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By Ellis Williams
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The Detroit Lions needed their defense and four field goals to grind out a 19-9 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
In a game with only one touchdown, the punt teams supplied some of the most surprising offensive plays.
Detroit punter Jack Fox and Miami punter Bradley Pinion each completed a pass on a successful fake punt at Hard Rock Stadium. The two specialists combined for 57 passing yards, with both throws moving the chains rather than sending the opposing offense onto the field.
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Sunday was just the second NFL game since 1950 in which both teams’ punters completed a pass, and the first in 45 years. The other came in Detroit’s 1981 win over the Dallas Cowboys, when Cowboys punter Danny White also served as the starting quarterback.
Fox struck first in the second quarter, finding Lions wide receiver Tay Martin for an 11-yard gain. The completion moved Detroit to its own 41-yard line, extending a possession that appeared ready to end.
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The Lions did not turn that conversion into points, however. Their drive stalled, and Fox eventually returned to punt the ball away.
Pinion’s answer came in the fourth quarter. He connected with Dolphins running back Kaytron Allen for a 46-yard gain that took Miami to Detroit’s 18-yard line. It was the Dolphins’ longest play of the afternoon.
That gamble helped keep Miami within reach. The possession ended with a 34-yard field goal from Dolphins kicker Zane Gonzalez, cutting Detroit’s lead to 16-9.
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell accepted responsibility for Miami’s fake punt after the game.
“I’ll take that,” Campbell said. “It was a good job by them. That certainly wasn’t on our guys. That was on me.”
The matching trick plays provided an unusual NFL contrast in a contest neither starting quarterback finished with a touchdown pass. Fox and Pinion each gave their offense another chance, although neither extended drive reached the end zone.
Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored the game’s only touchdown on an eight-yard fourth-down run late in the third quarter. Lions kicker Jake Bates made all four of his field-goal attempts, including a late kick that restored a two-score cushion.
Detroit improved to 6-2 with its fourth consecutive victory. Miami fell to 1-7 despite keeping the Lions out of the end zone throughout the first half.
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