Game story
In the Wild Card of the 2023 NFL season on 2024-01-14, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the Los Angeles Rams, pulling away with a 24–23 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) paced the passing game, with +18.35 total EPA, and +6.9% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +18.35 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+14.1% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Los Angeles Rams changed the game: (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Stafford · Los Angeles Rams · Passing · +18.35 total EPA · 41 snaps · +0.45 EPA/play
- 2 P. Nacua · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +14.61 total EPA · 10 snaps · +1.46 EPA/play
- 3 J. Goff · Detroit Lions · Passing · +11.22 total EPA · 30 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
- 4 A.St. Brown · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +6.64 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.74 EPA/play
- 5 J. Reynolds · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +3.64 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.52 EPA/play
- 6 T. Atwell · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +3.59 total EPA · 1 snaps · +3.59 EPA/play
- 7 S. LaPorta · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.35 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.78 EPA/play
- 8 D. Allen · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +2.19 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.09 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Stafford — LA · Passing
M. Stafford posted the highest total EPA (+18.35) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Rams's efficiency. Across 41 counted snaps, they averaged +0.45 EPA per play.
The signature play (+4.76 EPA) came from Los Angeles Rams: (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 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. Montgomery
- Detroit Lions — J. Gibbs
- Los Angeles Rams — P. Nacua (M. Stafford pass)
- Detroit Lions — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass)
- Los Angeles Rams — T. Atwell (M. Stafford pass)
Field goals
- Los Angeles Rams — B. Maher
- Detroit Lions — M. Badgley
- Los Angeles Rams — B. Maher
- Los Angeles Rams — B. Maher
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 14–3. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the LA 1 (Q1 54:33) — (9:33) 5-D.Montgomery up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the LA 15 (Q1 54:30) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the DET 6 (Q1 49:29) — (4:29) 8-B.Maher 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the LA 10 (Q1 46:35) — (1:35) (Shotgun) 26-J.Gibbs up the middle for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the LA 15 (Q1 46:31) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 14–7. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the DET 50 (Q2 43:32) — (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q2 43:24) — 8-B.Maher extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the LA 2 (Q2 37:16) — (7:16) (Shotgun) 70-D.Skipper reported in as eligible. 16-J.Goff pass short right to 87-S.LaPorta for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the LA 15 (Q2 37:12) — 17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the DET 38 (Q2 34:11) — (4:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 5-T.Atwell for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the DET 15 (Q2 34:02) — 8-B.Maher extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans..
The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the LA 36 (Q3 23:45) — (8:45) 17-M.Badgley 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox.; Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the DET 9 (Q3 17:36) — (2:36) 8-B.Maher 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans..
The fourth quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 3–0. Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the DET 11 (Q4 8:13) — (8:13) 8-B.Maher 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 43:32) — (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q4 6:36) — (6:36) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short middle to 17-P.Nacua pushed ob at LA 45 for 35 yards (6-I.Melifonwu).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q4 4:15) — (4:15) 42-E.Evans punts 31 yards to DET 13, Center-46-C.Tinker. 19-D.Peoples-Jones pushed ob at DET 17 for 4 yards (26-D.Shelley).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 34:11) — (4:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 5-T.Atwell for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q4 4:24) — (4:24) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass incomplete short right to 20-R.Rivers. PENALTY on LA-79-R.Havenstein, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DET 34 - No Play.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 43:32) — (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 34:11) — (4:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 5-T.Atwell for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 45:05) — (:05) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 15-D.Robinson to LA 41 for 19 yards (29-K.Vildor) [54-A.McNeill].
- Detroit Lions (Q3 27:39) — (12:39) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown to LA 46 for 30 yards (43-J.Johnson).
Quarterback report card
M.Stafford led all passers in efficiency for Los Angeles Rams, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- M.Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) · 41 dropbacks · 61.0% completion · +6.9% CPOE · +0.45 EPA/play · +18.35 total EPA
- J.Goff (Detroit Lions) · 30 dropbacks · 73.3% completion · +10.8% CPOE · +0.37 EPA/play · +11.22 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Los Angeles Rams | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.212 | +0.165 |
| Offensive success rate | 46.5% | 45.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.448 | +0.374 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.158 | -0.096 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.165 | -0.212 |
| Defensive success rate | 54.2% | 53.5% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Los Angeles Rams +0.21, Detroit Lions +0.17) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Detroit Lions: 8 drives, +11.86 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Rams: 8 drives, +15.07 total EPA, 5 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.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- M. Stafford (LA) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- J. Goff (DET) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q1 54:33 · LA 1 · Score 0-6
(9:33) 5-D.Montgomery up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q1 54:30 · LA 15 · Score 0-7
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q1 49:29 · DET 6 · Score 3-7
(4:29) 8-B.Maher 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q1 46:35 · LA 10 · Score 3-13
(1:35) (Shotgun) 26-J.Gibbs up the middle for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q1 46:31 · LA 15 · Score 3-14
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 43:32 · DET 50 · Score 9-14
(13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q2 43:24 · DET 15 · Score 10-14
8-B.Maher extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q2 37:16 · LA 2 · Score 10-20
(7:16) (Shotgun) 70-D.Skipper reported in as eligible. 16-J.Goff pass short right to 87-S.LaPorta for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q2 37:12 · LA 15 · Score 10-21
17-M.Badgley extra point is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 34:11 · DET 38 · Score 16-21
(4:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 5-T.Atwell for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q2 34:02 · DET 15 · Score 17-21
8-B.Maher extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans. - Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q3 23:45 · LA 36 · Score 17-24
(8:45) 17-M.Badgley 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-43-J.McQuaide, Holder-3-J.Fox. - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q3 17:36 · DET 9 · Score 20-24
(2:36) 8-B.Maher 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans. - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q4 8:13 · DET 11 · Score 23-24
(8:13) 8-B.Maher 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Tinker, Holder-42-E.Evans.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
The Detroit Lions beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 in Wild Card, 2023 on 2024-01-14.
What was the final score of Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
The final score was Los Angeles Rams 23, Detroit Lions 24 (LA 23-24 DET) in Wild Card, 2023 on 2024-01-14.
What was the score by quarter in Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
Q1: Los Angeles Rams 3, Detroit Lions 14; Q2: Los Angeles Rams 14, Detroit Lions 7; Q3: Los Angeles Rams 3, Detroit Lions 3; Q4: Los Angeles Rams 3, Detroit Lions 0; Final: Los Angeles Rams 23, Detroit Lions 24.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
Detroit Lions touchdown — D. Montgomery (Q1 54:33) Detroit Lions touchdown — J. Gibbs (Q1 46:35) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — P. Nacua (M. Stafford pass) (Q2 43:32) Detroit Lions touchdown — S. LaPorta (J. Goff pass) (Q2 37:16) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — T. Atwell (M. Stafford pass) (Q2 34:11) Los Angeles Rams field goal — B. Maher (Q1 49:29, 3 pts) Detroit Lions field goal — M. Badgley (Q3 23:45, 3 pts) Los Angeles Rams field goal — B. Maher (Q3 17:36, 3 pts) Los Angeles Rams field goal — B. Maher (Q4 8:13, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams), 61.0% completion, +6.9% CPOE, +0.45 EPA per dropback, +18.35 total passing EPA. J. Goff (Detroit Lions), 73.3% completion, +10.8% CPOE, +0.37 EPA per dropback, +11.22 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions?
M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) led the game in total EPA with +18.35 on passing plays. across 41 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+4.76 EPA): (13:32) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 17-P.Nacua for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +14.1%.
Was Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions a close game?
Yes — the margin was 1 points. Detroit Lions won 24-23 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Los Angeles Rams
Entered 10-7 Now 10-8 L
Detroit Lions
Entered 12-5 Now 13-5 W
Fantasy · fantasyhq.co
