Thirty-four points. Four touchdowns. Zero excuses. The Lions’ 41-34 loss to the Rams wasn’t about missed opportunities — it was about a defense that completely unraveled
The Detroit Lions scored 34 points Sunday night. In the NFL, that should be more than enough to win almost every time.
Instead, the Lions walked off the field with a 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and the reason was painfully clear. Detroit’s defense didn’t just bend, it completely collapsed.
The Lions forced just three punts all game and were shredded in every conceivable way. Los Angeles piled up 519 total yards, including 360 through the air and 159 on the ground, while controlling the game for long stretches and answering nearly every Detroit score with one of its own.
The most alarming number came on the ground. Detroit allowed a 69.0% rushing success rate, the worst mark surrendered by the Lions in all 86 games of the Dan Campbell era and the franchise’s worst since 2003. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined to average 5.7 yards per carry, keeping Detroit’s defense off balance and the Rams on schedule all night.
That efficiency showed up everywhere. Los Angeles went a perfect 3 for 3 on fourth down and converted touchdowns on four of six red-zone trips. The Rams didn’t just beat Detroit, they dictated terms.
Even when Detroit built momentum, it couldn’t sustain it. The Lions led 24-14 late in the second quarter, only to allow 20 unanswered points. The third quarter was especially damaging, as the Rams outscored Detroit 17-0 and seized complete control of the game.
Matthew Stafford, returning to face his former team, finished with 368 passing yards and shrugged off an early interception thrown to Aidan Hutchinson. Puka Nacua torched Detroit’s secondary, catching nine of 11 passes for 181 yards, repeatedly winning on crucial downs.
The loss was particularly frustrating because the Lions’ offense did its job — and then some.
Jared Goff threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 13 passes for 164 yards and two scores. Jameson Williams delivered one of his best performances of the season, hauling in seven receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown. Detroit scored four touchdowns for the seventh time this season.
Before Sunday, the Lions were 6-0 when scoring at least four touchdowns. Now they’re 6-1. In games where Detroit scores three touchdowns or fewer, the Lions sit at just 2-5.
That gap tells the story of a team currently being dragged down by its defense.
Over the past four games, the collapse has been undeniable. Detroit has allowed 27 points and 517 yards to the Giants, 31 points and 359 yards to Green Bay, 30 points and 417 yards to Dallas, and now 41 points and 519 yards to the Rams. That’s 1,812 total yards and 129 points allowed — an average of 32.25 points and 453 yards per game.
The Lions also lost the time-of-possession battle Sunday, as Stafford and the Rams held the ball for 33 minutes, keeping Detroit’s offense standing on the sideline and unable to find rhythm late.
Detroit entered the game 7-2 when recording at least two sacks and 8-1 when forcing a turnover. The Lions managed one interception but failed to generate consistent pressure or negative plays, allowing the Rams to operate comfortably for most of the night.
Now, with no back-to-back wins since Weeks 4 and 5, the Lions return to Ford Field one final time this season searching for answers — and fast. A matchup with Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers looms, and if Detroit’s defense doesn’t rediscover its identity, even 34 points may not be enough again.
For a team with playoff ambitions, that’s simply not good enough.