Close Call

What game. And what a way to lose.

The Detroit Lions fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Sunday in one of the wildest, wackiest finishes you’ll ever see.

The Lions appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown against the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons with 8 seconds to play, but Golden Tate was ruled inches short of the goal line on review and the touchdown was nullified.

NFL rules call for a 10-second runoff during late stoppages of play with a running game, and when referee Walt Coleman announced just that, the Falcons sprinted around Ford Field in celebration to boos from the home crowd with a dramatic 30-26 victory.

The Falcons led the entire game. They scored the first 10 points and led 17-3 late in the second quarter, but the Lions’ opportunistic defense intercepted three Matt Ryan passes and gave the Lions three chances to win late.

The Lions went three-and-out on their first two of those drives, with Eric Ebron dropping a potential first-down catch on one, but drove the ball to the brink of the end zone on the game’s final 11-play, 85-yard, penalty-filled possession.

Matthew Stafford, who’s led 29 late game-winning drives in his career, completed a pass to Marvin Jones down to the 2-yard line with just over a minute to play, but that gain was called back on a holding penalty by Zac Kerin.

The Lions faced a second-and-30 after another penalty, but got a first down on a defensive holding penalty.

Jones drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone on third-and-10 from the 19 with 24 seconds to play, and Stafford threw incomplete on his next two passes.

On third-and-goal, Tate ran a quick slant from the left side of the field behind picks from Kenny Golladay and Eric Ebron.

He made a lunging catch, but was touched as he secured possession of the ball by Brian Poole.

Stafford completed 25 of 45 passes for 264 yards and one touchdown for the Lions, who fell to 2-1 and play the Minnesota Vikings next week.

Matt Ryan was 24 of 35 passing for 294 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for the Falcons (3-0).

Darius Slay had two interceptions for the Lions, Glover Quin returned one for a touchdown, and Matt Prater made field goals of 55, 40, 35 and 57 yards.