Jets were contesting the Superbowl for the 4th time in 5 seasons while the Lions were making their debut.
Q1: Cruel start for the Lions as Gronk fumbled on the 3rd play of the game and sustained a game ending injury. Jets go on a 7 play drive which ends with a 1yd Gore TD run. Deroit had the ball for 8 plays on their next posession but ended up punting.
Q2: Another long Jet drive ends with a 4yd Gore TD run. Detroit hit back with a very long 14 play drive which ends with FB Eldridge hammering it in from 1yd. Jets then went 3 and out.......game on ! But no, Detroit have to punt to Jets after 3 plays with 1 minute left in the half. That was enough for Rodgers to engineer a 6 play drive culminating in Barden catching a 8yd TD pass to leave the Jets up 21-7 at the half.
Q3: Jets get the ball first and make it count after 8 plays with a 39yd Keller TD pass. Detroit embark on the longest drive of the game, 14 plays but it ends disappointingly after CJ is stopped on 4th and goal at the Jets 2. Lions defence again struggle and Mike Thomas hauls in a 47yd TD pass.
Q4: Lions hit back and have success as D.Jackson hauls in a 13yd TD pass from Flacco. Gore then fumbles for the Jets but a couple of plays later and Flacco does the same and Graham picks up and returns it 53yds for the TD. The game then fizzles out to leave the Jets victorious 42-14.
CJ was held to 108yds on 28 carries but with the Lions behind from early was not as influential as he could have been and Frank Gore outshone him with 133yds off 22 carries. Jackson was Detroit's best WR with 5 catches for 91yds and a TD, while Mike Thomas, one of 7 Jet receivers to catch a pass also had 5 catches for 110yds and a TD.
Rodgers was 16/22 for 273yds with 3 tDs while Flacco was 11/22 for 166yds with 1TD and 1 Int.
Raoul can justifiable say he got no luck in the game, starting terribly with Gronk fumbling and being knocked out for the game. Kudos to Eamonn as he was very gracious in defeat, he had certainly had plenty of reason to moan at stuff during the game but never did.
So Madden 12 ends with the old dude winning it all. Think it may be my last for a while as you kids are all getting better !




