ATLANTA — Matthew Stafford connected with T.J. Hockenson on an 11-yard touchdown pass as time expired and Matt Prater booted a 48-yard extra point to give the Detroit Lions a stunning 23-22 victory over Atlanta.
The Falcons wound with another improbable loss because they scored a touchdown.
Needing to get the ball back, the Lions made no attempt to tackle Todd Gurley on a 10-yard TD run.
Gurley tried to fall down but landed on the goal line. That gave Detroit one more chance, and Stafford made it count on the final play. Prater hit the PAT after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Morris has share of Falcons' mistakes in yet another loss
A long list of mistakes and missed opportunities contributed to the Atlanta Falcons' loss.
The biggest miscue was running back Todd Gurley scoring a touchdown when the Falcons were trying to run out the clock to set up a game-winning field goal.
But interim coach Raheem Morris was responsible for some other blunders. Morris second-guessed himself for a decision to leave his offense on the field on a fourth-and-5 play at the Lions 13 early in the fourth quarter.
Instead of kicking a short field goal, the Falcons' incomplete pass proved costly.