NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Call this one Music City Mayhem.
The Tennessee Titans are winless no more after an unforgettable overtime victory over Detroit featuring an endless stream of big plays, some suspect officiating and a huge mistake by the Lions on the final play.
Rob Bironas kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime, and the Titans stopped backup quarterback Shaun Hill on fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 7 to finally pull out a 44-41 victory Sunday where the Lions messed up trying to draw the defense offside.
“Obviously, there was a miscommunication, or I don’t know what you call it, from an enforcement standpoint,” Lions Coach Jim Schwartz said.
The Titans (1-2) blew a 20-9 halftime lead in a game featuring wild scoring swings. They became the first NFL team to score five touchdowns of 60 yards or longer in a single game.
“Piece of cake,” Titans quarterback Jake Locker said with a smile.
Detroit scored 18 consecutive points, then Tennessee answered with 21 points before the Lions scored the final 14 of regulation in a span of 18 seconds- the first team to do that and force overtime in league history.
The touchdown that forced overtime came on a tipped desperation pass after Detroit recovered an onside kick and got an assist from the replacement officials who did not review a possible turnover.
“Both of us looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve never been through something like this in our lives,’ “ Titans Coach Mike Munchak said of Schwartz, a former colleague in Nashville. “It’s hard to put in words what to say about that. We both could’ve won in so many ways.”
Schwartz’s Lions picked up the nickname Comeback Cats last season with four rallies for victory from 13 points or more down.
“I’ve never been around one like that,” Schwartz said.
A total of 46 points came in the fourth period. Then in overtime, Bironas’ third field goal put Tennessee ahead to stay after a drive that got its own boost from the officials.
They announced a replay review had overturned their ruling of a catch by Tennessee tight end Craig Stevens, with the ball hitting the ground as he rolled after being hit helmet to helmet by Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch.
After spending several minutes discussing where to place the ball, they put it at the Lions 29, giving the Titans 27 yards. The penalty apparently was walked off from the Detroit 44 instead of the Tennessee 44, where the play started.
The Lions (1-2) lost their second consecutive when Schwartz decided not to let Jason Hanson kick his fifth field goal. Hill, in for injured starter Matthew Stafford, was stopped by defensive tackles Jurrell Casey and Sen’Derrick Marks on his sneak, and Tennessee escaped, celebrating wildly even as an official stood over the ball before a replay review was announced.
The Titans had stopped Mikel Leshoure for a 7-yard reception about a foot short on third down. Schwartz said he was preparing to call a timeout to kick the field goal and wanted first to try getting the Titans to jump offside.
“The crowd was loud,” Schwartz said. “If they didn’t jump, we were just going to take the timeout. The ball ended up getting snapped. We needed that, obviously, to make sure all 11 guys get the calls right there and be able to play it.”
The game featured six plays of 46 yards or longer, with the Titans having five of those - all 61 or longer. The Titans even had three of those 71 yards or longer.
Hill’s 46-yard TD pass to Titus Young off a ball Titans linebacker Akeem Ayers tried to knock down at the end of regulation tied the game only after some more confusing officiating.
After Hill tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Calvin Johnson with 18 seconds left, Amari Spievey recovered Detroit’s onside kick. Hill threw a short pass to the sideline to Nate Burleson who took at least a step before losing the ball when hit by Titans cornerback Jason McCourty.
Locker finished 29 for 42 for 378 yards and two TDs. Stafford went 33 of 42 for 277 yards and a touchdown.
Sports, Pages 16 on 09/24/2012