ALLEN PARK, MI.


Matthew Stafford tied a team record with five TD passes, the last one with no time left, as the Lions beat the Browns, 38-37, today at Ford Field.

That was wild, Stafford said with ice strapped around his shoulder.

The Lions began their final drive with no timeouts and 1:46 left on the clock down, 37-31. They got down to the 31-yard line with 8 seconds remaining when Stafford scrambled and threw to the end zone for Calvin Johnson. Hank Poteat was called for pass interference in the end zone with no time left on the clock, so the Lions got an untimed play from the 1.

Once the quarterback rotated out of the pocket and they were in the end zone, you try to force the receiver out of bounds, Poteat said. That’s what I tried to do.

Stafford was hit and hurt his left shoulder on the play and initially came out, which summoned Daunte Culpepper. But the Browns called time-out.

He just said, ‘I’m ready,’ Detroit coach Jim Schwartz recalled. He could walk.

There was no one who was going to stop him from going back on the field. He had come way too far in that game to not finish it.

Stafford came back in the game to throw a scoring pass to fellow rookie Brandon Pettigrew to tie the game. Jason Hanson's extra point gave the Lions the win.

The rookie quarterback was 26-for-43 for 422 yards and two interceptions.

The Browns (1-9) jumped to a 24-3 lead in the first quarter. After both teams kicked field goals, Brady Quinn hit Mohammed Massaquoi for a 59-yard score. Quinn then found Chansi Stuckey (40 yards) and Josh Cribbs (4 yards) for touchdown passes.

The Lions responded to tie the game at 24 with touchdown receptions by Aaron Brown (26 yards), Kevin Smith (25) and Calvin Johnson (75).

Cleveland led, 27-24, at halftime after a Phil Dawson field goal with 2 second remaining.

The Lions took the lead in the third on a Will Heller TD catch in the third. Near the end of the quarter, Detroit surrendered a safety when called for a penalty in the end zone.

The Browns took their final lead in the fourth on a touchdown catch by former Lion Michael Gaines.

We had plenty opportunities and at the end we just couldn’t close it out,” Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said. I’m disappointed for them and I’m sick about the outcome.

Brady Quinn was 21-for-33 for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Mohammed had 115 receiving yards.

I was praying and hoping that our defense could get a stop for us, Quinn said.

Johnson had seven catches for 161 yards. Smith had 104 yards receiving.

Stafford's five touchdown passes ties a record set by Gary Danielson.

I almost wanted to cry seeing how tough Matt was at the end, Smith said. No one knew what his injury was, or how bad he was hurt, but he still came back out there and made a play. No one would have complained if he had let Daunte take that play, but he wanted to be out there for his teammates.

ALLEN PARK, MI.


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.