snap. The veteran running back threw the ball to Goff, who bobbled it before regaining control and got into the end zone for what was thought to be a touchdown. However, the officials talked it over and threw a penalty flag for illegal motion. Goff, according to Sunday Night Football rules analyst Terry McAulay, needed to pause for a second before he started to move in motion. The score was taken off the board.
Detroit opted for a field goal and went up 3-0. It was a 15-play, 61-yard drive to start the game. The Lions came into the game with a 4-1 record and have been the highest-scoring team in the NFL this season. After putting up 13 points in a Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Detroit has scored at least 34 points in each of their last four games.
It didn’t seem as though the Lions were willing to pull their foot off the gas pedal against the Chiefs. The incident underscores the importance of precise execution in NFL plays, where even a minor infraction can drastically change the outcome of a game. The Lions’ decision to go for the touchdown despite the risk of a penalty highlights their aggressive approach to scoring, which has made them a formidable force in the league this season.