PLAYER NOTES

--LB Isaiah Ekejiuba, a key special teams player, was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury in the first half. After he was out, the Lions gave up a 68-yard kickoff return and a 53-yard punt return.

--QB Matthew Stafford has now rallied the Lions out of 20-point deficits twice in three seasons. The only other Lions quarterback to do that was Bobby Layne in 1957.

--RB Jahvid Best is still struggling to run the ball (14 yards, 12 carries) but he contributed mightily to the win. His 60-yard scamper on a screen set up a score and he made a critical pickup of a middle blitz on the 40-yard completion to Calvin Johnson that led to the game-winning field goal in overtime.

--WR Titus Young continues to make strides in his rookie season. He had four catches for 51 yards. More important, the catches came at crucial times. He had a 17-yard catch on a third-and-9 play that help set up a field goal. He had a 15-yard catch on second-and-13 during the game-tying drive. He had a 17-yard catch on the game-winning drive in overtime.

--DE Kyle Vanden Bosch had a sack, giving him one in each of the three games thus far. He also came up with a pivotal stop on a fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter with the Vikings up 20-17. The Lions tied the game on the ensuing drive.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.