Lions snap 19-game losing skid against Redskins

Published: Sep 27, 2009 at 09:45 AM

It was over when ...
The Redskins' attempt at a hook-and-lateral with time expiring fell far short of the end zone as Ladell Betts was tackled at the Lions' 24-yard line. With Betts on the ground, the Lions were able to run onto the field in celebration of their first win in 20 games.

Game ball
Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford struggled with his accuracy at times, but he came up with the goods when needed. While his stats were solid (21 of 36 for 241 yards and a touchdown), it was his perfect 24-yard completion to Will Heller on second-and-9 with 2:33 remaining that showed his guts and helped Detroit put the game away.

Key stat
Detroit was 9-of-12 on third down in the first half and dominated the first-half time of possession, holding the ball for 22 of the 30 minutes. That huge early edge helped the Lions withstand a late Redskins rally.

Noteworthy
This was the Lions' first regular-season win since Dec. 23, 2007 as they snapped a 19-game losing skid. ... Detroit RB Kevin Smith had his third career 100-yard rushing day before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. ... Redskins rookie Brian Orakpo had his first career sack. ... Washington QB Jason Campbell passed for 340 yards -- the second-highest total of his career.

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