DETROIT -- Sometimes it's not the average of the punts you make that matters, it's the one punt that doesn't work out that can kill you.
Lions rookie Sam Martin found that out the hard way Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Martin blasted his first punt 65 yards, pinning the Bengals at their own 10-yard line.
But his last punt is the one people will remember.
With the game tied at 24, Martin had to punt from the Lions' 23 after a failed two-minute (actually 1:43) drive.
The kick went just 28 yards and out of bounds, giving the Bengals the ball at their own 49-yard line with 26 seconds to go.
"They ended up not bringing any pressure," Martin said. "It was something that I didn't need to rush there but at the time you don't think that.
"You go slow and they bring heat or you go normal speed and they bring 10 people, they bring eight or whatever and they block it and score a touchdown. Then what? Then we're having the same conversation about a blocked punt. That was the thought process, don't get it blocked."
After completions of seven and eight yards, Bengals kicker Mike Nugent hit a 54-yard field goal as time expired for a 27-24 win.
Martin was not making any excuses for the punt, even though there were several other plays the Lions could have made during the game and did not.
"You could say that about any game," Martin said. "It might not have been that play, it could have been another play, but it came down to that play at the end of the game. So that's what you see.
"I don't think anyone's ever been wrong for thinking that. Should have hit a better punt."
CALVIN JOHNSON DOES IT AGAIN
Quarterbacks are not supposed to throw into triple coverage but that rule does not always apply if you have Calvin Johnson.
Matthew Stafford's pass found Johnson's hands in the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown catch over three defenders and a fourth defender close by.
"I was behind, I think it was Reggie (Nelson) right there, and I saw him stop his feet to go up and get it, so I knew I had to get right behind him and go on top of him and in the air and go get it.
"Matt left it up there with a lot of air, so I could go do it. Just happened to make the play."
The touchdown, the 60th of Johnson's career, tied the game at 24 with 11:59 left in the fourth quarter.
"It was a great catch," Stafford said. "I held it as long as I could, threw it. I didn't get to see a whole lot of it. I saw the very end of it and it was one of the best catches I have ever seen."
Bengals receiver A.J. Green, who had six receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown, was thoroughly impressed with Johnson's ability.
"Dang man, that was unbelievable," Green said. "That was the best I have ever seen. That guy is like, he's so humble. He's a great person on and off the field. He comes to work every day."
Green said he and Johnson exchanged jerseys after the game.
But Johnson would have liked to have another catch on the final drive, the one that ended in Martin's bad punt.
The Lions had a 3rd and 4 at their own 23-yard line and Stafford tried to hit Johnson.
"Is that the one Calvin got tackled on?" Stafford asked after the game. "Trying to get him across the field, get a chance to get a guy that's the best receiver in the game. Run away from coverage.
"He just couldn't get away from them. We missed it. If we hit that, we're moving. The guy was, to say the least, pretty sticky in coverage."
Johnson finished with nine receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson now has 35 career 100-yard games, breaking Herman Moore's team record of 34.
INJURIES ABOUND
The Lions took a hit on the offensive line Sunday.
Left tackle Riley Reiff had a hamstring injury but ended up coming back in the game in the second half.
"Reiff was limited when he came back in, but he was able to go out and finish the game," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "There's some injury situations that we're going to have a close eye on this week, including that one."
Rookie LaAdrian Waddle came in for Reiff.
Corey Hilliard suffered a knee injury and said he is to undergo an MRI on Monday.
"It was tough," Stafford said. "Guys did a great job of stepping up. Guys came in and played. That's what you have to have happen. This was a tough game. A lot of guys went down."
Cornerback Rashean Mathis left with a groin injury and was replaced by Chris Houston, who was benched for poor play in the first half.
SUH TO MEET WITH LEAGUE
According to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer, Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been invited to visit the league's offices to discuss his fines this season.
Most recently, Suh was fined $31,500 for a hit on Cleveland quarterback Brandon Weeden.
Suh has met with the league before in 2011.
PRAISE FROM OPPOSITION
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had an interesting comment after the game about Lions center Dominic Raiola.
"I was watching the center on film and I'm like, 'Man, this guy, he's dirty,'" Burfict said. "I went out there and he played a clean game. I even told him, 'Man, you're a great player.
"I watched you on film and I thought I had to watch out for you because that guy loves to go for people's knees.' He's like, 'Nah, man, I'm not that type of guy.'
"I gave a lot of respect to the Detroit Lions because they went out and just played football."
CHALLENGED CONSIDERED
Schwartz gave an unusual explanation as to why he considered throwing the challenge flag after Cincinnati blocked a 34-yard field-goal attempt late in the first half but then chose not to.
“I thought it was a forward lateral (on the return), but the officials told me that didn’t matter on a blocked kick,” Schwartz said. “So I decided not to challenge it.
“They said there’s no such thing as a forward fumble on a blocked kick. That’s what I was told.”
Mike Pereira, the rules analyst for FOX, indicated that Schwartz could have challenged the play.
“Looks like forward lateral after a change (of possession) which could’ve been challenged,”
Pereira tweeted. “(Cincinnati) would keep ball after (5-yard) penalty from the spot of pass.”
If so, it would have meant roughly 20 yards in field position.
The Bengals ended up starting at Detroit’s 40-yard line and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 41 seconds left in the half.
