The Detroit Lions played a home postseason game for the first time since Jan. 8, 1994, on Sunday night, and delivered the NFL franchise’s first playoff victory since Jan. 5, 1992.

The Lions defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 in an NFC first-round game at Ford Field.

Detroit had three red-zone possessions – the first three times it had the ball – and scored a touchdown on each. Los Angeles had three red-zone possessions and kicked a field goal on each.

With a one-point lead and 4:20 to play, the Lions accepted an offensive-holding penalty against the Rams instead of having Los Angeles face fourth-and-4 at the Detroit 34-yard line, which might have led to a 52-yard field-goal attempt. Instead, Los Angeles had an incomplete pass from the Lions 44 and punted on fourth down.

Detroit started its final series with 4:07 remaining and got two first downs to run out the clock.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 22-of-27 passes for 277 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 25-of-36 passes for 367 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stafford played his first 12 NFL seasons for Detroit. Goff played his first five NFL seasons for Los Angeles. They swapped teams in a 2021 trade.

Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra had seven receptions for 110 yards. Los Angeles wide receiver Puka Nacua had nine receptions for 181 yards and one touchdown.

Four players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Los Angeles-Detroit game:

· Brian Branch (Alabama) started at defensive back for the Lions. Branch made seven tackles and broke up one pass. Branch broke up a third-down pass with Los Angeles at the Detroit 6-yard line, and the Rams settled for a field goal in the first quarter.

· Rams tight end Miller Forristall (Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) ran for 25 yards and one touchdown on eight carries and caught four passes for 43 yards. Gibbs scored on a 10-yard run as Detroit took a 14-3 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter.

RELATED: JAHMYR GIBBS SCORES ON HIS FIRST NFL POSTSEASON CARRY

· Lions defensive tackle Brodric Martin (Northridge, North Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Rams long snapper Carson Tinker (Alabama) handled the snaps for three field goals, three punts and two extra points.

· Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama) had two receptions for 19 yards.

Los Angeles had qualified for the playoffs as a wild-card team with a 10-7 regular-season record. Detroit advanced to the postseason as the NFC North champion with a 12-5 regular-season mark.

The Lions hadn’t won a postseason game since they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 at the Pontiac Silverdome in the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the 1991 season. Between that victory and Sunday night’s win, Detroit lost its nine postseason games.

After going 30 years without a home playoff game, the Lions get another one next week in the Divisional Round. At 2 p.m. CST Sunday at Ford Field, Detroit will play the winner of Monday night’s Philadelphia Eagles-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. NBC will televise the game.

The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers will square off in the other NFC playoff game at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Levi’s Stadum in Santa Clara, California. FOX will televise the contest.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.