Lions 45, Cardinals 21: Three Punts, Then Seven Scores

October 11, 2026 - Glendale - Dan Campbell needed a spark on fourth-and-3 from the Arizona 38. The first three Detroit possessions had died. The Cardinals already led 7-0. Jared Goff found Sam LaPorta for 12, drew a high-hit flag, and moved it to the 20. Three plays later Jahmyr Gibbs walked in from a yard.

The Detroit Lions scored on the next seven possessions and beat the Arizona Cardinals 45-21 at State Farm Stadium. Detroit is 3-2 heading into a bye. Arizona is 2-3. Gibbs ran 25 times for 151 and two scores, caught five for 56, and passed Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns by a player under 25, per the Lions. The club listed that mark at 57. FOX 2 Detroit listed Gibbs at 58 after the 3-yarder. The record claim is the Lions'. The box is 207 scrimmage yards either way.

Goff was 19 of 30 for 271, three passing scores, a 1-yard sneak, no interceptions, and a 125.8 rating. It is his fifth straight start without a pick. Detroit has one turnover all season.

7-0, then 31 unanswered

Jacoby Brissett hit Teagan Quitoriano from 2 on the opening series. 7-0. Detroit punted three times. Campbell went for it on fourth-and-3, then again later. Gibbs from a yard. 7-7.

Jameson Williams scored from 8 on fourth-and-4. It was his first career game with two receiving touchdowns. LaPorta got behind the defense from 38 on fourth-and-1. 21-7. Jake Bates made 46. 24-7 at the half. Arizona had the first seven points and nothing else before the break.

Williams's second score was 39 yards in the third, a ball Goff put on him with the safety late. Goff sneaked from a yard. Gibbs bounced, reversed, and scored from 3 in the fourth. That was the record. 45-14 before Arizona added another late score.

NBC Sports and the Lions both said Detroit scored on seven straight possessions after the empty start, six of them touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught six for 69 and did not need a touchdown. LaPorta finished five for 88. Williams had two catches for 47 and both of his scores.

Brissett piled up yards after it was gone

Brissett was 29 of 47 for 292, three touchdowns, one pick, and five sacks. Keith Abney II intercepted him. D.J. Wonnum had two sacks and two tackles for loss. Derrick Barnes added a sack. Trey McBride caught nine of 10 targets for 66 and a score. Quitoriano had two catches for 15 and two touchdowns. Kendrick Bourne had five for 70. Elijah Higgins added three for 57.

Jeremiyah Love ran 12 times for 22, per NBC Sports. Roy Lopez and Baron Browning each sacked Goff. Browning forced two fumbles. Detroit still did not turn it over. Chad Ryland missed a field goal. Bates was 1 of 1 from 46 and six of six on extras.

The Lions called it complementary football after a 32-26 loss in Charlotte. Goff has 12 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. Gibbs has his 12th career 100-yard rushing game. Williams now has 12 career scores of 35-plus yards, fifth in Lions history, per the club.

AthX Engine on 207 scrimmage yards

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 5 Sunday lines in. Gibbs's 151, two rushing scores, and 56 receiving yards land at 66.25, the top total in this game. Wonnum is 66.00. Abney is 49.00. Brissett is 46.36. Goff is 45.93. McBride is 36.00. LaPorta is 35.50. Detroit's team line is 114.25. Arizona is -12.75.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for Gibbs after he passed Sanders on a 45-point road night, and for a Cardinals pass game that still fed McBride after the score was already 31-7. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Gibbs, Goff, Williams, McBride, and both clubs on the marketplace. Detroit is on a bye, then hosts Green Bay on Oct. 25. Arizona visits the Rams on Oct. 18.

*Sources: ESPN game page, Lions.com recap, NBC Sports, AP recap, FOX 2 Detroit. Club wrap, AP/NBC, and nflverse agree on 45-21, Goff 19-of-30 for 271, Gibbs 25-151 and two rushing scores. FOX 2 listed Goff at 279 yards; nflverse and Lions.com have 271. Lions.com said Gibbs passed Barry Sanders at 57 career TDs before age 25; FOX 2 listed 58 after the 3-yard score. AthX Engine Week 5 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats (CC-BY 4.0). Information only; not financial advice.*