DETROIT (AP) — Reggie Bush rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter, and the Detroit Lions took a 7-0 lead over the Baltimore Ravens in a crucial Monday night matchup with playoff implications in both conferences.
The Lions took advantage of a pair of early misplays by Baltimore safety Matt Elam. It was Elam who caused a stir in the week leading up to the game by saying that Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson "is pretty old."
Elam gave the Lions an early first down with a personal foul penalty — he hit Matthew Stafford as the Detroit quarterback slid short of the marker on a third-down scramble. Elam also missed badly on a tackle, allowing Nate Burleson about 10 extra yards on a dump-off by Stafford.
Bush eventually opened the scoring with a 14-yard TD run.
For his part, Johnson may have cost the Lions at least a field goal when he dropped a third-down pass near the Baltimore 30-yard line on Detroit's second possession.
The Lions were trying to remain tied with Chicago atop the NFC North — Detroit holds the head-to-head tiebreaker — and Baltimore was hoping to pull within a game of first-place Cincinnati in the AFC North.
Bush missed Detroit's previous game at Philadelphia with an injured right calf, but he was back for this one. The Lions were without cornerbacks Chris Houston and Darius Slay because of injuries.
Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil was active after missing the previous game with a sprained left ankle. The reigning Super Bowl champions are playing significant games in December as usual, hoping for a sixth straight postseason berth.
The Lions, meanwhile, are trying to avoid a late-season collapse that would keep them out of the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 years. Detroit entered Monday's game having lost three of four — and the Lions blew fourth-quarter leads in each of those setbacks.
Detroit hasn't won a division title since 1993.
The Lions forced a punt on the first Baltimore possession, but the Ravens drove into Detroit territory before the first quarter ended.
American FootballSports & RecreationDetroit LionsBaltimore RavensReggie Bushhttp://news.yahoo.com/lions-lead-ravens-7-0-1st-quarter-022029678--spt.html
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