Lions beat Patriots for 5th straight win clouded by Aidan Hutchinson injury

DETROIT, Michigan - The Detroit Lions have secured their fifth consecutive victory, defeating the New England Patriots 35-10 at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Sunday, November 15. The game marked the Lions' seventh win of the season, tying them with the Chicago Bears atop the NFC North. A significant aspect of the match, however, was the knee injury sustained by Lions linebacker Aidan Hutchinson during the celebration following his sack on the Patriots' opening drive.

Hutchinson did not return to the game, and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who also suffered an ankle injury from the play, did not return either. Tommy DeVito took over as quarterback for the Patriots. Amon-Ra St. Brown, with German heritage and fluency in the language, scored the game's first touchdown on a swift catch-and-run during the Lions' opening drive, followed by a 28-yard touchdown on a screen play in the third quarter.

In celebration, the Lions executed a "human centipede" formation on the field. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs contributed with two touchdowns, and wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa caught a pivotal first-half touchdown from Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who completed 20 of 31 passes for 303 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. After Hutchinson's injury, the Lions relied on four sacks, two of which came from rookie Derrick Moore, who has already contributed twice this season.

The Lions' next game is against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, November 22, and this marks the second of three consecutive games in a span of 12 days for the Lions, following their trip to Germany. The following week, the Lions will host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, followed by two straight games against other NFC playoff contenders.

The Buccaneers, currently at 3-6, will return to action after Baker Mayfield returns from a foot/ankle injury sustained in their previous game against Chicago. However, Mayfield's availability for the upcoming game against the Lions remains uncertain. Dave Birkett, a Detroit Free Press reporter, covers the Lions and can be reached at dbirkett@freepress.com.