Detroit Lions faced a critical moment late vs. Saints and passed with flying colors

NEW ORLEANS — It was one of those moments that define a player.

Define a team, really.

The Detroit Lions had the ball on their own 43-yard line with 2:48 left, nursing a 33-28 lead over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Would they rise to the challenge or crumble under the pressure?

Would they stay calm or freak out and make a huge mistake?

So much hinged on this moment. On this drive. They were coming off a loss against the Green Bay Packers, and the Saints had the momentum after scoring three second-half touchdowns.

In years past, this is the moment when the Lions would crumble under the pressure, finding a new way to lose and continue a skid.

So, what would these Lions do?

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On third-and-7, Lions coach Dan Campbell had a simple directive to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Go for the win. Don’t run the ball and try to kill clock.

“You can go one or two ways, right,” Campbell said after the Lions’ 33-28 victory. “We went: let's go get this first down. That's about it. There was no movie thing — and the smoke (filled the sky) — I wanted to go get it.”

Maybe, that’s the best part of how the Lions secured this win. Because at the moment, it showed how the Lions can handle the pressure and perform at a high level.

That is significant at the micro level: They might have squandered a 21-0 lead, but they didn’t crumble from the pressure as the Saints came marching in (OK, just had to slip that in there).

And it is just as significant on a macro level: They haven’t been playing great lately, but they continue to win far more than they lose. This team is 9-3 for the first time since 1962.

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How? In large part, they keep winning because their heart rates stay so calm.

“We got a special group,” Goff said. “I think that's the best way to put it. Dan talks about it all the time. When the pressure goes up, who calms down and is level? Our guys really are.”

Yes, Goff has proved he has that trait, to be sure.

He hit Sam LaPorta over the middle for 10 yards and a huge first down.

“It was man coverage and Sam ran a good crosser out there and put it on him,” Goff said. “Great catch.”

LaPorta is an absolute stud, an emerging superstar who is putting up historic numbers for a rookie tight end, even though he’s as humble as apple pie. Nothing seems to faze him.

Then came another huge moment. Same drive. Third-and-9 from the Saints 46.

Campbell’s message was the same: Go for the win. Secure this win now.

The Lions ran a route combination where Goff had his eyes on Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds.

“It was Saint and Josh," Goff said. "I was kind of thinking, if I don't have somebody open, I'm gonna take a sack, force the clock to run. So kind of was halfway into taking a sack and saw Josh run open.”

Isn’t that fascinating? All the things that are racing through his mind in that moment? In that split second? Everything from throwing it or taking the sack? But he didn’t freak out and he hit Reynolds for 12 yards.

First down.

Game over.

Victory formation.

“That's a heck of a win," Campbell said. "It's not easy to come into this place and win. That's a prideful team, and they came out and fought."

Maybe you are concerned about how the Lions blew a 21-point lead — after the Saints made adjustments — and that is certainly justified.

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Maybe you are concerned with how the Saints made marching down the field against the Lions' defense in the second half look so easy — and that, too, is justified.

And maybe you have a strange feeling in your gut, knowing this team hasn’t been playing great lately, wondering how long this team can keep it up. Or even if it can win in the playoffs.

But nobody said this was a finished product. It’s clearly a work in progress and the loss to Green Bay crystalized some issues.

They needed to a better job of holding onto the ball — and they didn’t turn it over against the Saints.

They needed to do a better job of protecting Goff — and he wasn’t sacked.

They needed to do a better job of creating turnovers and they got a pair on Sunday.

Granted, both plays were more due to Saints mistakes than the Lions forcing them. But you have to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage, and that’s what the Lions did.

“Within our building, we know what what's right and what's wrong and what we need to get better," Goff said. "And what didn't work. We don't we don't ride the roller coaster. It's just one game after another and it's a testament to (Campbell) and our team being able to understand when losses happen. What are the points to improve? he emphasizes them and then, you know, typically you get a better result next time.”

And that's what the Lions did. They responded to a loss by improving specific areas of concerns.

This wasn’t a gut check. It was a heart check.

The Lions proved they can stay calm and rise to the moment.

At the biggest moment.

That’s a rare trait.

That's the kind of thing that will help this team continue to win.

Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions showed when needed, they can make game-winning plays