Just when the Patriots looked at the scoreboard to find themselves down 11 – they found their stride and turned on the offense.
After trailing 14-3 in the second quarter to the Lions in the first of three Thanksgiving Day games, the Pats offense could not be stopped, as they ran up 447 yards in beating Detroit 45-24 to move to 9-2 on the season.
Tom Brady and the Pats offense found their stride, getting some help from rookie CB Devin McCourty who had two picks both of which set up scores in the big win.
Deion Branch had a big day helping his buddy in Brady, making a 79-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 24 in the third quarter, and then a 22-yard scoring catch that put the Pats up for good at 31-24 with 13:45 to play.
Branch ended the day with three catches for 113 yards and two scores. Who needs Randy Moss?
The Lions started strong, and even led 24-17 in the third quarter till Brady and the Pats offense dominated the final 20 minutes, scoring 28 points.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis had 59 yards on 12 carries with two scores to pace the ground game. Danny Woodhead had 32 yards on the ground and 13 yards through the air.
Brady threw for 341 yards on 21-of-27 passing with four touchdowns and a perfect QB rating of 158.3. Shaun Hill was 27-for-46 for 285 yards with a TD and two picks.
Detroit took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter on a Hill 19-yard pass to Calvin Johnson on the last play of the quarter. They went up 14-3 after the Lions D shut down the Pats, and Detroit went on a drive that ended up with a Maurice Morris one-yard run with 5:58 left in the half.
The Pats came back with a critical drive that ended with a Green-Ellis 15-yard run to make it 14-10, but Detroit got a field goal on the last play of the half to make it 17-10.
New England plays the Jets next Monday night at home, in the critical AFC East game of the year. For the Lions, they have lost seven straight Thanksgiving Day games.
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