NEW YORK JETS quarterback Sam Darnold bounced back from a disastrous start to his professional career to lead his team to a 48-17 rout of the Detroit Lions on Monday.
Darnold, the talented 21-year-old rookie from California, threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Quandre Diggs with his very first pass attempt to give the Lions the early lead at Ford Field.
But Darnold, picked third overall in this year’s draft, recovered brilliantly to lead the Jets fightback.
His game highlight reel included one superb pinpoint pass to Robby Anderson for a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter which helped put the Jets 17-7 ahead.
The Jets quarterback finished with respectable figures of 198 yards from 16 completions out of 21 attempts, including two touchdowns.
It was a night to forget for Lions veteran Matthew Stafford, who made 27 of 46 for 286 yards but was intercepted four times.
After edging into a 17-10 half-time lead, the Jets cut loose in the third quarter, piling on 31 points to surge into a 48-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Detroit had tied it at 17-17 early in the third when Stafford picked out wide receiver Golden Tate with a 24-yard pass for the score.
But the wheels began falling off for the Lions soon afterwards.
Darnold connected with Quincy Enunwa for his second touchdown pass of the night to make it 24-17 before Darron Lee picked off Stafford to run in a 36-yard interception return for the score.
Andre Roberts then sliced through the Lions cover for a 78-yard punt return to stretch the Jets lead before running back Isaiah Crowell’s 62-yard gallop down the sidelines made it 48-17.
The loss was a nightmare start for new Lions coach Matt Patricia, the highly rated former New England Patriots defensive guru who took over NFC North strugglers in the close season.
- With reporting from Omni.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
