Bob Wojnowski: Lions 38, Browns 37

Lions' Stafford shows true grit in beating Browns

Detroit -- He wanted to finish it, no matter the pain or the consequences. He was going back in, no matter what the doctors or coaches said.

If the story of Matthew Stafford develops as hoped, there's a pretty good chance it started right there, when the Lions finally had a chance to do something unexpected and stirring, and they finally did. It was just one play after one fortunate twist at the end of a bizarre game between two NFL bottom-feeders. But in that moment, on Stafford's 1-yard touchdown pass with no time on the clock, the quarterback prodigy stamped his worthiness and sealed it with a bold signature, written in winces.

Stafford was out, his left shoulder throbbing, and then suddenly he was in. The Lions had lost, and then suddenly they'd won. And while I'm not goofy enough to trumpet their wild 38-37 victory over the Browns Sunday as some franchise-turner, or even season-turner, I am here to say this was the type of finish the Lions prayed they'd craft when they drafted Stafford No. 1.

It really was hard to believe, not just for all the things that happened in the frantic final seconds, but that for once, they happened in the Lions' favor. They were moments away from cementing their standing as the NFL's worst, and then they drove 88 yards and found a way against the lowly Browns.

Hey, legends can't be born on a 2-8 team. But when Stafford talked his way back onto the field after getting clobbered on the previous play, then threw the winning pass to Brandon Pettigrew, he announced some sort of arrival.

'I didn't care'

"It didn't feel good, but I didn't care," Stafford said afterward, his left shoulder wrapped tightly. "It was one play. I knew I didn't have to play too much. Just one snap and try to throw the touchdown."

Who knows what grows from here. X-rays on Stafford's shoulder were negative, but more tests were planned. With the Thanksgiving Day visit from Green Bay four days away, it's hard to tell if Stafford will be healthy enough to play.

But in the middle of another dreary season, this was one entertaining diversion, even if many fans missed it because of the local TV blackout. And no way did it seem it would happen.

One last shot

With eight seconds left, Stafford had scrambled and scrambled at Cleveland's 32, dodged several tacklers and then heaved the ball to the end zone. Interception, game over, as Stafford writhed after getting slammed to the turf. But the Browns' Hank Poteat was called for pass interference, the ball was placed at the 1 and the Lions had one more shot.

Problem was, Stafford was flat on the bench, his left arm clutched to his body. Backup Daunte Culpepper already was on the field when the Browns called a timeout. As soon as Stafford heard the timeout over the P.A. system, he popped up, told team doctors and coaches he was ready, and then proved he was.

Ready for stardom? Still too early to say, although he threw for a career-high 422 yards and five touchdowns.

His job to finish

Ready for whatever dirty tasks are tossed at him? After getting battered a week ago at Minnesota, Stafford showed even more toughness. He made mistakes, but this was (and is) his job to finish.

"He made a great play, but probably his best play was to elude four team doctors on the sideline," coach Jim Schwartz said, chuckling. "You could tell by the look in his eye, nobody was going to stop him from getting on the field. He'd come way too far in that game to not finish it."

It was amazing the Lions even got to that point. They'd started miserably and fell behind 24-3, and trailed 37-31 when they took over on their 12 with 1:46 left.

This is what a rookie quarterback with a wicked strong arm can bring -- the potential of something big. It's not always something good, especially with the Lions deep into their never-ending rebuild. Stafford did throw two interceptions, and came into the game with 12 interceptions and only six touchdowns.

But no one questioned his ability and his willingness to take hits. At least, nobody in the locker room had, and nobody will now. Center Dominic Raiola called Stafford a "tough son of a (gun)," and there aren't many more endearing terms than that.

A show of willpower

It's not just physical sturdiness, either. Stafford came to a team that made NFL history by going 0-16, smothered in negativity. There's still plenty of negativity, but Stafford is eager -- almost too eager -- to take it on. He flings the ball sometimes where it can't go. Other times, like on an unexpectedly rollicking day against the Browns, he does things that make everyone notice.

"Man, he enforced his willpower," running back Kevin Smith. "That's how tough he is. It makes me feel good, like I almost want to cry, when you got a teammate out there putting it all on the line."

Stafford showed it on the final scramble, before the final pass. He'll have to show more, obviously, because it's not like the Lions just beat some slumbering powerhouse team.

They needed a terrific finish to avert disaster, and they got it from the guy charged with delivering much more.

"We didn't draft Matt for his elusiveness, but part of it is having awareness and savvy," Schwartz said. "On that (scramble) play, I screamed, 'Throw the ball!' about six times. He hung in there, and that says a lot about a quarterback, that he's willing to do that for his team."

It says something to a team craving any sign anything will be different, ever. The game started badly but Stafford wouldn't let it end that way, and for a change with the Lions, the pain felt oh so good.

bob.wojnowski@detnews.com