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The last time Jason Hanson attempted a punt was in 2003 against the 49ers, when punter John Jett pulled a muscle late in the week at practice and Hanson had to go into the game pulling double duty.

The Lions found themselves in a pickle Sunday in Tennessee when punter Ben Graham injured a calf muscle in the first quarter. With only one punter on the roster, the Lions leaned on Hanson and he filled in admirably with a 39.3 average on three punts.

While Hanson’s ability to punt came in clutch for the Lions against the Titans, he stills earns his money by putting the ball through the uprights. 

He continues to move up the record books in his 21st NFL season at the age of 42. He kicked his 472nd field goal in the first half of Sunday’s game, which moved him into fourth, surpassing Matt Stover, on the NFL's all-time field goal list.

Hanson kicked four field goals in a game (47, 53, 33, 26), which marks the first time in his career he’s done so in consecutive weeks. He became just the third player in NFL history to have at least four field goals in 25 games.

OFFICIAL REVIEW
It’s starting to become an old bit to get on the replacement officials’ case every Sunday. We all know they’re in a tough spot and are doing the best they can, but it’s hard to leave it alone when they keep giving new material each week that leaves people scratching their heads.

Case in point Sunday: an unnecessary roughness penalty against Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch in overtime was marched off from the wrong 44-yard line and turned into a 27-yard penalty on the Lions. The Titans kicked a field goal on the drive that proved to be the difference in the game.

HOUSTON RETURN
The Lions got their best playmaker in the secondary back on the field against the Titans in Chris Houston and it immediately paid dividends. Houston returned after missing the first two games with a high ankle sprain. 

The team’s interception leader a season ago, Houston defended two passes, had five tackles and forced a big fumble that led to a Lions touchdown on Sunday.

While getting Houston and rookie Bill Bentley (concussion) back Sunday was a boost for the Lions, they are still missing safety Louis Delmas.

The Titans’ two biggest plays on offense – a 71-yard touchdown catch by Nate Washington and a 61-yard reception by Jared Cook – were a result of plays not cleaned up by safeties Erik Coleman and John Wendling. 

Coleman missed a tackle on the Cook touchdown and Wendling took a bad angle and failed to clean up the Washington touchdown.

“We get a play down the seam that, even if the guy makes a circus catch behind our guy's back, (we've) got to get that guy cleaned up and get off the field,” Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said.

BY THE NUMBERS
36-21: Lions advantage on first downs Sunday against the Titans (11-4 on rushing first downs).

583-437: Lions edge in total yards.

6: Touchdowns scored in the last 6:53 of the game.

92-61: Advantage for the Lions on the number of plays ran in the game.

374: Total yardage gained on the Titans five biggest scoring plays (including two special teams touchdowns and a fumble return for a 75.8 yard average). The Titans became the first team in NFL history to have at least five scoring plays of 60-plus yards.

INACTIVE
Lions tight end Tony Scheffler did not play Sunday because of that calf injury suffered against the 49ers last week.

Also inactive were: Delmas, quarterback Kellen Moore, offensive tackles Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox, defensive end Lawrence Jackson and linebacker Travis Lewis

With Scheffler out of the lineup, rookie receiver Ryan Broyles made his NFL debut, but did not record a catch.

Cornerback Jacob Lacey, who showed up on Friday’s injury report with a toe injury, was active for the game and finished with three tackles.