The scoreboard read six points, but there was much more between the Rams and the Detroit Lions on Sunday evening.

One game into the season, and the Rams are already weakened and injured, the fact that they were able to not only keep up but scare Detroit like that was a testament to their experience and determination.

As for the Lions, they’re finally good enough to count style points. Simply winning — like their 26-20 overtime victory — is no longer enough. Their standards have changed.

So there were no big smiles in the Detroit locker room after this game. If anything, the Lions were a little dissatisfied, even though they blew the Rams – with all the history of quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff – again, just like they did in the NFC wild-card game here in January.

At least some of the Lions felt the game should never have gone into overtime and they should have landed the decisive blow much sooner. Still, they liked the way the game was decided when Detroit’s offensive line finally imposed its will on the exhausted Rams defense. Eight plays, seven runs, David Montgomery stormed into the end zone from one yard out and ended the game.

“The whole game was frustrating,” Lions guard Graham Glasgow said. “It felt a little weird, so it was nice to go into overtime and every play we called worked. It just felt good. The passes were good. It was a satisfying end to a very frustrating game.”

In another era, we’d be tearing the Lions apart. This franchise had never been to the Super Bowl and hadn’t won a playoff game in 32 years before beating the Rams eight months ago.

The Lions reached the NFC title game last season (a new schedule for 2024 will see them face all three teams they played in the 2023 playoffs) and in some ways they’ve even improved.

In Jameson Williams, who had nine catches against the Rams, they have a dangerous complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Detroit has signed defensive end Marcus Davenport, a counterpart to Aidan Hutchinson, who penetrates a pocket like a beer can. And they have upgraded their secondary with three new starters.

The next test will be on Sunday with a home game against Tampa Bay, a team the Lions defeated in the divisional round last season.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) points to Jameson Williams after their 52-yard touchdown connection.

(David Dermer/Associated Press)

The Rams were like Monty Python’s Black Knight — It’s just a scratch! — and somehow managed to keep moving the ball despite losing left tackle Joe Noteboom, left guard Steve Avila and star receiver Puka Nacua. (Their offensive line was already a ragtag bunch before those injuries.) They survived on muscle memory, thanks largely to the play of Stafford, who was composed and accurate, and the often unmarkable Cooper Kupp, who caught 14 balls.

On defense, the Rams made their share of big plays, including an interception of Goff by safety John Johnson III. You may remember that it was Johnson who made the game-winning interception in New Orleans that put Goff and the Rams in the Super Bowl during the 2018 season.

That the Rams have already been forced to reorganize their offensive line doesn’t bode well heading to Arizona on Sunday. The Cardinals are coming off a 34-28 loss in Buffalo but gave the Bills more problems than many expected. Demarcus Robinson took a step forward Sunday night and Stafford got some solid performances from tight end Colby Parkinson and Tyler Johnson, but Nacua’s availability is key.

Although they didn’t have strong passer ratings, Goff (85.0) and Stafford (85.2) reminded everyone how valuable it is to have a steady hand at the position. While the performances of the league’s quarterbacks have varied widely — half the league seems to be testing rookies — the two picked up where they left off in the playoffs on Sunday night.

“Both of those guys have done such a great job,” said Lions center Frank Ragnow, who tackled both. “They’re both consistent guys who work their asses off.”

Stafford was popular in Detroit when he played here, and Goff – once considered by those outside the franchise to be a starter until someone better came along – had played his way into the hearts of Lions fans. In this city, he’s a rock star.

Lions fans may like him, but Goff was not thrilled with his play against his old team.

“We had some plays there that we could have made,” he said. “I need to be more responsive to the cadence of our guys and be a little more smooth on the operational stuff. That alone would solve a lot of our problems. It wasn’t our smoothest game, but a win is a win. We have to be happy about it.”

Not boisterous. Not flashy. Not satisfied.

Only 1-0.