DETROIT – Despite a valiant second-half rally, the Rams fell to the Lions 26-20 in overtime on Sunday night at Ford Field.

Winning the coin toss in overtime to get the ball first, the Lions leaned heavily on their run game – especially running back David Montgomery. Montgomery's game-winning, 1-yard touchdown in the extra period capped off a drive in which he accounted for 38 rushing yards on the 70-yard scoring drive.

The Rams trailed by 14 early in the third quarter before scoring unanswered points to take a 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter. Then Lions kicker Jake Bates knocked through a 26-yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 20 with 20 seconds left. Los Angeles was unable to get into field goal range in the remaining 17 seconds of the fourth quarter; quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime.

Stafford connected with wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a 9-yard touchdown pass to pull Los Angeles ahead by 3 with 4:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. A 3-and-out by L.A.'s defense on the ensuing Detroit offensive series gave the Rams the ball back with 4:10 remaining, but the Rams would have to punt the ball back to Detroit with 2:21 remaining.

On that ensuing possession, an unnecessary roughness penalty combined against the Rams with an 18-yard completion from quarterback Jared Goff to tight end Sam LaPorta quickly moved the Lions into Rams territory with under two minutes to play. That drive ended with the overtime-forcing field goal by Bates.

Kupp had 14 catches for 110 yards in addition to the go-ahead touchdown; those 14 catches tied his single-game regular season career-high. Stafford finished 34 of 49 passing for 317 yards with 1 touchdown against 1 interception.

Starting at left tackle for Alaric Jackson, offensive lineman Joe Noteboom left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and did not return. Wide receiver Puka Nacua sustained a knee injury in the first half and was ruled out in the second half.

Additionally, starting left guard Steve Avila was ruled out with a knee injury in the second half, which led the Rams to shift Jonah Jackson – who started at center – over to left guard, with rookie Beaux Limmer taking Jackson's place at center.

Here is the complete game recap, presented by TickPick:

After the teams traded 3-and-outs on their opening series, the Rams moved the ball well on their second series. However, a sack and false start created a 3rd-and-long situation. After a draw play to running back Kyren Williams that went for 9 yards, L.A. settled for a 41-yard field goal by Joshua Karty at the end of that drive for a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Leaning on its run game, Detroit responded with a long, sustained drive of its own. Kept alive by a conversion on 4th and 2 from the Rams' 27, the Lions answered the Rams' field goal with a 25-yarder of their own to the tie game 3-3 with 12:17 left in the second quarter.

The Rams again reached Lions territory on their third offensive series, but the drive ended with a turnover on downs at the Lions 23 after Stafford's incomplete short pass intended for Kupp on 4th and 4 with 6:36 left in the first half.

A 36-yard completion from Goff to wide receiver Jameson Williams, 14-yard gain on a screen pass from Goff to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and 13-yard gain on a sweep by Williams quickly moved the Lions into Rams territory on the ensuing series. Gibbs' 1-yard touchdown run capped off the drive to give the Lions a 10-3 lead with just under two minutes left before halftime. Officials initially ruled the goal short of the goal line before reversing the call and giving Gibbs the score.

Los Angeles appeared on its way to answer Detroit's touchdown with one of their own, reaching the Detroit 8 before Stafford was intercepted in the endzone by Lions safety Kerby Joseph with 21 seconds left. Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse's first NFL sack closed out the first half with the score still 10-3 Lions.

The Lions extended their lead to 17-3 on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Williams with 10:29 left in the third quarter.

However, the Rams weren't finished.

A 2-yard touchdown run by Williams made it 17-10 with 3:33 to go in the third quarter. Wide receiver Jordan Whittington's potential game-tying, 1-yard touchdown run was negated by a penalty early in the fourth quarter, but the Rams still came away with three points via a 26-yard field goal by Karty to cut their deficit to four with 12:35 remaining.

Detroit's ensuing drive, which included Goff scrambling seven yards on 3rd and 6 and firing a 27-yard completion to Williams to set up Detroit at the L.A. 27, ended with Goff getting picked off by Johnson at the Los Angeles 20, giving L.A. the ball back with 9:09 remaining.

The Rams capitalized on the takeaway with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kupp to regain the lead 20-17 with 4:35 remaining, but the Lions wouldn't go away quietly.

Los Angeles pitched a 3-and-out, but was forced to punt at the end of its ensuing offensive possession just over the 2-minute mark. On the other side of the 2-minute mark, the Lions mounted a game-tying scoring drive, with kicker Jake Bates' 26-yard field goal knotting it at 20 with 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

In overtime, Montgomery's 1-yard touchdown run clinched it for Detroit on a drive the Lions rode their run game.