Minnesota 24 

 Detroit  27

SCORING:

	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	Final
Minnesota	7	0	17	0	24
Detroit	14	6	0	7	27

Scoring

1ST QUARTER

DET - TD, TODD LYGHT 59 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (JASON HANSON KICK), 8:42. DETROIT 7-0 MIN - TD, TYRONE CARTER 46 YD FUMBLE RETURN (GARY ANDERSON KICK), 12:49. MINNESOTA 7, DETROIT 7 DET - TD, MIKE MCMAHON 1 YD RUN (JASON HANSON KICK), 14:05. Drive: 4 plays, 71 yards in 1:16. Key plays: McMahon 69-yard pass to Anderson on 3rd-and-9 to Minnesota 1. DETROIT 14-7

2ND QUARTER

DET - FG, JASON HANSON 44 YD, 5:54. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards in 1:30. Key plays: Claiborne 5-yard interception return to Minnesota 30; McMahon 7-yard pass to Sloan to Minnesota 23; McMahon 7-yard run to Minnesota 26. DETROIT 17-7 DET - FG, JASON HANSON 36 YD, 15:00. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards in 2:48. Key plays: McMahon 21-yard pass to Morton on 3rd-and-7 to Detroit 49; McMahon 16-yard pass to Morton to Minnesota 35; McMahon 12-yard pass to Foster to Minnesota 22. DETROIT 20-7

3RD QUARTER

MIN - FG, GARY ANDERSON 27 YD, 2:37. Drive: 6 plays, 24 yards in 2:37. Key plays: Jacquet 53-yard kickoff return plus 15-yard facemask on Lions' Wyrick to Detroit 33; Bowman 8-yard pass to Moss to Detroit 25; Bowman 9-yard pass to Reed to Detroit 16; Bowman 7-yard pass to Carter to Detroit 9. DETROIT 20-10 MIN - TD, RANDY MOSS 66 YD PASS FROM TODD BOUMAN (GARY ANDERSON KICK), 7:48. Drive: 4 plays, 90 yards in 2:42. Key plays: Boumann 21-yard run on 3rd-and-7 to Minnesota 34. DETROIT 20-17 MIN - TD, RANDY MOSS 13 YD PASS FROM TODD BOUMAN (GARY ANDERSON KICK), 13:09. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards in 3:39. Key plays: Bouman 9-yard pass to Chamberlin to Minnesota 48; Bouman 16-yard pass to Moss plus 15-yard facemask penalty on Lions' Campbell to Detroit 14. MINNESOTA 24-20

4TH QUARTER

DET - TD, CORY SCHLESINGER 1 YD RUN (JASON HANSON KICK), 4:24. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards in 6:15. Key plays: McMahon 26-yard pass to Sloan on 3rd-and-24 to Detroit 32; McMahon 26-yard pass to Morton to Minnesota 42; McMahon 22-yard run on 3rd-and-3 to Minnesota 13; McMahon 4-yard run on 3rd-and-3 to Minnesota 2. DETROIT 27-24

PLAYER STATISTICS

PASSING
Minnesota	Cmp	Att	Yds	Td	Int		Detroit	Cmp	Att	Yds	Td	Int
Bouman	18	38	243	2	2		Mcmahon	15	28	241	0	0

RUSHING
Minnesota	Att	Yards		Detroit	Att	Yards
Bennett	10	40		J Stewart	20	91
Bouman	3	31		Mcmahon	12	74
D Chapman	3	9		C Schlesinge	2	1
Prentice	1	0		Cason	1	1

RECEIVING
Minnesota	Att	Yards		Detroit	Att	Yards
Moss	7	144		Sloan	5	64
C Carter	3	30		Morton	4	74
D Chapman	3	17		Warren	2	13
C Walsh	2	29		C Schlesinge	2	9
B Chamberlai	2	14		Anderson	1	69
Reed	1	9		Foster	1	12

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS (UNOFFICIAL)
Minnesota	T	A	S		Detroit	T	A	S
Wong	8	2	0		Claiborne	5	3	0
Griffith	6	3	0		Green	4	2	0
Hovan	7	0	1		Porcher	4	0	2
Hall	4	2	0		K Schulz	3	0	0
Mcdaniel	2	4	0		Campbell	2	1	0
E Kelly	3	2	0		Lyght	2	0	0
Sawyer	1	2	1/2		S Rogers	2	0	0
La Johnstone	2	0	1		Kriewaldt	1	1	0
Nelson	2	0	0		Hall	1	0	0
T Carter	2	0	0		Elliss	1	0	0
Thomas	2	0	0		C Schlesinge	1	0	0
Colinet	1	1	1 1/2		Wyrick	1	0	0
Tate	1	1	0
D Carter	1	1	0
Chukwurah	1	1	1 1/2
K Wright	1	0	0
Boireau	0	1	1/2

MISSED FIELD GOALS

None.

INTERCEPTIONS

Detroit (Claiborne 1 for 5 yards, Lyght 1 for 59 yards).

FUMBLES LOST

Detroit (Cason).

OPPONENT'S FUMBLES RECOVERED

Minnesota (T Carter).

A: 72,190; T: 3:21

TEAM STATISTICS MIN DET

FIRST DOWNS                    16             19
Rushing                         3              8
Passing                        11             10
Penalty                         2              1
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY          7-15           8-17
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY           0-1            0-0
TOTAL NET YARDS               314            369
Total plays                    57             69
Average gain                  5.5            5.3
NET YARDS RUSHING              80            167
Rushes                         17             35
Average per rush              4.7            4.8
NET YARDS PASSING             234            202
Completed-attempted         18-38          15-28
Yards per pass                5.9            5.9
Sacked-yards lost             2-9           6-39
Had intercepted                 2              0
PUNTS-AVERAGE              6-48.8         7-44.9
RETURN YARDAGE                114            147
Punts-returns                6-41           3-20
Kickoffs-returns             2-73           4-63
Interceptions-returns         0-0           2-64
PENALTIES-YARDS              6-40         13-123
FUMBLES-LOST                  2-0            1-1
TIME OF POSSESSION          26:31          33:29

News: 12/17/01

Jay Leno will have to go elsewhere for his monologue material.
   The Lions can actually go out to dinner again.
   And those brown paper bags? Fans can actually use them for trash.
   The Lions won Sunday.
   The nail-biter, edge-of-the-seat finish -- a 27-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings before 72,190 at the Silverdome -- was the first for the Lions in 2001.
   And, at 1-12, they no longer have to fear the NFL's ultimate futility tag -- the first winless 16-game season.
   "I'm happy," said defensive end Tracy Scroggins, wearing a huge smile. "I don't care if it's just one win.
   "It's like we won the Super Bowl. One win is better than none. All the talk that we were going to be 0-16 and the worst team in the NFL history. We don't have to hear that anymore."
   That's why when the clocked read 0:00, receiver Johnnie Morton flung his helmet into the air like a student who had finally graduated after giving Mornhinweg a Gatorade shower.
   Other players, all over the field, knelt and looked to the heavens, as if to say, "Thanks for answering my prayer."
   Fans, many of whom stood as one for the entire fourth quarter, cheered.
   Only a Rolling Stones concert would have been louder.
   "You could tell they were loud," Morton said. "It was a spirited crowd."
   It was finally over.
   The Lions -- and the city, for that matter -- would no longer be laughingstocks.
   There will be no dubious honor as the worst ever.
   They will not be etched in history, replacing the horrid 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 0-14.
   Instead, 2001 will just be remembered as a bad football season.
   It has been nearly a calendar year since the Lions won. Overall, they had lost 13 straight and 15 of their last 16, dating to last season. Before Sunday, the Lions' last victory was a 10-7 decision over the New York Jets in New Jersey.
   So, what's next?
   In honor of their first victory, the Lions are planning to FedEx a No. 1 fan jersey to Leno, the Tonight Show host, and his sidekick, Kevin Eubanks.
   "I am proud of the players, after what this team has been through," Lions Coach Marty Mornhinweg said. "I am proud of the way they have reacted through this long season.
   "There was never a 'monkey on my back.' I never felt that, ever."
   There should have been.
   When you're a new coach with no previous head-coaching experience at any level, doubt follows you when you start your first season 0-12.
   It would be one thing if the Lions were getting blown out week after week.
   But that just hasn't been the case.
   Two weeks ago, rock-solid kicker Jason Hanson missed three field-goal attempts in a 13-10 loss to the Bears in Chicago.
   Last Sunday in Tampa Bay, Keyshawn Johnson grabbed a touchdown pass with 45 seconds left to beat the Lions, 15-12.
   "We kept taking each game down to the wire," Mornhinweg said.
   Still, no one in the Silverdome knew for sure that the Lions would be able to hang on and win Sunday's game.
   Admit it. You wouldn't have been shocked if Randy Moss had grabbed a ball out of the sky and scored the winning touchdown.
   It would have been only fitting.
   It didn't happen.
   For once, the Lions were able to hold off the threat, turn back what was becoming the expected.
   "Everybody in this league deserves a win," Vikings Coach Dennis Green said. "There are 31 teams in the league, and everybody plays to win.
   "The Lions played to win. They had chances and we had chances. We both deserved to win. They got the win and we got the loss."
   Still, for the Lions, it's nothing more than a starting point.
   President Matt Millen can finally exhale.
   To this point, there had to have been a lot of head-scratching and stomach-turning. But for at least one Sunday in Metro Detroit, fans won't have as many doubts about what Millen is trying to do here.
   "It was a great victory for the team, a great victory for the organization," fullback Cory Schlesinger said. "It's a great win for us and it gets the monkey off our back, and hopefully it will get comedians off our back."
   Especially Leno.

RECAP:

The Detroit Lions have a win. And a quarterback?

The Lions ended their winless season under rookie coach Marty Mornhinweg as rookie quarterback Mike McMahon overshadowed a brilliant second-half performance by Randy Moss in a 27-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Cory Schlesinger scored on a one-yard run with 10:36 left as Detroit (1-12) avoided the NFL's first 0-13 start since the 1986 Indianapolis Colts.

"It was elation and total bliss," said wideout Johnnie Morton, who called the win one of the best moments of his career. "I'm just so happy, I threw my helmet up in the air. I don't know where it is."

"It means a lot to the entire team," added McMahon. "Now, let's get a couple more to end the season. We know we can do it now."

The game came down to the final seconds, which is no surprise when it comes to the Lions, who had lost each of their previous three games and seven this season by five points or fewer.

"I'm proud of the players after what this team has been through," Mornhinweg said. "I'm proud of the way they've reacted through this long season."

"We knew they were going to win a game," Vikings wideout Cris Carter said. "They've played everyone very tough. They do certain things to give you problems offensively."

Minnesota (5-8) drove inside Detroit territory in the final seconds but dropped to 0-6 on the road and moved closer to elimination after reaching the NFC championship game last season.

"We had chances, they had chances," Vikings coach Dennis Green said. "They got the win, we got the loss."

Starting for just the second time, McMahon threw for 226 yards, rushed for another 75 and a touchdown and was a major reason why Detroit snapped a 13-game losing streak, dating to 2000.

A quick-footed Rutgers product playing for an injured Charlie Batch, McMahon ran when necessary and threw accurately, completing 15-of-28 passes.

"He has a good sense of taking care of the football," Mornhinweg said. "He does that well. He made some great throws today, and his running ability really helps us."

McMahon did most of his damage in the first half but led a 13-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in Schlesinger's TD and a 27-24 lead with 8:45 to play.

McMahon converted three third downs on the drive, including a 26-yard pass to tight end David Sloan on 3rd-and-24 from Detroit's 6-yard line. He also had a pair of third-down runs, including a 22-yarder on 3rd-and-3 to Minnesota's 13.

"He presents a problem for defenses because he can run," said Morton, who had four catches for 74 yards. "He gives an extra facet to our offense."

The late drive offset an amazing display by Moss, who had seven catches for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Vikings erased a 20-7 halftime deficit.

Moss, who recently said he "plays" when he feels like it, hauled in a 66-yard TD pass from Todd Bouman midway through the third quarter and a 13-yarder 1:51 into the fourth to give the Vikings a 24-20 lead.

"Anytime the ball goes to (Moss), he's going to make the play," said Bouman, who was 18-of-38 for 243 yards with two interceptions in his second career start. "He sparked us."

Moss had a series of highlight-reel catches, mostly against cornerback Bryant Westbrook, who made his first start since tearing an Achilles tendon last November.

"He's a great athlete, like a Barry Sanders," Westbrook said. "He won the battle today, but I won the war."

Even though he was dominated by one of the game's best receivers, Westbrook was happy to be back.

"When I'm out there, I have to compete," he said. "My heart does not pump Kool-Aid."

The defenses dominated the opening quarter as Lions cornerback Todd Lyght returned an interception 59 yards for a score and Vikings safety Tyrone Carter scooped up a fumble and returned it 46 yards to tie it.

McMahon recorded his first career rushing touchdown with 55 seconds left in the first period, capping a four-play, 71-yard drive he set up with a 69-yard pass to fellow rookie Scotty Anderson.

Jason Hanson kicked second-quarter field goals of 44 and 36 yards to give Detroit a 20-7 lead -- their biggest of the season -- at halftime.

Scott's Game Commentary:

A year ago this weekend, the Lions pulled of a stunning win against the NY Jets and looked like they were headed to the playoffs with a 9-6 record. Who ever would of thought it would take the honolulu blue and silver almost a year to get their next regular season victory? The Lions FINALLY got over the hump as Mike McMahon improved on his 1st start last week and led the Lions to a 27-24 victory over a Vikings team that is just as disappointing at the Lions this year. The game got off to a great start as Todd Lyght returned an interception for a touchdown. The Lions had their biggest lead of the ENTIRE YEAR in the 1st half: 13 points, as they led 20-7 at halftime. That didn't last long as the special teams, which had a rare off game, allowed the Vikings to return the kick 53 yards. Randy Moss, who plays when he feels like it, woke up in the 3rd quarter and caught two touchdown passes and before you could blink your eyes, the Lions were down 24-20. The offense was backed up inside their own 5, so it was looking bleak...but McMahon, who continues to impress, found Corey Schlesinger open down field for a first down. That led to Schlesinger going in for the game winning touchdown. Late in the game, the Vikings almost got into field goal range to tie the game, but fell short. For the 3rd straight game, the offense and defense played well and if not for some rotten breaks, the Lions would be on a three game winning streak right now. All in all, it was great to see the honolulu blue and silver put an end to this embarrassing run. My favorite quote from after the game was Johnnie Morton telling everyone I want to Jay Leno to KISS MY ASS! Right on Johnnie!

Grades:

Offense: --- A-. Rookie Mike McMahon continues to show he was a worthy selection in the 5th round. Once again, McMahon played with poise and didn't have any interceptions, which was Charlie Batch's downfall his rookie year. McMahon had 315 all purpose yards and James Stewart had 91 yards against one of the worst defenses in football. The offensive line still needs to improve as McMahon was forced out of the pocket most of the day and was sacked six times. McMahon is the QB that Moronhinweg wants for the west coast offense...someone who can scramble and throw on the run, something Batch cannot do. Will get a really good look at McMahon next week when the Lions play the Steelers, who have one of the best defenses in football.

Defense: --- B. Todd Lyght got the Lions up early when he read the coverage and returned the pick for a touchdown. For the third straight game, the defense showed signs of what was expected of them at the beginning of the year. They held the Vikings without a touchdown for the entire 1st half. If not for Randy Moss, they would of had another stellar peformance. When the Vikings got the ball back late in the game, everyone was waiting for the defense to collape. They almost did...but they held strong at the end of the game and the Vikings couldn't get the 10 yards they needed to get into field goal range to tie the game. Chris Claibore had another good game and has really improved over last season. Robert Porcher gets my vote for the Lions most improved player over last year as he sacked Minnesota's backup QB twice. Given all the starters that are missing from the beginning of the year, its amazing how they have played of late.

Special Teams: --- C-. Desmond Howard misjudged a punt that cost the Lions 20 yards and didn't have any good returns. Coverage was weak...giving up a 52 yard return to start the 2nd half was a back breaker, although it only led to a field goal. Hanson was on the money on two field goals and has made five striaght since missing three against the Bears.

Coaching: --- C. The M&M boys finally got their first win but the Lions still have the worst record in the NFL. If there is one thing that Marty must work on is all the penalties his team piles up. Its bad enough leading the league in penalities and penalty yards, but to give up 13 penalities for 123 yards??? Also, I questioned with Cason was doing in the game...his only carry resuted in a fumble and a Vikings touchdown. Deciding to run Stewart up the middle on 3rd and long late in the game was a dumb call...a first down would have sealed the game. But, Marty is off the hook this week; however, he sure has his work cut out for him against Pittsburgh next week.

Overall: --- A. For the first time in 10 games, the Lions were able to do something right in the last few minutes and get their first victory of the year. McMahon continues to show signs that maybe he indeed is a hidden gem the Lions found in the 5th round, but its still too early to tell. The Vikings have really fallen apart this year and haven't won a single road game yet. Up next for the Lions are the Pittsburgh Steelers and simply put, the Lions will be 1-13 heading back to help spoil the Bears chances of winning the Central division. It should be an exciting game in two weeks since it was almost a year ago when the Bears shocked the Lions and cost them a playoff spot. Still, there is a lot to look up to. If the Lions are able to pickup a few free agents, have another strong draft (they are most certainly guaranteed a top five pick) and if their injured players get back to 100%, I really feel the honolulu blue and silver will be a .500 team next year. Its the 1st time in a year that I can end with a smily face :-)

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