A remade Rams defense played the Detroit Lions tough through four quarters on Sunday night.
But they could not stop the Lions in overtime.
Jared Goff drove his team 70 yards in eight plays and David Montgomery scored on a one-yard touchdown to send the Rams to a 26-20 defeat before 66,530 at Ford Field.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for a touchdown, running back Kyren Williams scored a touchdown and veteran safety John Johnson III had a key interception, but that was not enough.
It was another heartbreaking loss for the Rams and Stafford, who lost here, 24-23, last January in an NFC wild-card game.
Stafford, who played his first 12 seasons in Detroit, completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards and touchdown, with an interception.
But Goff, for whom Stafford was traded in 2021, outdueled him again, completing 18 of 28 passes for 217 yards.
It was a costly defeat for the Rams in more ways than one.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive lineman Steve Avila left the game because of knee injuries, offensive lineman Joe Noteboom an ankle injury.
The rash of injuries in the opener harked to 2022, when the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams lost several offensive linemen during a season-opening rout by the Buffalo Bills.
The Rams trailed, 10-3 at halftime, and the Lions extended their lead early in the third quarter on Goff’s 52-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jameson Williams, who got behind Rams cornerback Tre’Davious White for the long scoring play.
Kyren Williams pulled the Rams to within 17-10 late in the quarter with a two-yard touchdown run. Stafford’s 14-yard pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson on a fourth-and-three play at the Lions’ 29 was the key play in the 70-yard drive.
Stafford and receiver Tyler Johnson connected for a long pass play that set up an apparent touchdown run by rookie receiver Jordan Whittington. But a holding penalty nullified the play and the Rams had to settle for a field goal that pulled them to within 17-13.
Johnson’s interception set up an 80-yard scoring drive that Stafford capped with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Kupp for a 20-17 lead with less than five minutes remaining.
The Rams had an opportunity to seal the victory when they got the ball back with just over four minutes left. But they were forced to punt, and the Lions kicked a field goal with 17 seconds left to force the game to overtime.
