Game story
In Week 14 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-12-09, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 17–3 final that built a comfortable lead.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Rosen (Arizona Cardinals) paced the passing game, with -13.92 total EPA, and -3.0% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, L. Toilolo (Detroit Lions) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +3.13 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-27.6% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Arizona Cardinals changed the game: (3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 L. Toilolo · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +3.13 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.57 EPA/play
- 2 J. Nelson · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +2.20 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.31 EPA/play
- 3 J. Tolliver · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.25 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.63 EPA/play
- 4 T. Riddick · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +0.85 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
- 5 T. Riddick · Detroit Lions · Rushing · +0.71 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.12 EPA/play
- 6 Z. Zenner · Detroit Lions · Rushing · +0.32 total EPA · 13 snaps · +0.02 EPA/play
- 7 T. Jones · Detroit Lions · Receiving · -0.32 total EPA · 1 snaps · -0.32 EPA/play
- 8 J. Gresham · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · -0.56 total EPA · 1 snaps · -0.56 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
L. Toilolo — DET · Receiving
L. Toilolo posted the highest total EPA (+3.13) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Detroit Lions's efficiency. Across 2 counted snaps, they averaged +1.57 EPA per play.
The signature play (-8.40 EPA) came from Arizona Cardinals: (3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Detroit Lions — D. Slay
- Detroit Lions — Z. Zenner
Field goals
- Detroit Lions — M. Prater
- Arizona Cardinals — Z. Gonzalez
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 3–0. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the ARI 29 (Q2 39:40) — (9:40) 5-M.Prater 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..
The third quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 7–0. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the DET 44 (Q3 18:16); Detroit Lions added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q3 18:03) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..
The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 7–3. Arizona Cardinals connected on a field goal from the DET 4 (Q4 8:18) — (8:18) 5-Z.Gonzalez 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-2-A.Lee.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the ARI 1 (Q4 4:09) — (4:09) 34-Z.Zenner up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q4 4:05) — 5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 18:16) — (3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q1 57:15) — (12:15) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 29-L.Blount to ARI 32 for 2 yards (36-B.Baker). FUMBLES (36-B.Baker), RECOVERED by ARI-36-B.Baker at ARI 32. 36-B.Baker to ARI 30 for -2 y
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 36:38) — (6:38) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short middle to 16-T.Sherfield to DET 45 for 19 yards (38-M.Ford). PENALTY on DET-55-E.Lee, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at DET 45.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 35:22) — (5:22) 5-Z.Gonzalez 54 yard field goal is No Good, Hit Left Upright, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-2-A.Lee.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 38:51) — (8:51) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right to 14-J.Nelson to ARI 36 for 10 yards (23-D.Slay) [91-A.Robinson]. DET-23-D.Slay was injured during the play.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 18:16) — (3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Detroit Lions (Q1 57:15) — (12:15) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 29-L.Blount to ARI 32 for 2 yards (36-B.Baker). FUMBLES (36-B.Baker), RECOVERED by ARI-36-B.Baker at ARI 32. 36-B.Baker to ARI 30 for -2 y
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 35:22) — (5:22) 5-Z.Gonzalez 54 yard field goal is No Good, Hit Left Upright, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-2-A.Lee.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 36:38) — (6:38) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short middle to 16-T.Sherfield to DET 45 for 19 yards (38-M.Ford). PENALTY on DET-55-E.Lee, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at DET 45.
Quarterback report card
J.Rosen led all passers in efficiency for Arizona Cardinals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Rosen (Arizona Cardinals) · 49 dropbacks · 53.1% completion · -3.0% CPOE · -0.28 EPA/play · -13.92 total EPA
- M.Stafford (Detroit Lions) · 29 dropbacks · 51.7% completion · -6.4% CPOE · -0.25 EPA/play · -7.21 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Detroit Lions | Arizona Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.114 | -0.311 |
| Offensive success rate | 36.5% | 33.7% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.249 | -0.284 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.087 | -0.428 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.311 | +0.114 |
| Defensive success rate | 66.3% | 63.5% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Detroit Lions generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.11 vs -0.31), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Arizona Cardinals: 12 drives, -25.81 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Detroit Lions: 11 drives, -8.40 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Detroit Lions leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- L. Toilolo (Detroit Lions) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- M. Stafford (DET) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q2 39:40 · ARI 29 · Score 3-0
(9:40) 5-M.Prater 47 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q3 18:16 · DET 44 · Score 9-0
(3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q3 18:03 · ARI 15 · Score 10-0
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - Arizona Cardinals FG (+3) — Q4 8:18 · DET 4 · Score 10-3
(8:18) 5-Z.Gonzalez 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-2-A.Lee. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 4:09 · ARI 1 · Score 16-3
(4:09) 34-Z.Zenner up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q4 4:05 · ARI 15 · Score 17-3
5-M.Prater extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
The Detroit Lions beat the Arizona Cardinals 17-3 in Week 14, 2018 on 2018-12-09.
What was the final score of Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
The final score was Detroit Lions 17, Arizona Cardinals 3 (DET 17-3 ARI) in Week 14, 2018 on 2018-12-09.
What was the score by quarter in Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
Q2: Detroit Lions 3, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q3: Detroit Lions 7, Arizona Cardinals 0; Q4: Detroit Lions 7, Arizona Cardinals 3; Final: Detroit Lions 17, Arizona Cardinals 3.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
Detroit Lions touchdown — D. Slay (Q3 18:16) Detroit Lions touchdown — Z. Zenner (Q4 4:09) Detroit Lions field goal — M. Prater (Q2 39:40, 3 pts) Arizona Cardinals field goal — Z. Gonzalez (Q4 8:18, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
J. Rosen (Arizona Cardinals), 53.1% completion, -3.0% CPOE, -0.28 EPA per dropback, -13.92 total passing EPA. M. Stafford (Detroit Lions), 51.7% completion, -6.4% CPOE, -0.25 EPA per dropback, -7.21 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals?
L. Toilolo (Detroit Lions) led the game in total EPA with +3.13 on receiving plays. across 2 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-8.40 EPA): (3:16) (Shotgun) 3-J.Rosen pass short right intended for 16-T.Sherfield INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Slay [95-R.Okwara] at DET 33. 23-D.Slay for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was -27.6%.
Season records after this game
Detroit Lions
Entered 4-8 Now 5-8 W
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 3-9 Now 3-10 L
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