DETROIT — Finally, the Detroit Lions are winners.
With rookie Matthew Stafford leading
the way, Detroit ended a 19-game losing streak with a 19-14 victory
over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
The Lions (1-2) had not won since
Dec. 23, 2007, and their skid matched the second longest in NFL history.
They no longer will have to hear about closing in on Tampa Bay’s record
26-game losing streak set during the 1976-77 seasons.
Stafford threw a 21-yard touchdown
pass to Bryant Johnson in the first quarter and Detroit added a
fourth-quarter score after a pass interference penalty. Then the Lions
had to hold off the Redskins’ final drive.
When the game ended, the Lions earned
a chance to celebrate nine months after becoming the first NFL team to
finish 0-16 in the regular season.
Stafford didn’t watch the final play, holding his head down on the bench.
After time expired, center Dominic
Raiola blew kisses to the crowd of 40,896 that was the smallest at Ford
Field and the fewest to watch a Lions home game in 20 years.
Washington (1-2) pulled within five
points on Jason Campbell‘s second touchdown pass with 2:36 left in the
game, but couldn’t prevent the Lions from picking up a first down that
ran time off the clock and cost it three timeouts.
The Redskins had their last of many chances to win from their 22 with 1:05 left and got to the Detroit 24 when time expired.
Washington wasted opportunities
throughout to avoid the embarrassment of losing to the lowly Lions and
embattled coach Jim Zorn will likely be pressed for answers as he was a
week ago after an unimpressive 9-7 win over St. Louis.
The Lions built a 13-0 lead at
halftime with Stafford’s TD pass to Johnson, Jason Hanson‘s two field
goals — including one to end the first half — and Washington’s zero
yards rushing.
A week after struggling inside the
10 and barely beating the Rams, Washington was held scoreless on its
opening drive despite a first-and-goal from the 9. Clinton Portis was
denied on fourth down from the 1 by rookie linebacker DeAndre Levy, who
started in Ernie Sims‘ place.
Detroit then drove 99 yards on 12
plays over nearly 6 minutes, capping the impressive drive with
Johnson’s fantastic catch on a high throw in the end zone from
Stafford.
The Lions went ahead 10-0 — as they
did last week before losing to Minnesota — on Hanson’s 39-yard field
goal midway through the second quarter. Hanson’s 26-yard kick at the
end of the first half gave the Lions a 13-0 lead.
Washington suddenly showed signs of
life on offense in the second half, going 73 yards to pull within six
points on Campbell’s 57-yard pass to Santana Moss, but it was too late.
Zorn chose to punt on a fourth-and-3
from the Detroit 44 early in the fourth quarter and the Lions scored a
TD on the ensuing possession to go ahead 19-7 with 5:26 left in the
game.
The key moment of the pivotal drive
came when Chris Horton was called for pass interference against
Johnson, giving Detroit a 47-yard gain and the ball at the 1 to set up
Maurice Morris‘ TD run.
Washington responded with a TD
drive, but it allowed Stafford to connect with tight end Will Heller to
convert a third down on the ensuing possession and hurt its chances of
a comeback.